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Baker vs DeRidder

128 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (2× in Baker) and jobs per worker (3.4× in DeRidder).

B ×
Baker, LAOne of the healthiest townsLouisiana · 12,253 people
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DeRidder, LAKnown for its schoolsLouisiana · 9,763 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

BakerOne of the healthiest towns
Health94% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Outdoors#43 most conserved land in LA0.2 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves Housing$187K typical home14% below the LA typical home All about Baker →
DeRidderKnown for its schools
Schools#56 for schools in LAof 153 towns Work5,788 jobsbased in DeRidder, a regional job hub Housing$197K typical home9% below the LA typical home All about DeRidder →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Property tax bill2×
Tax bills are bigger in Baker
Baker $703DeRidder $356
Jobs per worker3.4×
DeRidder is more of a job hub
DeRidder 1.64Baker 0.48
Work in town+30 pts
More of DeRidder’s workers stay in town
DeRidder 33.7%Baker 3.7%
Age 65++6.2 pts
DeRidder has more people 65 and up
DeRidder 17.5%Baker 11.3%
Street grid+50%
DeRidder has the more walkable street grid
DeRidder 61.9Baker 41.4
★ What stands out · Report cards

DeRidder places higher on 17 of 21 LA lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Louisiana ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
CBakerSafer than 27% of U.S. towns C+DeRidderSafer than 35% of U.S. towns
Schools
C−BakerBetter than 16% of districts in the state A−DeRidderBetter than 79% of districts in the state
Health
DBakerHealthier than 6% of U.S. towns DDeRidderHealthier than 13% of U.S. towns
3Baker
17DeRidder

Lists won, of 21 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Highest graduation rateSchools · 161 towns #159#31 Best schoolsSchools · 153 towns #137#56 Lowest depressionHealth · 163 towns #6#76 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 163 towns #63#133 Most conserved landOutdoors · 147 towns #43#88 Most walkableOutdoors · 163 towns #110#72 Lowest property taxCost of living · 159 towns #70#43 Fewest smokersHealth · 163 towns #72#47

Left end = #1 in Louisiana. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Baker’s rankings →

Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Baker$1,050/mo
Typical home $187K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.45% · or rent about $993/mo · Housing →
DeRidder$1,070/mo
Typical home $197K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.23% · or rent about $958/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
BakerDeRidder
Snow a year0″0″
January low—39°F
July high—92°F
Growing season (days)—259d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)86th56th
Outdoors & history
BakerDeRidder
Trails0 mi0 mi
Conserved land1.8%0.8%
Settled—1903
National Register places510
Archive photos1018
Famous people born here8—
Community
BakerDeRidder
Library hours a week66 hrs50 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

128 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

BakerLADeRidderLA
Baker ↔ DeRidder128 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

BakerDeRidder
People
Population 12,253Highest 9,763Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -10.4%Lowest LA: +2.7% -6.9%Highest LA: +2.7%
Median age 33.5±3Lowest 12% below LA 37.6±1.9Highest about the LA average
DeRidder and Baker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 26.3%±4.6Highest LA: 23.5% 23.3%±2.6Lowest LA: 23.5%
Baker and DeRidder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 11.3%±2Lowest LA: 16.7% 17.5%±2.1Highest LA: 16.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 20.6%Lowest LA: 27% 20.8%Highest LA: 27%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.8%±1.9Highest LA: 5.8% 4.2%±0.9Lowest LA: 5.8%
Baker and DeRidder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $54,750±$12kLowest 10% below LA $59,801±$4kHighest about the LA average
DeRidder and Baker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $157,900±$10kHighest 27% below LA $156,600±$9kLowest 28% below LA
Baker and DeRidder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $993±$301Highest 7% below LA $958±$49Lowest 10% below LA
Baker and DeRidder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $703Highest 40% below LA $356Lowest 70% below LA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 47.4%±16.9Highest LA: 54.8% 43.9%±4.7Lowest LA: 54.8%
Baker and DeRidder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 29.8%Highest LA: 18.9% 19.1%Lowest LA: 18.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 69.9%Highest LA: 67.4% 66.5%Lowest LA: 67.4%
Typical home builtmedian year 1979Highest 4 yrs older than LA 1975Lowest 8 yrs older than LA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 24 minHighest 5% below LA 24 minLowest 7% below LA
Work from home 3.8%±2Lowest LA: 8.1% 4.9%±1.7Highest LA: 8.1%
DeRidder and Baker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 3.7%Lowest 33.7%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 11.8 miLowest 19.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.48Lowest 1.64Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Baton Rouge (39%)Lake Charles (6%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in DeRidderFew work in Baker
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 1.8%Highest 0.8%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.2 mi 0.2 mi
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Highest 2Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 41.4Lowest 61.9Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #137 of 153 in LA#56 of 153 in LA
School district City of Baker School District · GEO Prep BakerBeauregard Parish
High school in town Baker High SchoolDeRidder High School
Students per teacherat that high school 18.0Lowest 18.4Highest
Louisiana average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Baker neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Baker’s Town Square.

DeRidder neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to DeRidder’s Town Square.

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Bordering Baker

B
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Brownfields4,261 people · $207K homes

Towns like Baker

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Carencro11,619 people · $215K homes
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Breaux Bridge7,501 people · $176K homes
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Sulphur20,775 people · $183K homes
W
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Walker6,390 people · $228K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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