Jefferson, LA 562 Apartments for Rent

Which came first, the town or the parish? Jefferson shares its name with the parish (Louisiana's version of a county) that it's located in.

On the east bank of the Mississippi River, the tiny hamlet of Jefferson sits close enough to New Orleans that residents can enjoy all the pleasures and conveniences of the Big Easy, but still be removed enough to get the "small town feel" here. Technically a CDP -- census-designated place -- and not a town, city, or village, Jefferson is in Jefferson Parish and considered part of the New Orleans metro area, which also includes Jefferson's neighbors to the north, Metairie and Kenner.

Moving to Jefferson

Once you make the decision to relocate to Jefferson, begin gathering your paperwork. You'll want to give yourself at least a month or two to find a place to live, so begin your search by gathering your credit history, rental history and proof of employment. If you're moving with pets, it might cost you a little more in security deposits, but finding pet-friendly accommodations shouldn't be difficult. If you do have pets, or just want a little more room than an apartment can afford, look for a home for rent in Jefferson.

Jefferson Neighborhoods

While Jefferson isn't really big enough to have defined areas, there are a few notable neighborhoods in the community, which are Old Jefferson and Jefferson Heights.

Jefferson Heights: Along the western side of town, this neighborhood is full of mostly larger rental houses, and even a few apartments for rent. Jefferson Hwy will get you into more populated areas with ease, but expect to run into plenty of traffic in the weeks leading up to Mardi Gras, since the uber-popular Haydel's Bakery (which bakes the even more popular King Cake) is located in this nabe.

Old Jefferson: Just south of Jefferson Highway, Old Jefferson is an area of town around River Road. While River Road is known for its stately and impressive plantation mansions, Old Jefferson has more than its share of historic properties, just on a smaller scale. Finding townhouses for rent here won't be easy, but you should be able to find older homes divided into studio apartments for rent without much trouble.

Living in Jefferson

Jefferson is little more than a strip of land along the Carrollton Bend of the river, south of Metairie between Airline Highway and Jefferson Highway. It's easy for it to get swallowed up by Metairie, Kenner, or even New Orleans. Because of its proximity, the area is home to many employees of Oschner Medical Center.

In addition to remembering to say "parish" instead of "county," you'll need to learn to appreciate the simpler things in life. This isn't to say that the major chain stores or restaurants aren't easily reached in the nearby bigger cities, but locally owned businesses dominate the landscape. Stop at The Rivershack Tavern in Old Jefferson just across from the Mississippi River levee for a shrimp po' boy or juicy burger. Eat inside at the bar and take in all the vintage artwork and advertisements, or head outside to enjoy your meal and the river views at one of the picnic tables.

Visit the Rosedale Library, which, in addition to being the home of the local library, is also a pretty amazing historic site. The Greek revival house known as "Rosedale" was built in 1838. Although fires destroyed the home in 1978, the present library was built on the site just a few years later.