Riverboat casinos, the set of HBO's True Blood, NFL Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw, and Elvis Presley's first professional start all began at the same location - Shreveport, Louisiana.
If you are contemplating a move to this culturally rich northern Louisiana city, let this guide's tips and information help prepare you for what to expect.
Shreveport Climate
If you're from northern states, or states that are closer to the coast, you'll need to prepare for much more humidity and heavy rainfall. The average rainfall in this area is approximately 47 inches per year. Winters are typically short-lived and range from 40-60 degrees between December and February, and have much less rainfall than summer months. Summer months are hot and humid, with temperatures in the 90's - but they can feel much hotter due to high heat indices and the damp air.
The area is prone to tropical storms, hurricanes, heavy rain, hail, winds and tornados during the summer.
Shreveport Neighborhoods
You won't find Scarlett O'Hara if you move in at the Twelve Oaks in Greater Shreveport, but you will find a master-planned residential community for suburban living, conveniently close to I-49. Homes in this neighborhood cost approximately $400,000.
A few high-profile homes in the Highland section of Shreveport are considered historic, and the area is considered one of the oldest and most important areas in the city. Colonial Revival, Queen Anne style and Romanesque architecture characterize this charming area.
Locals say Broadmoor, Anderson Island and Shreve Isle in Southeast Shreveport are good suburban areas to live, with medium-sized ranch homes and several choices for apartments like Champion Lake Apartment Homes, which has its own private lake.
Registering Your Car
Your registration must also be updated within 30 days of residency in the state of Louisiana. Once you do so, you will need to surrender your old license plates to your former state. For more information, visit: OMV's policy and procedure.
If you're a new resident to the state of Louisiana, you have 30 days to switch your out-of-state driver's license to a Louisiana driver's license. You must, in person, go to your local Office of Motor Vehicles to apply. You will need your current valid driver's license, proof of insurance if you own a vehicle, Social Security Card, and proof of address. The class E cost is $24.50 and does not include any individual parish fees that may exist.
Shreveport Schools
Caddo Parish Public Schools serves all of Caddo Parish for primary and secondary education in the area. The district includes 73 schools that serve close to 42,000 students from Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade.
Shreveport has various colleges such as Methodist-affiliated Centenary College, Louisiana State University at Shreveport, Virginia College, Louisiana Baptist University and Louisiana State University Health Science Center Shreveport. If you're relocating for nursing school, Northwestern State University College of Nursing is one of the largest nursing schools in northern Louisiana. Southern University Shreveport offers a two-year associates program.
If you're interested in trade fields, you can attend class at Ayers Career College in such trades like HVAC and medical assistance.
Shreveport Employment
Most of the employment opportunities in this northern Louisiana city are centralized around the gaming industry, based on a service economy, as well as a major medical center. The oil industry in the city had taken a downturn in the 80's, but with latest Haynesville Shale natural gas deposit, Shreveport is on the rise again. The film industry is also becoming more popular with Louisiana's government tax incentives - Louisiana now the third largest film industry in the country behind California and New York.
The unemployment rate is below the national average at approximately 6 percent. Some of the area's leading job providers are: Caddo Parish School Board, City of Shreveport, LSU Health Sciences Center, Veterans Administration Medical Center and Red River Entertainment of Shreveport.
Living Costs in the City
The average household income in Shreveport is approximately $45,000, which can be a comfortable salary, as the overall cost of living is about 10 percent lower than the national average. Gas is slightly cheaper here, and renting a one-bedroom apartment will cost you somewhere between $500-$1,000 a month depending on the neighborhood and amenities.
If you choose to live in an apartment, you may be required to purchase renters insurance, especially if you live on the first floor of the building, since it can be prone to flooding during hurricanes. This insurance can typically cost $100 per year for minimum coverage. Sometimes you won't have to purchase this insurance if you live on the second or third floor. Electric bills in the area can range from $60-$150 per month for a 1,100 square-foot living space.
Shreveport Moving Resources
Moving and storage companies are ready and willing to help you with your move to Shreveport whether you're moving from out of state or from another county in Louisiana. Make sure you get estimates from multiple moving services before you commit to hiring any (at least three estimates). Check back to our guides for tips on how to choose your moving service wisely with important questions to ask, differentiating between types of estimates, and mistakes to avoid. Visit the following pages at Movers.com to get quotes for the following services:
Shreveport Transportation
The public transportation system in Shreveport is slim, with SporTran providing moderate bus services (about 17 routes) throughout the city, as well as Bossier City. Go here for more information about bus routes, services and frequently asked questions about SportTran.
It is ideal to own a car in Shreveport, as the highway system consists of loops and large interstates connected to state highways. The main highways are: Interstate 220, Louisiana Highway 3132, Louisiana Highway 526 and Interstate 49. The average commute time is 15-24 minutes.
Culture & Contemporary Life
For a new resident, Shreveport offers plenty of annual festivals and events to see, as well as multiple theaters, museums and parks to enjoy. Mudbug Madness, for example, is the area's annual celebration of one of Louisiana's iconic seafood items, the crawfish. It's a four-day outdoor festival that draws over 56,000 people per day, with boiled crawfish and other Cajun cuisine, traditional Zydeco music and contests.
Some other notable events around the city are: Highland Jazz & Blues festival, Holiday in Dixie and the Red River Revel, the largest outdoor festival in northern Louisiana. Shreveport also has a symphony orchestra, an opera, a ballet company, and various theatres and museums like: River City Repertory Theatre, R.W. Norton Art Gallery, Robinson Film Center and Shreveport Little Theatre.
And if all that doesn't draw you in, the 30,000 square-foot mural enveloping the AT&T building on Cotton and Marshall Streets should. The giant mural called "Once in a Millennium Moon" is the nation's largest publicly funded mural and celebrates life cycles.
Shreveport Relocation Tips
- When moving to Shreveport, and Louisiana in general, keep in mind that you won't have any basement space. The area is just above sea level and the ground is soft and can sink - if you need more space, look into two-story homes.
- Louisiana counties are referred to as "parishes" - Shreveport is located Caddo Parish, for example.
- There can be a lot of construction on major highways all over Louisiana, since many are need of constant repair due to sitting on swamps and bayous. Update your GPS maps frequently, and ask for directions - people are friendly and will usually be willing to help you.