See Which Louisiana Parish Tops The Livability List

(KMDL-FM) The word "best" is thrown around in American vernacular so much that it often loses the impact of its true meaning. How many places in Louisiana can you find the "best" boudin or the "best" cracklins? So, it's easy to underappreciate the meaning when someone or something suggests something is the best.

READ MORE: Best Places for Boudin in Acadiana

Now, if that claim of being better than all the others is backed up with a little data and some input from others, you can feel better about taking that claim "to the bank". The folks at Niche.com have created their annual survey of "best places" to live, and since you can live in Louisiana, we were included in the survey.

How Were the "Best Parishes" in Louisiana Determined?

If you're not familiar with Niche.com, it's an online platform that offers insights for families seeking to relocate to other destinations. The Niche.com platform provides details on quality of life, schools, and other related issues that allow people to compare one place to another when contemplating a move.

For the 2026 Niche.com Survey of Best "Counties" to Live in Louisiana, they know we do parishes, but the headline is what the headline is; they considered things like education rates, cost of living, the housing grade, the quality of public schools, along with several other factors to ultimately produce their survey results.

You can see the entire Niche.com list for the best counties to live across the country here. I can save you a step and tell you the top spot was in Virginia, followed by a county in Maryland, and then another near Atlanta in Georgia.

READ MORE: These Cities Offer Louisiana's "Best Quality of Life"

Here in Louisiana, the folks at Niche.com found that the 10th best parish to live in was West Baton Rouge Parish. That parish was given an overall grade of A-. Some knocks in the reviews of the parish suggested "there wasn't much to do," but those who like small-town life would appreciate it.

The 9th "best parish" in Louisiana was Calcasieu Parish. The overall grade was A-. The public schools earned a B+ rating, and the consensus of what made the Lake Charles area "best" was the job opportunities. There was also a nod to the hunting and fishing available in Calcasieu Parish.

The number 8 and number 7 parishes were St. Charles at 8 and St. Tammany at 7. Both parishes were given a grade of A. Public schools in St Charles earned an A+; the grade in St Tammany was an A-.

Bossier Parish earned the number 6 spot on the Niche.com survey. The overall grade for Bossier was an A. The schools earned an A-, and the overarching theme of most reviews of the parish revealed the potential for growth and many job opportunities. Especially in hospitality and casino gaming.

Jefferson Parish came in at number 5, and Lincoln Parish was number 4 in the survey results. Jefferson Parish had an overall score of A, as did Lincoln Parish. Public Schools in Jefferson Parish earned an A, while in Lincoln it was a grade of A+. Reviews of Jefferson Parish touted a quiet lifestyle, while no one bothered to write a review of the Greater Ruston area.

The number 3 best parish to live in Louisiana is East Baton Rouge Parish. The overall grade was an A. The schools earned a grade of A-. Reviewers wrote glowing reviews concerning things to do, the food, and the culture. They didn't mention the traffic, which should probably be considered.

Louisiana's number 2 parish, according to Niche.com, is Ascension Parish. They earned an overall score of A, and the schools earned an A+. Many of the reviews touted small-town vibes that are close to larger cities, so you can enjoy the best of both worlds.

This is Louisiana's Best Parish to Live in

The best parish to live in if you want to live in Louisiana? It's Lafayette Parish. No, I am not being a "homer"; the folks at Niche.com gave the parish an overall score of A+, but the public schools only earned a B+. The parish also scored big for nightlife, diversity, and being good for families. So that might have helped Lafayette overcome a less-than-stellar report card for schools.

You can see the entire Louisiana "Best Parishes List Here". And if you've ever contemplated what your town's "Identical Twin Town" would be anywhere in the world, take a gander at this short list. The Monroe "twin" is out there, way out there.