Most Americans have never been to small town Louisiana. However, as the Louisianian who live there know, small town Louisiana is an awesome place to call home.
But is it all roses? Definitely not. Just like any other state, Louisiana has its trouble spots. This article aims to determine, using Saturday Night Science, the absolute worst small towns to live in the Pelican State. Don’t freak out, we will use data to show which places have high crime, poverty, and unemployment.
After analyzing more than 165 of Louisiana’s smallest cities, we came up with this list as the 10 worst small towns in Louisiana where you’d never want to live:
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
These are the worst small towns in Louisiana for 2025:
So what is the worst small town to call home in Louisiana for 2025? According to the most recent census data, Banks Springs is the worst small town to live in Louisiana.
While many of these small towns have seen better days, they have wonderful communities and people. This report in no way means to knock the folks that call towns like Banks Springs home. Everyone
Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers, or scroll to the bottom to see how your town ranked.
And if you already know about the small towns, check out the best places to live in Louisiana or the worst places to live in Louisiana.
If you’re looking for something more national, check out the worst cities in America or the worst states in America.
The 10 Worst Small Towns In Louisiana For 2025
1. Banks Springs
/10
Population: 1,432
Median Home Value: $70,400
Median Income: $22,240
Unemployment Rate: 7.7%
2. Mansura
/10
Population: 1,254
Median Home Value: $103,600
Median Income: $20,938
Unemployment Rate: 29.3%
3. Erwinville
/10
Population: 2,575
Median Home Value: $183,400
Median Income: $1,000
Unemployment Rate: 35.3%
4. Vivian
/10
Population: 3,020
Median Home Value: $55,700
Median Income: $22,675
Unemployment Rate: 13.1%
5. Zwolle
/10
Population: 1,961
Median Home Value: $72,500
Median Income: $30,673
Unemployment Rate: 9.7%
6. Greensburg
/10
Population: 1,050
Median Home Value: $191,800
Median Income: $45,386
Unemployment Rate: 21.1%
7. Natalbany
/10
Population: 2,837
Median Home Value: $148,800
Median Income: $31,430
Unemployment Rate: 12.5%
8. Montegut
/10
Population: 1,264
Median Home Value: $105,000
Median Income: $32,500
Unemployment Rate: 3.2%
9. Duson
/10
Population: 1,369
Median Home Value: $57,400
Median Income: $24,330
Unemployment Rate: 10.0%
10. White Castle
/10
Population: 2,278
Median Home Value: $102,000
Median Income: $19,314
Unemployment Rate: 21.2%
Methodology: How do you decide if a small place in Louisiana is lousy or not?
To rank the worst small towns to live in Louisiana, we had to determine what criteria people like or dislike about a place. Assuming that people like low crime, solid education, things to do, and a stable economy isn’t a stretch.
We then analyzed the criteria using Saturday Night Science, the thinking you’d use at a bar. It seems like even your crazy Uncle would agree that a town with high crime is worse than a town with low crime; all else the same.
Using FBI crime data and the Census’s 2019-2023 American Community Survey, this is the criteria we used:
- Population Density (The lower, the worse)
- Highest Unemployment Rates
- Low housing costs (meaning there’s no demand)
- Adjusted Median Income (Median income adjusted for the cost of living)
- Education (Number of high school dropouts)
- High Crime
We looked at cities with populations between 1,000 and 5,000 people, of which there were many – 165 to be exact.
We get the crime numbers from the FBI, which gets them from the cities. Dropout numbers are based on the adult population, not just the current graduation rates of teenagers.
We base all our research on facts, which is meant as infotainment. We updated this article for 2025, which is our tenth time ranking the worst small places to live in Louisiana.
There You Have It – The Worst Small Towns In Louisiana
If you’re analyzing teeny places in the Pelican State with the worst economic situations, where there’s high crime and there’s not a lot to do, this is an accurate list.
The worst small towns in Louisiana are Banks Springs, Mansura, Erwinville, Vivian, Zwolle, Greensburg, Natalbany, Montegut, Duson, and White Castle.
