Apartments for Rent in New Orleans, LA - 88 Rentals available

New Orleans, the largest city in Louisiana and one of the top twenty largest cities in the United States, is 80 miles from the capital city of Louisiana, Baton Rouge, and an easy 90-minute drive along I-10. Houston is 350-miles away – about five hours by car, while Atlanta can be reached in about seven hours through mostly interstate driving.

The city of New Orleans is well-known for its colorful celebration of Mardi Gras, its infamous jazz, and a laid back, party lifestyle. If you want some proof to back up the city’s party nature, consider this: New Orleans has been named the no. 1 U.S. city by bars per capita, best city for single people, and the top travel destination for sports lovers. But that’s not the only thing the city excels at; New Orleans also got countless shout-outs for being one of the best cities for young entrepreneurs.

Overlooking the Mississippi River, the city has an international reputation as a major U.S. port, with ship access available to connect the city to the Gulf of Mexico – about 100 miles down the river.

New Orleans has over 1 ½ times the population of Birmingham, AL with similar demographics. Compared to other cities in Louisiana, New Orleans is the largest, followed by the capital Baton Rouge, with Shreveport coming in on the third place.

The city’s southern location brings about a subtropical, humid climate: during the short winters, temperatures average around 50ºF; in the wet summers, average temperatures reach 83ºF. Most rain occurs during the summer months, with autumn and winter seeing less precipitation. Typically, the mildest whether occurs during the spring, just in time for the world famous Mardi Gras celebrations.

When getting around New Orleans, the best public transportation option is the one provided by the Regional Transit Authority (RTA). The RTA offers an interconnected network of charming streetcars and large buses that access every major part of the city. The cost for a one-way ticket on the RTA is $1.25. Beyond RTA transportation, taxis are frequent and easy to find. Commute times in New Orleans average approximately 23 minutes.

Meals are relatively cheap here. A meal at an inexpensive restaurant costs about $15, and a mid-range, three-course meal for two people averages $56. In terms of monthly utilities, basic average costs for electricity, heating, water, and garbage total approximately $169 for a 915-square-foot apartment.

New Orleans offers plenty of options for recreation, entertainment, business, and more. So much so, that certain negative aspects are bound to accompany the positives. New Orleans has a long-standing reputation as a global cultural capital. French, Spanish, and African heritages have blended in New Orleans for hundreds of years, resulting in a delicious, multidimensional cuisine, colorful festivals and parades, and the birth of jazz music. There are Mardi Gras celebrations, countless top-rate jazz clubs, late night bars in the French Quarter, dance clubs on Bourbon Street, and pretty much every type of restaurant imaginable.

But cons made their way as well. Humidity in the summertime makes late August and September feel particularly hot, and throughout the year, the influx of tourists can clog some of the streets. Tropical storms and hurricanes are not all that uncommon for New Orleans, but steps have been taken to improve the evacuation process in case such phenomena occurs.

Crime rates have increased partly as a result of this dilapidation, with violent crime occuring primarily in lower income neighborhoods. The substantial diversity of New Orleans causes some unrest in the community, but for the most part differing cultures have coexisted and thrived in the city for years.

Opportunities for recreation are endless in New Orleans. Residents can enjoy a break from the colorful bustle of the city in the beautiful City Park, one of the ten most visited urban parks in the United States. City Park houses the world’s largest collection of live oak trees, including the famous Dueling Oaks. For shopping, the Outlet Collection at Riverwalk includes over 70 brand name stores. Jackson Square houses beautiful examples of architecture through the centuries, with buildings influenced by Catholic, colonial, and classical traditions.

Bourbon Street includes some of the oldest bars in the U.S., and the street remains one of the few public places – along with the rest of the French Quarter – that allows open containers of alcohol.

For more family-friendly fun, the Superdome hosts the New Orleans Saints football team and a number of prestigious concerts. The Smoothie King Center also serves as a venue for concerts as well as home to the New Orleans Pelicans basketball team.

Many annual events occur in New Orleans. The world-renowned Mardi Gras celebrations last for about two weeks in early March, depending on the date of Easter. Parades run daily, with some days featuring multiple parades of colorful marchers adorned with beads and elaborate costumes. The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival is also held annually, celebrating this unique form of music and culture that originated in New Orleans.

Perhaps the largest component of the New Orleans economy revolves around tourism. Nearly half of the city’s tax revenues come from tourism, with related industries like hospitality, convention events, and transportation services adding their significant share to the local economy. Outside of tourism, New Orleans’ position as a key port city provides substantial employment opportunities in shipping, logistics, and commodities.

Given its proximity to the oil-rich Gulf of Mexico, oil rigging has provided plenty of jobs as well. Consequently, New Orleans has attracted employers like Entergy, a Fortune 500 company specializing in power generation and nuclear power plant operations.

Educational institutions include Tulane University, Loyola University New Orleans, the University of New Orleans, and the Xavier University of Louisiana, the only historically black Catholic university in the U.S.

Renting in New Orleans requires an understanding of the rental environment. In general, tenants have less leverage than landlords do. When it comes to evictions, month-to-month renters can be evicted after ten days’ notice by the landlord for any reason, and failing to pay rent or other lease violations requires only five days’ notice.

In New Orleans, the weather is a major concern for renters. The city’s susceptibility to hurricanes and major storms makes renters insurance a necessity. It is important to keep in mind that, if a rented facility is damaged from weather-related events, the lease may be terminated.