Living in Central, LA
Suburb in Louisiana
Central is a suburb in Louisiana, home to about 30,000 people, with 496,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, a car is essential. Life moves at a slow, calm pace, and homes are mostly houses with yards.
Is Central a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Low taxes: about $1,029 state income tax per resident, 0.64% property tax
- Dog-friendly: 5 dog parks within 9 mi
- Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $315k and rents for $1,510 a month
- Strong healthcare: 2 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
👎 Cons
- Smaller job market: about 496,000 people live within 31 mi
- Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
- Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
- Hot summers: highs around 92°F
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Central ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Central: common questions
What is the cost of living in Central?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $315k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,510 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 91, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Central?
Louisiana collects about $1,029 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.64% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Central safe?
Central isn't in the FBI's 2019 city crime table, so Best Life Fit Me counts its safety as average.
How are the schools in Central?
Public schools in Central test above the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 19 students per teacher.
What is the weather like in Central?
Central has mild winters: winter days average around 64°F and summer days around 92°F.
Does Central get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is high, mainly from flooding, tornadoes and hurricanes: 18 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 1.47 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Central?
The nearest major airport is MSY, about 60 mi away.
How Central scores
Each bar compares Central with the other 1,990 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
Places like Central
These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.
The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).
Nearby
See all the best places to live in Louisiana.
Is Central right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.