If you’re curious enough, here are the best small towns to live in Louisiana, according to science:
- Paulina (Pop. 1,939)
- Bayou Gauche (Pop. 1,463)
- Bayou Country Club (Pop. 1,381)
For more Louisiana reading, check out:
Worst Small Towns In Louisiana
| Rank | Town | Population | Unemployment Rate | Home Value | Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Banks Springs | 1,432 | 7.7% | $70,400 | $22,240 |
| 2 | Mansura | 1,254 | 29.3% | $103,600 | $20,938 |
| 3 | Erwinville | 2,575 | 35.3% | $183,400 | $1,000 |
| 4 | Vivian | 3,020 | 13.1% | $55,700 | $22,675 |
| 5 | Zwolle | 1,961 | 9.7% | $72,500 | $30,673 |
| 6 | Greensburg | 1,050 | 21.1% | $191,800 | $45,386 |
| 7 | Natalbany | 2,837 | 12.5% | $148,800 | $31,430 |
| 8 | Montegut | 1,264 | 3.2% | $105,000 | $32,500 |
| 9 | Duson | 1,369 | 10.0% | $57,400 | $24,330 |
| 10 | White Castle | 2,278 | 21.2% | $102,000 | $19,314 |
| 11 | Haynesville | 2,281 | 12.3% | $75,000 | $21,318 |
| 12 | Minorca | 1,615 | 8.8% | $53,600 | $45,192 |
| 13 | Bunkie | 3,299 | 12.2% | $84,200 | $21,634 |
| 14 | Jackson | 3,976 | 23.2% | $121,700 | $37,981 |
| 15 | Ferriday | 3,126 | 23.4% | $86,600 | $27,167 |
| 16 | Ringgold | 1,475 | 13.2% | $112,100 | $22,833 |
| 17 | Richwood | 3,840 | 8.5% | $52,300 | $31,386 |
| 18 | Logansport | 1,606 | 11.3% | $98,800 | $29,875 |
| 19 | Simmesport | 1,455 | 9.5% | $60,100 | $26,250 |
| 20 | Kentwood | 2,057 | 8.3% | $93,000 | $32,074 |
| 21 | Bawcomville | 2,635 | 5.1% | $65,600 | $32,721 |
| 22 | Port Sulphur | 1,529 | 13.9% | $87,300 | $54,342 |
| 23 | Brownsville | 3,996 | 16.3% | $73,100 | $26,971 |
| 24 | Rayville | 3,297 | 12.0% | $111,600 | $24,474 |
| 25 | Chauvin | 2,531 | 11.9% | $93,500 | $50,976 |
| 26 | Arnaudville | 1,518 | 4.0% | $87,100 | $26,500 |
| 27 | Cottonport | 1,777 | 5.6% | $88,900 | $33,538 |
| 28 | Lake Providence | 3,424 | 11.4% | $75,200 | $24,670 |
| 29 | Mansfield | 4,653 | 12.6% | $91,900 | $33,726 |
| 30 | Pine Prairie | 1,242 | 10.5% | $153,700 | $32,917 |
| 31 | Coushatta | 1,945 | 0.3% | $91,800 | $29,477 |
| 32 | Homer | 2,694 | 6.5% | $55,500 | $21,396 |
| 33 | Lydia | 1,119 | 6.9% | $136,200 | $1,000 |
| 34 | Henderson | 1,640 | 4.9% | $82,100 | $42,700 |
| 35 | Winnsboro | 4,777 | 13.8% | $96,000 | $31,635 |
| 36 | Amelia | 2,161 | 4.2% | $80,400 | $48,060 |
| 37 | Kinder | 2,361 | 11.1% | $108,300 | $48,063 |
| 38 | Springhill | 4,659 | 12.3% | $102,200 | $28,223 |
| 39 | Olla | 1,315 | 11.7% | $117,800 | $34,444 |
| 40 | Farmerville | 3,331 | 9.8% | $111,100 | $22,191 |
| 41 | Bernice | 1,170 | 5.0% | $90,300 | $24,278 |
| 42 | Basile | 2,096 | 20.8% | $92,100 | $49,167 |
| 43 | Bayou L’ourse | 2,197 | 6.1% | $83,900 | $49,318 |
| 44 | Colfax | 1,442 | 4.4% | $82,400 | $28,510 |
| 45 | Labadieville | 1,324 | 12.8% | $165,300 | $49,063 |
| 46 | Delhi | 2,593 | 10.5% | $1,000 | $47,500 |
