Name: Ruston, LA
Rating: 0.0

Get 300+ Local Insights for Any Address in Ruston, LA

Get Access to 300+ Local Data Points

( 7 Ratings )

Living in Ruston, LA

Ranks better than 65% of areas Follow

Population

21,987

Median Age

24.1 Years

Ruston Area Facts

Ruston has a Livability Score of 65_/100, which is considered good
Ruston crime rates are 45% higher than the Louisiana average
Cost of living in Ruston is 2% lower than the Louisiana average

Is This the Right Place for You?

Uncover the key details before you move
Use local data to guide a smarter investment
Compare neighborhoods side by side

GET REPORT →

What do the locals think about Ruston?

80%

Family friendly

20%

Public transit is accessible

20%

Walkable to grocery stores

40%

Yards are well-kept

40%

Lots of parks

20%

Walkable to restaurants

Friendly neighbors

Safe at night

Pet friendly

Streets have sidewalks

80%

A quiet area

40%

Sense of community

Based on 5 votes from AreaVibes users. Take the poll

Ruston Reviews

Write a review about Ruston Tell people what you like or don't like about Ruston…

The hell that is Ruston 1 rating By Anonymous ( Oct 14, 2020) Overview: Living in Ruston is like living the nightmare that is high school all over again. 35-year old women act like they're 13. Relational bullying on an adult level is at its peak here. People climbing to be better than their neighbor and using the churches to do it. Mak ...Read More e sure you know how to play the social climber game before you move here. The current mayor use to be a preacher. Don't get me wrong. There are good people here. But you have to weed through a lot of chaff to find them.

One of the best things about this area is Lincoln Parish Park. Great place with lots of bike trails and outdoor recreation. Honestly, a feather in Ruston's cap.

Education: The education system is good here compared with the rest of Louisiana. I've been impressed with the system's handling of the COVID situation. However, my kids went to AE Phillips--the PREMIERE school in Ruston, a lab school associated with the university--and sometimes even the teachers were involved in the relational bullying of the kids because some of the teachers are not immune to the social pressures of the elite cliques. Teacher's children are given a lot of leeway in their behavior regardless of how unacceptable. I know of one situation where the male child of a teacher was allowed to sexually harass another student (not my child). Not cool and no consequences for the teacher's child. If you move here, make sure you teach your children how NOT to be a victim. If you're moving to the area, move to the Choudrant school district. So much better than Ruston and it's just a 10-minute commute to Ruston if you work there.

Restaurants: What the residents consider excellent restaurants would be laughed out of town in other places. Ponchatoulas, Log Cabin, Portico--mediocrity at its best! Why eat out when you can make it at home for a 1/3 of the price and it's SO much better tasting and healthy? No international variety.

Job scene: SO, so bad. Don't depend on getting a job in Ruston just because your spouse landed a job at Tech--no matter what your qualifications are.

Tax scene: Obscene. One of the highest sales tax rates in Louisiana at 12.2%. Our family has started buying everything in surrounding cities because it's just so ridiculous. I even make sure I fill up my gas tank before I get back into town. I will drive an hour to Shreveport--that has a sales tax of 9.05%--to shop for groceries because to me it's worth it. At least they have a Whole Foods there.

Real estate: We will make a killing when we sell our house so there's that.

Just a brutally honest review of life in Ruston, Louisiana. Read Less

Things to Do In Ruston, LA 3 rating By Anonymous ( May 10, 2018) There's lots of do and see in Ruston, LA, whether you like being outdoors or love going to places where the food is sensational. There are also locations in the city that allow you to take in the beauty and history of the city.

Lincoln Parish Park is a great place to enjoy natu ...Read More re and take a walk by the lake. There are plenty of opportunities to bike and swim in the area, and lots of room for you to set up a tent or RV if you want to stay in the park overnight. J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park is another popular attraction where you can catch a baseball game. The new renovations of the park will make your time at this location much more comfortable.

You can also visit the Louisiana Military Museum to learn more about the soldiers and equipment that were involved in historic battles like the Korean War, the Gulf War and World Wars I and II. Read Less

Show All Reviews

Compare Ruston, LA Livability

Compare Neighborhoods & Addresses

Why stop at city-to-city? With Local Insights, you can compare neighborhoods, zip codes, or even exact addresses. Access 300+ hyperlocal data points—from schools and crime to housing and amenities—to see which area is the better fit.

UNLOCK FULL COMPARISON →