Pros and Cons of Moving to Baton Rouge

Quick Facts About Baton Rouge, Louisiana 

The penultimate stop on the Mississippi’s long journey to the Gulf, Baton Rouge is a bastion of Creole culture and the capital of the Pelican State. This southeastern Louisiana city is now home to more than 225,000 people, and the metro area contains more than 880,000 — a gain of roughly 50,000 since 2010. Newcomers have undoubtedly been drawn to the warm weather and friendly vibes, as well as the gorgeous landscape. 

Known to locals as the Red Stick, the French heritage of Baton Rouge is alive and well — you’ll taste it in every steaming bowl of gumbo and every bite of beignet. This is a city that loves getting together, whether it’s for an LSU Tigers game, rooftop cocktails and oysters or one of the many festivals throughout the year.  

Baton Rouge has a diverse job market, and it is a valuable part of the Gulf South economy, where energy still reigns supreme. But it’s not all oil and gas in Baton Rouge. Insurance, healthcare, education and even restaurants are big business down here — Raising Cane’s has made a multibillion-dollar industry out of chicken fingers from this bend of the bayou. 

But one of the best aspects of Baton Rouge is the pace of life. The languid waters diffuse even the idea of urban hustle, and the lakes and woods surrounding the city make it one of Louisiana’s most alluring places to explore.  

Learn more about the pros and cons of living in Baton Rouge below and see if the city is right for your family. Our moving guide to Baton Rouge will cover all the essentials — the cost of living, career opportunities, cultural amenities and our favorite things to do. Read on below.  

Pros of Moving to Baton Rouge 

Affordable Cost of Living 

Compared with the average American city, life in the Red Stick looks pretty affordable. The cost of living in Baton Rouge is seven points below the national average, thanks to modest housing, utility and transportation costs. In Baton Rouge, the median home value of $227,000 trails the U.S. norm by almost $80,000, while the median gross rent barely breaks $1,000/month.  

But it’s not all good news in the Pelican State capital. Only 46% of residents own their own homes — more than 20 points off the national median. That may be because income levels in Baton Rouge are only half of what they are nationally. The median household income in Baton Rouge is $41,651, compared to the national median of $80,610. This rate may also be influenced by the number of college students in the city — nearly 38,000 of whom are enrolled at LSU and 7,200 of whom are enrolled at Southern University and A&M College.  

So, how far must your income carry you in the Red Stick? Well, the MIT Living Wage Calculator estimates that a single individual living in Baton Rouge would require a pre-tax income of $38,991 to afford these common expenses:  

• Food: $4,195 
• Medical Expenses: $2,979 
• Housing: $12,623 
• Transportation: $11,347 
• Civic: $2,589 
• Internet/Mobile: $1,488 
• Misc: $3,770 
• Annual Taxes: $7,123 

One perk all Louisiana residents enjoy is that there is no state tax on Social Security benefits* — something that may appeal to retirees looking to maximize their incomes.  

Louisiana State University  

Baton Rouge is home to two distinguished institutions of higher education: Southern University and A&M College — an HBCU founded in 1880 — and Louisiana State University (LSU), which was founded in 1860 and is part of the NCAA Southeastern Conference. Between these two institutions, Baton Rouge always feels like a big college town, and LSU Tigers games more than make up for the lack of pro sports in the city.  

With a strong emphasis on science and technology, Southern University is best known for its engineering program — a field in high demand, particularly given the city’s prominent energy sector. LSU has a broader research base, with well-respected programs from art and design to medicine, but some of its specialties are still hyper-relevant to the region, like coastal studies. LSU Press is one of the nation’s most renowned university publishing houses, bringing great books of poems, history and Southern studies into the world. 

At the elementary and secondary levels, public education in Baton Rouge is served by EBR — East Baton Rouge Schools, which encompasses 65 schools, from Pre-K centers to Montessori institutions to magnet and preparatory high schools. Most private schools in the region are religiously affiliated, with Catholic institutions in the greatest number. However, the Brighter Horizon School, an Islamic institution, has been around since 1994, and there are a couple of secular options as well. The Brighton School serves students with language-based learning disabilities, offering a comprehensive education which includes therapeutic, multi-sensory instruction for all grade levels. 

Heritage and History 

When you’re moving to a city with a story as complex as Baton Rouge’s, one of the best ways to get acquainted is to visit its oldest sites. Neighborhoods like Drehr Place and Spanish Town have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since the 70s, and their architecture varies widely from Craftsman bungalows to haughty Greek revivals.  

Exhibits at The West Baton Rouge Museum dive deep into the state’s past, from its Creole heritage to its agricultural legacy. But you’ll get no better sense of the political history of Baton Rouge than at the Old State Capitol building, a Gothic structure so lavish locals call it Baton Rouge’s Castle. The building has seen a thing or two in its day — including more than one destructive fire — but you’d never know it by the lacquered sheen of its banisters or the elaborate ironwork within.  

