Old Age Serenity: Explore 3 Stunning Places for Budget Retirement in Louisiana

The famous Pelican State—Louisiana—has the nation’s longest coastline. With its gorgeous magnolia trees and flowing bayous, the state welcomes more than 4.6 million people. All three of these spots should be on your list of potential retirement destinations in Louisiana if you’re answering the call of retirement.

Baker

Known as a village since its proclamation in 1944, Baker, Louisiana has a long and storied past that dates back to 1888. With 5,814 residents in 1952, it was proclaimed a city. The population of Baker has more than quadrupled, with 13,776 people calling the city home as of July 2014, according to census projections.

Baker has a low crime rate in comparison to other communities in Louisiana, and it offers a lot of local conveniences. There are six supermarkets in the city, one of which is a Piggly Wiggly located on Main Street. There is a low cost of living as well. Homes in Baker, for instance, had a median listing price of $127,000 in March 2016. New Orleans had a median listing price of $275,000 that same month, while Baton Rouge had a price of 210,000.

The municipality takes great pride in its ten miles of nature and hiking paths and the fact that every residence is within two miles of a park. The 100 acres of hilly track in Comite River Park can be fun for serious riders to explore. The path features picnic spots, toilets, and a place to clean your bike as it winds its way along the Cypress Bayou and the Comite River.

People also love to gather in the Greenwood Community Park. With its convenient location on New Rafe Meyer Road, a short distance from Highway 19, this park is among the biggest in East Baton Rouge. It features a dog park, multiple golf courses, an 18-acre lake, a fitness playground for seniors, and a waterfront retreat.

Baker uses the services provided by the East Baton Rouge Council on Aging because he is a resident of the area. Several programs that assist seniors are sponsored by the ERCOA. Some examples of these programs include Meals on Wheels, which brings lunches to elderly people who are housebound, and Personal Care and Homemakers, which helps with things like cleaning, laundry, and in-home care.

DeRidder

For a city in Louisiana, DeRidder has an outstanding livability rating of 80. In 1896, as the train was just starting to travel through the area, the town sprang up as a result of people wanting to be close to the railroad. Shacks constructed from local timber were erected to house the would-be inhabitants of the soon-to-be DeRidder. The town was formally constituted in 1903 after 300 people had settled there by 1898.

Now in the year 2014, according to the estimations provided by Census.gov, there are 10,799 people living in DeRidder, which is the center of Beauregard Parish. In March 2016, the city’s sole listing on Movoto.com has an asking price of $725,000. However, such a lavish mansion is out of character for the neighborhood. Estimates from Census.gov put the median home value in the region at $123,000, so you should expect to see listing prices far lower than $725,000.

Festivals abound in DeRidder, as they do in many other Louisiana cities. In the last week of June, for instance, there is the Watermelon Festival, and in October, there is the Beauregard agricultural fair. Indulge in the area’s storied past at the Ragley Heritage and Timber Festival, and discover something truly remarkable at the DeRidder Gem & Mineral Show.

West Park could be the perfect spot for you to unwind, feed the squirrels, and read a book. Also, the park’s pool has recently been restored, so you can swim there. The Beauregard Parish Fairgrounds, located on West Drive, is also rather close by. One option is to visit DeRidder’s Farmers Market on North Washington Avenue if you are in need of fresh produce.

Westminster

Westminster ranks second in Louisiana and seventeenth in the nation for its livability. There is an abundance of local amenities, the weather is lovely, and the crime rate is low. It will take some time for you to locate a reasonably priced house in the region. In March 2016, the median listing price was $210,000, which is 12% higher than the data from the prior month. Twelve listings were available on Movoto.com, with pricing that appeared to cover all budgets. There were houses priced well over $500,000 and some far below $150,000.

Westminster is a CDP and a part of the Greater Baton Rouge Area. Westminster CDP is a great retirement community because it allows you to enjoy all that Baton Rouge has to offer without having to deal with the downsides of Louisiana’s second-largest metropolis. The Recreation and Park Commission for the Parish of East Baton Rouge (BREC) oversees and supports a wide range of programs designed specifically for adults and seniors.

Reference: Movoto