"Well, you get down the fiddle and you get down the bow / Kick off your shoes and you throw 'em on the floor / Dance in the kitchen 'til the morning light / Louisiana Saturday night!" - From Louisiana Saturday Night by Don Williams
Abbeville is a small city in Southern Louisiana, just north of the bayous that the state is known for. With its 12,257 residents, it is actually the most populated town in Vermilion Parish, which is probably why it has the honor of being the parish seat. Even more impressive is its location about an hour away from Baton Rouge and an hour-and-a-half away from New Orleans. So if you don't mind having to take a little road trip to get to a big city, you should look for some places to live in Abbeville.
One advantage of small towns in the South is that they usually have lower housing costs than the national average, and Abbeville is no exception
"Well, you get down the fiddle and you get down the bow / Kick off your shoes and you throw 'em on the floor / Dance in the kitchen 'til the morning light / Louisiana Saturday night!" - From Louisiana Saturday Night by Don Williams
Abbeville is a small city in Southern Louisiana, just north of the bayous that the state is known for. With its 12,257 residents, it is actually the most populated town in Vermilion Parish, which is probably why it has the honor of being the parish seat. Even more impressive is its location about an hour away from Baton Rouge and an hour-and-a-half away from New Orleans. So if you don't mind having to take a little road trip to get to a big city, you should look for some places to live in Abbeville.
One advantage of small towns in the South is that they usually have lower housing costs than the national average, and Abbeville is no exception. You can buy a home here for about a third of the price you'll see elsewhere. Rent is a little over half the national average, too, and it's even slightly cheaper than the state's median. Maybe now you and your three roommates can stop looking for one-bedroom apartments for rent and splurge on a rental house with room for everyone! Now that's livin' large.
About a third of the housing for rent available is seasonal. Yes, people spend their vacations here. Doesn't spring break in the bayous have a nice ring to it? Your best competitive advantage for a home here would be your checkbook, so you can offer a deposit. Don't forget your pen!
Before you relocate to Abbeville, you should get an idea of the communities here, as well as the types of homes and local attractions you will find in each area. The main neighborhoods here include:
Grosse Isle / Young: This is the most expensive area in Abbeville, and it also happens to be rather rural, with mostly detached houses and mobile homes. It's not very walkable, but it's still easy to get around here, thanks to the Louisiana Highway 14 and Abbeville Municipal Airport nearby.
Charon / Mack: This is another rural neighborhood with lots of mobile homes and single-family houses, though you can also find apartments here. It's conveniently close to Lake Peigneur, Louisiana Highway 82, and U.S. Highway 167 in case you get the urge to either go sailing or travel to one of the other parishes in this state.
Perry / Meaux: This area is rural. Are you sensing a pattern yet? But this neighborhood is on the western side of Abbeville, so you're a tad closer to Texas, which could be a plus or minus depending on your preferences. Here you'll find Palmetto Island State Park, Shawnee's Bait Shop, and Vermilion Health Care Center you know, pretty much everything you need!
City Center: So you want to live in the middle of everything? Then the center of the city makes sense. This place is ultra walkable, with lots of single-family homes and some apartment rentals that are within walking distance of places like Dupuy's Oyster Shop and Comeaux Park. Plus, Shucks! The Louisiana Seafood House!!! is right around the corner. Apparently, it's pretty exciting.
Charity Street and Guegnon Street: If you want another walkable option, look for rental condos, apartments and houses in this area. You can easily walk to places like Lafitte Shopping Center. You can even walk to the Abbeville branch of the Vermilion Parish Library if you want to work out both your body and mind.
There is a handful of things to do in Abbeville, and for everything else, there are lots of freeways nearby that can take you to surrounding cities. Abbeville Country Club offers a nice golf course, a restaurant, and a swimming pool. Lafitte Shopping Center has stores, eateries, and Lafitte Cinema. The city also sponsors events once in a while, such as Sounds on the Square, a free outdoor concert series hosted at Magdalen Square.
If your favorite thing about this area is the natural element provided by the bayous, take a bayou tour. After all, Abbeville's tagline is "someplace special on the bayou." So feel free to take a break from looking at rental homes and enjoy the natural splendor of this one-of-kind place!