| 47 | Ossun | 1,940 | 9.0% | $1,000 | $40,283 |
| 48 | North Vacherie | 1,933 | 9.9% | $166,300 | $37,941 |
| 49 | Jonesville | 1,425 | 3.1% | $80,600 | $32,639 |
| 50 | Independence | 2,045 | 11.1% | $137,200 | $44,821 |
| 51 | Gueydan | 1,431 | 17.3% | $82,100 | $29,223 |
| 52 | Wisner | 1,020 | 11.2% | $125,000 | $34,145 |
| 53 | Empire | 1,218 | 3.9% | $84,700 | $45,018 |
| 54 | Lawtell | 1,044 | 2.6% | $24,300 | $49,274 |
| 55 | Lake Arthur | 2,599 | 6.3% | $77,600 | $41,333 |
| 56 | Glenmora | 1,299 | 9.8% | $108,500 | $35,660 |
| 57 | Vienna Bend | 1,693 | 13.6% | $117,200 | $41,974 |
| 58 | Vinton | 3,245 | 2.7% | $108,900 | $41,063 |
| 59 | Cecilia | 1,517 | 2.8% | $72,700 | $63,056 |
| 60 | Mamou | 2,884 | 11.6% | $88,300 | $19,841 |
| 61 | Fifth Ward | 1,104 | 4.6% | $1,000 | $49,788 |
| 62 | Church Point | 4,133 | 6.6% | $121,400 | $44,000 |
| 63 | Winnfield | 4,042 | 8.9% | $74,000 | $46,089 |
| 64 | Garyville | 2,216 | 6.1% | $144,400 | $86,958 |
| 65 | Urania | 1,186 | 8.2% | $104,000 | $67,500 |
| 66 | Iota | 1,459 | 7.9% | $161,400 | $42,750 |
| 67 | Jonesboro | 4,092 | 1.7% | $84,000 | $36,458 |
| 68 | Franklinton | 3,615 | 3.3% | $187,500 | $32,339 |
| 69 | Many | 2,202 | 3.3% | $119,100 | $33,000 |
| 70 | Deville | 1,261 | 12.7% | $1,000 | $1,000 |
| 71 | Jean Lafitte | 2,223 | 17.8% | $207,600 | $61,703 |
| 72 | Morse | 1,039 | 3.1% | $78,100 | $50,417 |
| 73 | Arcadia | 2,682 | 2.6% | $87,100 | $35,303 |
| 74 | Boyce | 1,295 | 5.4% | $83,600 | $36,250 |
| 75 | Roseland | 1,125 | 3.2% | $110,900 | $46,003 |
| 76 | Elton | 1,132 | 0.0% | $88,000 | $36,211 |
| 77 | Marksville | 4,964 | 4.6% | $159,500 | $35,750 |
| 78 | Kaplan | 4,271 | 9.4% | $153,800 | $36,578 |
| 79 | New Llano | 2,303 | 14.9% | $120,400 | $50,568 |
| 80 | Lakeshore | 3,111 | 5.6% | $150,900 | $39,958 |
| 81 | Livonia | 1,161 | 2.2% | $197,700 | $58,516 |
| 82 | Poydras | 2,395 | 0.0% | $121,100 | $53,506 |
| 83 | Berwick | 4,680 | 8.8% | $188,000 | $57,708 |
| 84 | Charenton | 1,295 | 2.6% | $125,000 | $55,781 |
| 85 | New Roads | 4,457 | 7.7% | $155,400 | $48,017 |
| 86 | Jeanerette | 4,732 | 1.3% | $94,600 | $51,311 |
| 87 | Baldwin | 1,694 | 4.0% | $127,000 | $29,592 |
| 88 | Crescent | 1,121 | 0.0% | $53,300 | $42,371 |
| 89 | Vidalia | 3,938 | 11.3% | $141,300 | $45,958 |
| 90 | Sibley | 1,392 | 1.3% | $132,200 | $34,219 |
| 91 | Port Barre | 2,292 | 6.8% | $76,500 | $42,853 |
| 92 | Fordoche | 1,010 | 8.3% | $199,700 | $62,788 |
| 93 | Boutte | 2,283 | 12.5% | $240,400 | $78,971 |
| 94 | Fort Polk North | 2,034 | 14.4% | $1,000 | $45,411 |
| 95 | Arabi | 4,436 | 10.1% | $212,400 | $52,500 |
| 96 | Oberlin | 1,683 | 0.8% | $95,700 | $41,198 |
| 97 | Violet | 4,454 | 5.3% | $180,100 | $48,897 |
| 98 | Oak Grove | 1,328 | 1.8% | $86,600 | $35,917 |
| 99 | Rosepine | 1,817 | 4.2% | $193,300 | $59,258 |
| 100 | Amite City | 4,036 | 3.7% | $116,900 | $45,850 |