Louisiana Real Estate & Relocation Guide

Metairie, Louisiana

Population: 146,136

Located in Jefferson Parish

Named after Thomas Jefferson, Jefferson Parish stretches from the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain all the way to the coast of the Gulf of Mexico at Grand Isle. Located at one end of the world's longest over-water bridge, the twin span, 24-miles long Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, Metairie boasts landmarks as diverse as the New Orleans' Zephyr Field, home to the city's minor league baseball team, and the nesting area for thousands of purple martins that fly south each year.

Once the site of a Colapissa Indian Village, Metairie is now home to upscale boutiques, restaurants, and coffee shops, as well as national chain stores. Lovely neighborhoods with oak-lined streets display a variety of housing from quaint cottages to magnificent mansions. The city's cost of living is well below the national average.

A diverse population calls Metairie home, and we have created a diverse economy. Fishing vessels and world-famous seafood have always been key forces in the area, but Metairie has not been left behind in this technological era. Highway I-10, Louisiana's busiest interstate, runs through the heart of Metairie. Our predominant industries are health care, retail, manufacturing and professional services for the offshore oil and gas industry. Other industries include banking, food processing and transportation and distribution. The unemployment rate in Metairie continues to be several percentage points below the national average.

The Jefferson Parish Public School System and the Archdiocese of New Orleans offer a mixture elementary and secondary educational opportunities. Metairie is also located within a heavy concentration of some of the finest nationally recognized institutes of higher learning, including Tulane University, the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, and other universities, colleges and technical schools. Most are within 15 miles of the city limits.

Metairie residents have a joie de vivre, or love of life, that manifests itself in the city's many community activities and events. Cultural amenities abound, including the Jefferson Performing Arts Society and the Friends of Rivertown Fine Art Gallery, the Louisiana Toy Train Museum and the Daily Living Science Center. Jefferson Parish Department of Parks & Recreation offers traditional and non-traditional recreational activities for adults, teens and children. Metairie participates with the rest of the greater New Orleans metropolitan area with its large annual Mardi Gras celebrations, and with its own Family Gras, one of Metairie's new festivals.

Metairie's warm climate ensures year-round opportunities for fun. Sports fans will enjoy cheering for the Pacific Coast League's New Orleans Zephyrs, along with the New Orleans Storm soccer team. There's fishing, boating, swimming, canoeing the bayous and wildlife safaris.