Baton Rouge came in 93rd among the 150 most populous metro areas on U.S. News and World Report’s list of the Best Places to Live in 2022-2023.
The Capital Region was ranked first in Louisiana.
On the plus side, U.S. News noted:
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- Relatively low cost of living compared to many other metros;
- Low taxes;
- Lower crime rate than similarly sized metros, based on 2020 numbers.
Factors bringing down the ranking include:
- Average salaries lower than the national average;
- A 2021 unemployment rate higher than the national average;
- A low score for students’ college readiness.
Lafayette was ranked second in Louisiana and 116th overall, followed in the state by New Orleans (136th overall) and Shreveport (140th).
Huntsville, Alabama, ranked first on the list, followed by Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Green Bay, Wisconsin.
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You can read the publication’s description of Baton Rouge here, and see the methodology used to create the rankings here.
Daily Report emailed spokespeople for Mayor Sharon Weston Broome and the Baton Rouge Area Chamber offering a chance to comment but did not hear back in time for this report.
This story originally appeared in a May 17 issue of Daily Report. To keep up with Baton Rouge business and politics, subscribe to the free Daily Report e-newsletter here.