If the new Louisiana State Capitol could talk, though, boy would it have a story to tell. Built at the urging of firebrand governor Huey Long, the towering Art Deco structure stands 34 stories tall — higher than any other state capitol. Ironically, the life of that same governor was cut short inside these walls when he was assassinated on September 10, 1935 — an event that still looms large over the building’s lofty heights. 

Local politics aside, one of the most popular historic destinations in Baton Rouge is a monument of national pride — the USS Kidd Veterans Museum. The ship — better known as the Pirate of the Pacific — was part of the WWII-era Destroyer Squadron 48 but is now parked on the banks of the Mississippi, where visitors can tour the restored vessel. Other fascinating spots to check out around town include the Baton Rouge African American Museum and Magnolia Mound.  

There’s Always Something Happening 

You may run out of energy or hours in the day, but there is one thing you’ll never be short of in Baton Rouge — things to do. This is a highly creative city where music, art and revelry are baked into daily life.  

The Baton Rouge Gallery Center for Contemporary Art opened its doors more than 50 years ago, and it’s just one of dozens of art spaces throughout the city. Other spots not to miss are the Museum of Public Art, the LSU Museum and the Louisiana Art & Science Museum. Sites like the Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre, the River Center Theatre for the Performing Arts and the Manship Theatre bring comedy, dance, films and plays to the region, including performances by the Baton Rouge Symphony.  

But it’s outdoor festivals that rule the Rouge. Mardi Gras celebrations are de rigueur in Louisiana, and while the Baton Rouge version may be a touch tamer than in the wilds of NOLA, you won’t miss out on any of the flamboyance or flare here. The Baton Rouge Blues Festival — one of longest-running in the nation — brings the signature sounds of the Mississippi off the water and onto the Swamp Blues Stage every April. On Fridays in the spring and fall, downtown Baton Rouge hosts the free concert series Live After Five right outside the Old State Capitol — the perfect way to unwind after a long week.  

Baton Rouge festivals always involve good eats, but to get the full flavor of the culinary scene, you have to attend the food festivals. The Baton Rouge Soul Food Festival is one of the biggest, and this family-friendly event kicked off this year with a pre-party at one of the city’s best music dives — Henry Turner Jr.’s Listening Room. The Fête Rouge shows the city’s fancier side, celebrating the epicurean prowess of some of the city’s most inventive chefs. Now in its third year, the Lebanese Festival brings Middle Eastern flavors to the heart of southeastern Louisiana — there’s even a tabbouleh competition, for those who want to be crowned the Prince of Mint!  

Lots of Outdoor Opportunities 

While the heat can be overwhelming in this part of the Pelican State, there are still plenty of ways to enjoy the spoils of nature in this unique part of the country. The bayous of Baton Rouge are teeming with life — sometimes of the regrettable mosquito variety — but from the state’s signature birds to the ancient aquatic creatures that might lurk beneath your boat, the waters of this Gulf South city have shaped the culture in more ways than one.  

The Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center can introduce you to some of the region’s longest-standing residents, from the long-legged ibis to the short-legged gators. A network of pathways guides you from the swamp to the woods and an indoor exhibit center, which can fill you in on everything you see on the trails. If you want to get into the waters, sign up with a guide for an airboat swamp tour, or set out on a quieter adventure in canoes or kayaks to get a more personal look at the Atchafalaya. 

On the 5.5-mile mountain bike trail at Comite River, cyclists are treated to rugged rides through the woods along with a pleasant view of the Cypress Bayou. Fishing is also permitted here. Perkins Road Community Park has an enormous skatepark with a BMX Raceway and one of the country’s handful of velodromes.   

Outdoor recreation in Baton Rouge isn’t all wild, though. LSU’s beautiful Botanic Gardens — part of the Burden Museum & Gardens — have gorgeous collections of roses and camellias, and the corn maze is a huge hit in the fall. The LSU Rural Life Museum showcases a collection of 30 historic buildings from the 19th century, giving visitors a glimpse into farm life from Baton Rouge’s days of yore. City-Brooks Community Park has a meditative labyrinth on its grounds as well as the Knock Knock Children’s Museum, so if it gets too hot or too rainy, you can always pop in here to make sure the weather doesn’t spoil the fun.  

A Solid Local Economy 

Since the founding of the Standard Oil Refinery, the economy of Baton Rouge has been dominated by energy production and distribution. Today, this powerful industry supports a wide range of ancillary businesses in the region, from engineering and construction firms to environmental specialists. But you needn’t work in petrochemicals to have a thriving career in Baton Rouge.  

