What it's like to live in Gonzales
Gonzales is a small city in Louisiana with home prices that remain within reach, county unemployment below the national average, air quality that stays clean most of the year, and a population that has grown fast since 2020. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Gonzales deals with crime rates above the national average, hot summers, very rainy, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment in the county
- Clean air
- Fast-growing population
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Crime above national average
- Hot summers
- Very rainy — 63" of rain per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Gonzales compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Gonzales
Based on Gonzales's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,994
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $59,880 a year
- 32% of Gonzales renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$45,160
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $22,580
- Homes cost 3.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,497/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,497 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $225,800. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $225,800 · 32% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.6% county unemployment
Unemployment in Ascension Parish is 3.6%, a little below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Ascension Parish (county-wide)
Safety▲ 58% above US
519 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.
Property crime 3205/100k · Gonzales Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
25 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 24.9 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 8% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 90°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 44°F. It's a wet climate overall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 22% below US
28% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 28%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
4 public schools inside the boundary
There are 4 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve (54 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Gonzales's strongest points are home prices that remain within reach and county unemployment below the national average; the main tradeoffs are crime rates above the national average and hot summers. A year of median rent ($1,497/mo) equals 24% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. Whether it fits comes down to the specifics: the neighborhood, the job, and what matters most in the move.
Other places near Gonzales
All Louisiana guides →Moving to Prairieville →
7 mi away · pop. 35,238
Rent $1,324/mo · Income $104,923
Compare with Gonzales →Moving to Shenandoah →
14 mi away · pop. 17,998
Rent $1,201/mo · Income $107,021
Compare with Gonzales →Not sure Gonzales is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.