The Top 5 Wealthiest Parishes in Louisiana (and Who Lives There)

Louisiana is a beautiful southern state with a unique culture. Despite its rich cultural heritage, however, Louisiana is not rich in terms of wealth. It has the second-highest poverty rate of any U.S. state, just behind its neighbor, Mississippi. According to the United States Census Bureau, Louisiana’s poverty rate is 18.6%. Additionally, it has a very high rate of income inequality. Louisiana ranks fourth in the U.S. for the highest rate of income inequality according to the Gini Index. Due to this inequality, some of its parishes are far wealthier than others. In fact, the wealthiest parish in Louisiana has a median income nearly four times greater than that of the poorest parish. This article covers the five wealthiest parishes in Louisiana according to median income. It also explores the industries driving their economies and notable past residents.

Louisiana has a total of 64 parishes. Due to the incredibly high poverty rate, none of them come close to making the list of the top 10 wealthiest counties in the United States. Nevertheless, let’s explore the five wealthiest parishes in Louisiana.

1. Ascension Parish

Ascension Parish is in Acadiana, also known as Cajun Country, a region of Southern Louisiana. It has a population of 130,458, making it the 11th-largest parish in Louisiana. Ascension Parish is part of the Baton Rouge metropolitan area. However, Baton Rouge is not in Ascension Parish. The largest city in Ascension Parish is Gonzales, with a population of 13,059.

Ascension Parish is in Louisiana’s chemical corridor, a region between Baton Rouge and New Orleans which has hundreds of chemical manufacturing facilities and refineries. Louisiana’s chemical corridor is also known as Cancer Alley due to the high rates of cancer from air pollution. As a part of the chemical corridor, Ascension Parish’s economy is dominated by the chemical manufacturing and refining industry. In fact, most of the largest employers in Ascension Parish are chemical companies. The list includes BASF Corporation, Shell Chemical, Smith Tank and Steel, CF Industries, and many more. Aside from chemical companies, the other top employers in Ascension Parish are the Ascension Parish School Board, Walmart, and Our Lady of the Lake Ascension Hospital.

Ascension Parish’s median home value is $267,716.

Notable People From Ascension Parish

Gonzales is home to several notable residents, including two actresses and one football player. Alicia Morton, who starred in the 1999 film Annie, currently lives in Gonzales. Additionally, the 1950s actress Cleo Morton was raised in Gonzales. Lastly, the football player Glenn Dorsey, who played for the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers, was born and raised in Gonzales.

Another notable person from Ascension Parish is Pierre Caliste Landry, a former slave who was the first African American mayor to be elected in the United States. Landry was born in the Ascension Parish in 1841 and raised on plantations in the parish. In 1868, three years after slavery was abolished in the United States, Landry was elected the mayor of Donaldsonville.

2. West Baton Rouge Parish

Like Ascension Parish, West Baton Rouge Parish is also in the Acadiana region of southern Louisiana. At just 205 square miles, it is the smallest parish in Louisiana. West Baton Rouge Parish is part of the Baton Rouge metropolitan area. However, the city of Baton Rouge is not in West Baton Rouge Parish, but rather in East Baton Rouge Parish. West Baton Rouge Parish has a population of 28,034. The largest city in the parish is Port Allen, with a population of 4,939.

West Baton Rouge Parish is also in Louisiana’s chemical corridor, and its economy is largely made up of chemical manufacturing and refining. Major employers include Dow Chemical Company, Placid Refining Company, and ShinTech, a major manufacturer of polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

West Baton Rouge’s median home value is $235,306.

Notable People from West Baton Rouge Parish

Several notable people are from West Baton Rouge Parish, including two blues musicians and an NFL football player. The blues musician Slim Harpo was born and raised in the parish. Additionally, the blues musician Raful Neal was born in Baton Rouge but raised in West Baton Rouge Parish. Finally, Tracy Porter, an NFL cornerback who won the 2009 Super Bowl with the New Orleans Saints, was born and raised in Port Allen.

3. St. Charles Parish

Like Ascension and West Baton Rouge Parishes, St. Charles Parish is in the Acadiana region of southern Louisiana. St. Charles Parish is part of the New Orleans metropolitan area. However, New Orleans is not in St. Charles Parish but rather makes up its own parish called Orleans Parish. St. Charles Parish has a population of 50,998. The largest community in the parish is Luling, with a population of 13,716.

As a part of Louisiana’s chemical corridor, St. Charles Parish’s economy is largely made up of chemical manufacturing and refining companies. Major employers include Shell Norco Manufacturing Complex and Dow Chemical Company. Additionally, St. Charles Parish Public Schools is a top employer.

St. Charles Parish’s median home value is $229,525.

Notable People from St. Charles Parish

There are several notable NFL players from St. Charles Parish. First, Ed Reed, a safety in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, was born and raised in St. Charles Parish. Additionally, Marques Colston, who won the 2009 Super Bowl with the New Orleans Saints, was born in Pennsylvania but now lives in Luling.

4. Livingston Parish

Livingston Parish is in the Florida Parishes region, also known as the Northshore or Northlake region, of southeastern Louisiana. It has a population of 148,425, making it the ninth-largest parish in Louisiana. The largest city in the parish is Denham Springs, with a population of 9,356.

One of the top employers in Livingston Parish is Livingston Parish Public Schools. In 2020, the school district was named one of the best places to work in Louisiana by Forbes.

Livingston Parish’s median home value is $230,028.

Notable People from Livingston Parish

There are some notable creative talents from Livingston Parish. Julie Cantrell, a bestselling author who writes novels and children’s books, was born in Baton Rouge and raised in Livingston Parish. Additionally, Laine Hardy, who won American Idol in 2019, was born in Baton Rouge and raised in Livingston Parish.

5. St. Tammany Parish

Like Livingston Parish, St. Tammany Parish is also in the Florida Parishes region of Southeastern Louisiana. St. Tammany Parish has a population of 273,263, making it the fourth-largest parish in Louisiana. The largest city in the parish is Slidell, with a population of 28,649.

Many of the top employers of St. Tammany Parish are in the healthcare industry. These include St. Tammany Parish Hospital, Ochsner Medical Center-Northshore, Home Health of St. Tammany Hospice, and Slidell Memorial Hospital.

St. Tammany Parish’s median home value is $270,386, the highest median home value on this list.

Notable People from St. Tammany Parish

There are several notable people from St. Tammany Parish, including two musicians and an actor. First, the Grammy award-winning singer and musician Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, lived in Slidell for part of his life. Additionally, the Cajun fiddler Amanda Shaw was raised in St. Tammany Parish. Finally, the actor Ian Somerhalder was born and raised in St. Tammany Parish.

Summary of the Wealthiest Parishes in Louisiana

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