Picture a place where people are friendly and the cost of living is low; where a vibrant culture flowers with art, music and theatre; boutique shopping and scrumptious cuisine rub shoulders, and outdoor adventure destinations await just minutes away. It’s a destination with strong career opportunities, affordable retirement communities, advanced medical care, a thriving economy, and a central location. That place isn’t Mayberry – it's two hours from Baton Rouge in Alexandria/Pineville, Louisiana, and it’s a great place to build a career, raise a family, make friends, cultivate rewarding hobbies and create the life of your dreams.
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Sophisticated outdoor dining at Spirits Food and Friends
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Crawfish at Tunks
The share of people who prefer to live in suburban areas over large cities grew during the pandemic, according to the Pew Research Center—a trend that makes central Louisiana an attractive location to live, work and play. With just over 57,000 residents, (43,466 in Alexandria and 14,034 in Pineville, according to 2023 Census data), the twin cities fall easily into either the “large town” or “very small city” category, since cities are usually defined as centers with 50,000 to 100,00 residents. Leaders with Explore Alexandria Pineville recognize that although many people prefer to live outside of large urban centers, life in a location with varied job prospects, where the work commute only takes 10 minutes, and where you can get a dinner reservation without waiting an hour for a table, are all important benefits. Launched in 2024, Alexandria/Pineville’s Real Easy Initiative promotes all these benefits and more, showcasing why people in central Louisiana love where they live, and why Louisiana’s Crossroads might be the perfect place for you, too: it’s easier in Alexandria/Pineville to get where you need to go, find great places to eat and unique stores shop, to build a career, and to enjoy the culture. In short, Alexandria and Pineville offer the essence of easy living.
Because easy living and affordability go hand in hand, it’s important to know the area offers a lower cost of living, too. Median home prices in the Alexandria/Pineville area range from $133,190 to $153,474 according to the Central Louisiana Regional Port—much lower than the estimated median sale price in Baton Rouge ($264,000). Add that to the lower cost of groceries, transportation, utilities and healthcare, and your money goes further.
Photo courtesy Louisiana Office of Tourism
Bear at the Alexandria Zoo
Black Bear taking a dip at the Alexandria Zoo
Choose your own adventure without spending a dollar: the area offers festivals that are free, yoga classes open to the public, art displays and more. The Rapides Symphony Orchestra recently played at the Alexandria Zoo, and the symphony paid for everyone’s cover. That’s what Alexandria and Pineville leaders mean by living for less. Those dollars add up over time, making it easier to do more in your free time, especially when compared with larger cities that might charge $20 or more to attend an event.
A growing number of U.S. adults say that it’s very important to them to live in a place with a strong sense of community, which makes Alexandria/Pineville an idyllic place to consider as it continues to grow the Real Easy Initiative. Here, you can raise a family, make connections, find a job you love, pick your kids up from school and go to a Mardi Gras parade without fighting traffic. In Louisiana, that’s what it means to have it all.
Visit realeasyla.com to learn more.
