What Are The Pros And Cons Of Living In New Orleans?

You know it by many names. It’s “The Big Easy,” “The Crescent City,” or even just simply, “NOLA.” No matter how you call it, New Orleans is a city that leaves a lasting impression on people.

There’s a good chance you’ve been to New Orleans before. After all, it’s one of the more popular vacation spots in the country. So, what is it like to live there?

On the plus side, New Orleans is a town known for its raucous celebrations. The cost of living in New Orleans is also quite low even though it’s among the bigger cities in the South. Unfortunately, residents of New Orleans also have to deal with frequent flooding and high crime rates.

The experience of living in New Orleans is unlike anything other cities can offer. Learn more about it by continuing with this article.

Mention New Orleans to anyone who’s even slightly familiar with it and they will probably describe it as a party town. It’s a reputation that the city has definitely earned.

People from all over the world come to New Orleans to experience the Mardi Gras festival in person. You’ll often see the streets flooded with people just having fun during that time of the year. The celebratory music that fills the air only adds to the jovial atmosphere.

Numerous other festivals take place in the city throughout the year. There are festivals that pay tribute to the history of New Orleans. You can also take part in the festivals that celebrate cultural aspects of the city, including its rich cuisine and music.

Also, don’t overlook the fact that New Orleans is one of the premier destinations for spring breakers. You’ll quickly understand why that’s the case after moving there. When it comes to hosting fun celebrations, New Orleans is simply second to none.

Cost of living is always an essential consideration for anyone planning to move. We have good news for you if you’re planning on moving to New Orleans. The cost of living expenses there are very reasonable.

Let’s start with housing. The median home price in New Orleans is right around $179,000. For the rest of the country, that number is closer to $231,000.

You don’t have to save up for a long time if you want to buy a new home in New Orleans. The other cost of living expenses are not too bad either. Utilities and healthcare-related expenses are very affordable in the city. The grocery prices are higher, but they’re still in line with what you’ll see in other parts of the United States.

The only regular expenses that qualify as high are related to transportation. Carpooling is a somewhat common practice in New Orleans though. You may be able to save some money by finding a set of carpooling buddies.

New Orleans gives residents a variety ways of to spend their free time. For instance, if you have a free Sunday or even a weeknight, you can catch the local sports teams in action.

You will routinely see the Mercedes-Benz Superdome packed with fans whenever the Saints are in town. One of the biggest celebrations in the city’s history also took place when the Saints won Super Bowl XLIV back in 2010.

By the way, you’ll find fans celebrating the Super Bowl in New Orleans even if the Saints aren’t playing. New Orleans is often chosen as a host city for the NFL’s championship game. You’ll often find fans of other teams traveling to the city during that time of the year.

In the NBA, the city is represented by the New Orleans Pelicans. Although the Pelicans have yet to reach the heights of popularity that the Saints enjoy, they’re still well on their way. Other big sporting events routinely come to New Orleans. The city has played host to the championship game in college football as well as the NCAA Final Four.

The bottom line is that you’ll love your time in New Orleans if you’re a big sports fan. You may find yourself getting season tickets for the Saints and Pelicans soon enough.

Since we’re talking about the positive aspects of living in New Orleans, we cannot forget about its cuisine. The thing about New Orleans’ cuisine is that it is truly unique.

New Orleans’ cuisine is influenced by African, Cajun, French, Italian, and Spanish traditions. That doesn’t even account for all of it. You can still detect the hints of other cultures in the style of food that the locals make.

Speaking of that food, there are so many great dishes for you to try. Gorge yourself on gumbo or feast on some jambalaya if you’re looking for a hearty meal. Crawfish etouffee is another city favorite that showcases the incredible seafood in the area.

If you’re looking for dessert, you should give the popular beignets a try. Residents who like sweet treats are also known to enjoy their share of pralines.

Tourists routinely make the trip down to New Orleans to enjoy its cuisine. Move there and you’ll get to enjoy it every day.

Flooding has long been a persistent problem for the city of New Orleans. You should also know that this is an issue that emerges even without hurricanes affecting the area.

Because of where the city is located, even a moderately strong downpour can cause water levels to rise pretty quickly. Be mindful of where you buy a home because some parts of the city are more flood-prone than others. Frequent flooding has affected New Orleans for such a long time that many residents have just learned to live with it. You don’t have to deal with it that way though.

Aside from carefully choosing your home, you can take other steps to avoid that issue. Speak to property workers in the area and ask them how much it will cost to raise your home. That can serve as a long-term solution to your flooding-related problems.

Homeowners can also look into building flood walls, installing flood sensors, or paying for foundation repair. Doing something simple like keeping your property and sewage system clean can also help prevent flooding.

In any case, you’ll have to deal with flooding sooner rather than later if you move to New Orleans. Make sure you’re ready to tackle that kind of problem head on.

The issue of flooding is not the only major nuisance that has plagued New Orleans for an extended period of time. Some would argue that the prevalence of crime is an even bigger problem for the city.

The site Neighborhood Scout has consistently tallied high crime rates for New Orleans. It also has New Orleans ranked very close to the bottom in terms of the safest cities in the country. Homeowners have to be willing to pay for top-of-the-line security if they want to stay in New Orleans. You could turn your home into a target for nefarious individuals in the area if you fail to do that.

Also take a moment to review the location where you’re buying a new home. Avoid purchasing a property in one of New Orleans’ most dangerous neighborhoods if possible.

Take the proper precautions and you should be able to keep your property in New Orleans safe. That will go a long way towards improving your experience of living in the city.

Related Questions

What is the Outlook for the Job Market in New Orleans?

Despite being one of the bigger cities in the South, New Orleans’ job market is not in good shape. Currently, the unemployment rate there is at 11 percent. That’s nearly double the unemployment rate for the United States which stands at 6.0 percent.Future projections aren’t particularly inspiring either. The job market in the city is projected to lag well behind the rest of the country in terms of growth.There’s still time for the job market in New Orleans to bounce back. At the moment though, it definitely doesn’t look promising.

What Is the Climate Like in New Orleans?

New Orleans typically experiences warm temperatures throughout the year. It also gets a lot of rainfall annually. When you combine those two things, you get plenty of humidity.The warm and sticky weather is never fun to deal with, even for long-time residents. Installing an air conditioner at home is highly recommended. There are days when staying in an air-conditioned room is the only way you’ll feel comfortable while in the city.