There are more than 425,000 individuals working in the Baton Rouge metro area, and most industries experienced modest growth between July 2024 and 2025. The largest single sector in the city was the government — no surprise for a state capital — but trade, transportation and utilities employed almost an equal number of individuals — thanks to natural and manmade infrastructure, from the Mississippi River to the highways and the Port of Louisiana. The robust education and health services sector followed closely behind.  

There are also plenty of Baton Rouge jobs in finance and professional and business services, so if you’re transferring here from a region that isn’t as oil-centric, your current position will likely have a counterpoint in Baton Rouge. One of the largest employers in the area is LSU, which supports more than 20,000 positions. Some of the area’s largest private employers include Turner Industries Group, the Newtron Group and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana. But the city’s true golden egg is Raising Cane’s, a chicken-finger empire that scratched out more than $5 billion in earnings in 2025.  

Although the unemployment rate in Baton Rouge ticked up to 4.9% in June 2025, the city has achieved remarkable growth, of late, according to the Baton Rouge Area Chamber.  

Southern Livin’ 

From Southern staples at Elsie’s Plate & Pie to po’boys at Dempsey’s and Cajun and Creole classics like gumbo from Parrain’s, living in Baton Rouge means eating well. But whether you’re pulling up to a slab of ribs at Salt Pepper Oak or meeting friends for swanky cocktails at Second Story, Baton Rouge has a scene for everyone. The city is known for its laid-back and inviting culture, where family crawfish boils often spill over into neighbor’s backyards, and the year sometimes seems like one long festival. This creates a powerful sense of belonging — even for newcomers — where there’s always room for one more at the table.  

Cons of Living in Baton Rouge  

We won’t lie — there are a few downsides to living in the Red Stick.  

1. Public Transportation. Getting around in Baton Rouge is best done by car, considering the city doesn’t even have Bus Rapid Transit yet, let alone light rail. Much like the swampy air, commute times aren’t breezy. But, with a mean travel time of 23.6 minutes, they’re not as bad as other Southern cities, like Atlanta or Houston. 
2. The Weather in Baton Rouge. There is no getting around it — the climate in the Red Stick can be as scorching as a red-hot poker. And for eight months of the year, although you shouldn’t expect to see highs in the 90s F, it’s still going to be rainy and humid. You’ll need to be on the lookout for hurricanes, excessive heat and flooding events, sometimes all at the same time. But winters are great. If you’ve longed to never pick up a snow shovel again, Baton Rouge can almost guarantee that you won’t have to.
3. It’s not New Orleans. There are plenty of great restaurants, cocktail bars and places to hang out in this fun Louisiana city, but nightlife in Baton Rouge is tame compared to NOLA. For early risers, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but night owls will have fewer roosts than they might in the big city.  

So, Should You Move to Baton Rouge? 

Still on the fence? Here are the top three things to consider about moving to Baton Rouge: 

1. The city is more affordable than many other Southern belles — a big advantage especially considering the proximity to the coast. But income levels are lower. Make sure your salary expectations align with reality.  
2. Although the weather is appealing to snowbirds, living in Baton Rouge year-round means facing extreme heat and storms.  
3. Baton Rouge has a distinct cultural identity — you’ll never confuse the Red Stick with any other — a major asset, especially when so many American cities seem interchangeable. 

Get Moving with United Van Lines  

Are you ready to make the move to Baton Rouge? United Van Lines can get you there. In our nearly 100-year history, we’ve relocated millions of families to cities across the United States. It’s why we’re America’s #1 Mover®.  

Get a moving quote now for Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 

Moving long distance to Baton Rouge? If you’re moving cross-country, United Van Lines’ full-service moving packages can be customized to your needs. We can simplify the moving process by providing services like packing and unpacking, vehicle shipping, storage for your belongings and removing moving debris. When you work with United, your move will be handled by a network of expert long-distance movers and managed by a personal move coordinator to handle all the details. You can access information about your relocation anytime through the MyUnited Move Portal. 

Making a local move in Louisiana? If you’re moving within the state or even from another part of Baton Rouge, United Van Lines’ interstate Baton Rouge, Louisiana, agents/movers can provide you with local moving services independently under their own businesses and brands. 

Before you select a mover, be sure you understand what’s included in a moving quote. We’re here to answer all your questions about moving, from the average cost of a long-distance move to how a move with United goes. Get our latest moving tips in House Key, a digital moving magazine, and on our moving blog. 

Weighing the pros and cons of moving by yourself versus hiring the pros? See what a DIY move looks like.  

Not sold on Baton Rouge, yet? Check out our full line of moving guides to popular U.S. cities and states.  

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*Please note: We are not tax experts and are not offering tax advice, other than you should consider obtaining additional information and advice from your legal and/or financial advisers who are fully aware of your individual circumstances.