Louisiana’s Healthiest and Unhealthiest Parishes

If you're from Louisiana, you know wildly things can change from Parish to Parish, city to city.

By and large, these differences across the State are part of what makes Louisiana so special.

Lafayette Parish is different from Rapides Parish.

Calcasieu Parish is different from East Baton Rouge Parish.

Aside from industry, food, nightlife, employment, and educational opportunities, there are other differences between Louisiana's Parishes like life expectancy and health.

Let's take a look at the current healthiest and unhealthiest Parishes in Louisiana.

Louisiana's Healthiest Parishes

According to NOLA.com, in 2023, America's Health Rankings ranked Louisiana as the least healthy state.

In 2024, Louisiana bumped up a spot to the 49th spot, making way for Mississippi to take over the crown for "The Least Healthiest State in America".

It's no secret that with our incredible Cajun and Creole food in Louisiana, we can tend to be a bit unhealthy.

Even with our amazing local cuisine staring us in the face at every turn, there are some Parishes that are doing everything they can to keep things in check.

To determine the list, countyhealthrankins.org combined health factors and health outcomes for each state.

After the dust settled, County Health Rankings have named the 5 most healthiest Parishes in Louisiana.

Drum roll please...

1. Cameron Parish

2. Ascension Parish

3. St. Tammany Parish

4. Lafayette Parish

5. St. Charles Parish

Well done!

Louisiana's Unhealthiest Parishes

According to NOLA.com, factors examined to determine the 5 most unhealthiest Parishes in Louisiana are -

"Tobacco use, alcohol use, high blood pressure, physical inactivity, high cholesterol, overweight or obesity, unhealthy diet, unemployment, income, air pollution, severe housing problems and more."

County Health Rankings have named the 5 most unhealthiest Parishes in Louisiana as -

1. Bienville Parish

2. Morehouse Parish

3. Madison Parish

4. Washington Parish

5. Tensas Parish

You can read more about this study over at NOLA.com.