When choosing where to reside within this state, the issue of safety can probably be deemed significant. Although Louisiana is full of culture, thriving neighborhoods, and beautiful terrain it comes with a downside; specific cities have a higher crime rate than others. If you are looking for the best and most secure cities in which to reside in the state of Louisiana, then the following list cites some of the best cities by crime rate.

Defining Safety

Some aspects define the degree and the nature of the safety to which a city looks and feels and the actual statistical safety of it. The crime rate in a city is an essential factor in residents’ safety as low crime rates including murder, aggravated assault, and rape are likely to make residents feel more secure. Education is another very important factor, and this can be seen through the provision of basic education to the population, while notification of neighbors also plays a big role in safety especially strong bonds in the community. Police presence including fast response to called incidences can help in discouraging the occurrence of crime and support victims when needed.

As noted, there is no perfect city where crime does not occur; however, the cities on this list have made significant strides in ensuring that they are safe for residents based on the criteria used in this study. Measuring safety through the evaluation of recent crime rates is useful in quantifying safety, but there is also merit in finding out from the residents of the area to get their opinions – their experiences speak to more than just safety; they reflect the strength of the community.

The synopsis of the report on the Safest Cities in Louisiana

According to FBI crime report statistics for violent and property crime rates, these cities stand out as some of the safest places to live in Louisiana: 

1. Lafayette
2. Lake Charles
3. Kenner
4. Bossier City
5. Metairie

The city of New Orleans, which is one of the most popular cultural centers in Louisiana, did not enter this ranking either because crime rates in the city are still above both statewide and nationwide. However, the crime rates may be slightly lower in the smaller cities detailed below or they may have great communities, jobs, and amenities to offer.

Lafayette

Found in the south-central part of Louisiana, Lafayette is the largest city in the Acadiana area and is situated on the Vermillion River. The energy and healthcare sectors offer economic development opportunities while area delicacies and music offer cultural returns.

In the case of violent crime rates in Lafayette, there were only 210 incidents registered in 2019 and the rate was 488.2 per 100000). By maintaining strong emergency and response programs and having active community organizations such as Lafayette Data, Lafayette prevents a lot of crime and fosters a positive attitude. Overall, it offers safety, varied career opportunities, entertainment, and the chance to participate in activities that are culturally preserved and specific to Louisiana.

Lake Charles

Located in the southern part of the United States, Lake Charles is a city on the Gulf of Mexico in the western part of the state near the border with Texas and Interstate 10. Also nicknamed the ‘Festival Capital of Louisiana’ as it hosts a multitude of festivals every year, Lake Charles offers a wide range of leisure and nightlife facilities to its residents, in addition to rapidly developing sectors such as tourism and casinos.

If one were to take the latest FBI statistics, the Lake Charles region had 263 violent crimes per annum for a population of nearly 79,000 people. It has low levels of violent crimes and few property crimes like burglary and theft, thus it is one of the safest metro areas in the state. New neighborhoods are also still being built here due to safety in addition to attractive views.

Kenner

Located to the west of New Orleans, Kenner still stays connected to New Orleans but is also focused on navigating the city toward safety and the ability to live. The city has a population of approximately 67,000 inhabitants, and it is conveniently located near Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and water bodies, Lake Pontchartrain, for recreational activities. Baseball enthusiasts also recognize Kenner as having been the home to the New Orleans Zephyrs AAA baseball team.

Thus, Kenner has successfully implemented the necessary policies and has engaged the community to reduce violence. The rate remained at an average of 366 violent crimes per year in 2019, thereby allowing citizens to live comfortably. Kenner’s Friendly for Children atmosphere enforces tighter safety measures with things like firecrackers. There is a likelihood that the safe trends will continue since cooperation with the programs that are related to the neighborhood will persist with the cooperation with the police.

Bossier City

Located east of Shreveport and the Red River, it is connected to its neighboring city Texarkana through covered corridors. Bossier City’s economy comprises military bases such as Barksdale Air Force Base, casinos, restaurants, and other places of business. But the city assures that fast rise is well-guided by crime prevention and control measures as well as community policing programs.

On the same note, between active policing by officers and citizens’ vigilance, Bossier City recorded only 308 violent crimes in a year for approximately 70,000 residents. Large campaigns for public safety stress heightened cooperation to prevent crime from getting out of hand. These combined efforts created a family-oriented S.S. culture focused on safety regardless of age.

Metairie

Metairie is located just outside the city limits of New Orleans and serves as a part of Jefferson Parish, the city boasts of a low crime rate that makes it one of Louisiana’s safest cities. Often referred to as “the largest small town,” Metairie is more suburban like its neighboring communities but it possesses urban facilities including jazz clubs and shopping centers. The area keeps drawing more people as violent crime declines.

The population of Metairie has been increasing rapidly and is estimated to be around 14, 000 people, however, the violent crimes reported in 2019 were only 407. Community programs promote the 21st century advancement in technology such as home security cameras to support enhanced safety plans. Training and strict guidelines also allow the law enforcement departments and personnel of the emergency services to coordinate prompt responses that build the public’s confidence.

Staying Safe in Louisiana

Some Louisiana cities might be more notorious for crime than others and therefore attract crime-related news; however, other growing cities have lower crime rates than on a national level. Attempting to focus on the best-enforced cities that still provide work, fun, and togetherness, are possible to offer security. To understand the true picture of crime rates in Louisiana, a comparison of violent and property crime rates is followed by an assessment of effective safety programs to provide the most comprehensive look at Louisiana’s safest places to live.