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Central vs Brownfields

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: trails (9.4× in Central) and size (7× in Central).

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Central, LAKnown for its schoolsLouisiana · 29,783 people
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Brownfields, LAAn outdoors townLouisiana · 4,261 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.

CentralKnown for its schools
Schools#17 for schools in LAof 153 towns HealthHealthier than 71%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Outdoors#26 most conserved land in LA6.6 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves All about Central →
BrownfieldsAn outdoors town
Outdoors#15 most conserved land in LA0.7 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves Health97% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates SchoolsBetter than 67%of LA districts All about Brownfields →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

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

Trails9.4×
Central has more miles of trail
Central 6.6 miBrownfields 0.7 mi
Size7×
Central is the bigger place
Central 29,783Brownfields 4,261
Jobs per worker2.9×
Central is more of a job hub
Central 0.46Brownfields 0.16
Growth since 2010+14.8 pts
Central has grown faster since 2010
Central +10.1%Brownfields -4.7%
Property tax bill+55%
Tax bills are bigger in Central
Central $1,868Brownfields $1,207
Home values+39%
Homes cost more in Central
Central $288,700Brownfields $207,200
★ What stands out · Report cards

Central places higher on 13 of 19 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.

Schools
ACentralBetter than 93% of districts in the state B+BrownfieldsBetter than 67% of districts in the state
Health
B+CentralHealthier than 71% of U.S. towns D−BrownfieldsHealthier than 3% of U.S. towns
13Central
6Brownfields

Lists won, of 19 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most remote workersWork · 158 towns #26#132 HealthiestHealth · 163 towns #6#114 Highest graduation rateSchools · 161 towns #47#153 Fewest smokersHealth · 163 towns #4#103 Lowest obesityHealth · 163 towns #1#99 Most activeHealth · 163 towns #4#91 Best schoolsSchools · 153 towns #17#82 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 163 towns #3#71

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

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $480 more a month in Central

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.

Central$1,670/mo
Typical home $289K (Census) · tax rate 0.65% · or rent about $1,309/mo · Housing →
Brownfields$1,190/mo
Typical home $207K (Census) · tax rate 0.58% · or rent about $1,651/mo · Housing →

The difference: $480 a month, about $5,800 a year, between Central and Brownfields.

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.

Where they are

Central and Brownfields share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

CentralBrownfieldsCentralBrownfields
Central ↔ Brownfields5.4 miles apart · They share a border
Who commutes between them
38 Brownfields residents work in Central (1.8% of its workers)
Work & commute in Brownfields →
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
CentralBrownfields
Snow a year0″0″
January low—42°F
July high—92°F
Growing season (days)—276d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)90th79th
Outdoors & history
CentralBrownfields
Trails7 mi1 mi
Conserved land2.5%3.3%
Settled2005—
Archive photos2—
Famous people born here2—
Community
CentralBrownfields
Library hours a week66 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.

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.

CentralBrownfields
People
Population 29,783Highest 4,261Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +10.1%Highest LA: +2.7% -4.7%Lowest LA: +2.7%
Median age 40.4±2 6% above LA 40.4±8.3 6% above LA
Kids under 18 25.9%±2.8Highest LA: 23.5% 19.1%±6.2Lowest LA: 23.5%
Central and Brownfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 18.4%±2.4Highest LA: 16.7% 16.4%±2.8Lowest LA: 16.7%
Central and Brownfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 35.3%Highest LA: 27% 19.7%Lowest LA: 27%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.6%±1.4Highest LA: 5.8% 3.4%±2.8Lowest LA: 5.8%
Central and Brownfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $89,554±$13kHighest 47% above LA $65,929±$26kLowest 9% above LA
Central and Brownfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $288,700±$18kHighest 33% above LA $207,200±$21kLowest 4% below LA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,309±$101Lowest 23% above LA $1,651±$1kHighest 55% above LA
Brownfields and Central are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,868Highest 58% above LA $1,207Lowest about the LA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 65.2%±4Highest LA: 54.8% 30.5%±12.5Lowest LA: 54.8%
Below poverty line 5.4%Lowest LA: 18.9% 24.3%Highest LA: 18.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 88.8%Highest LA: 67.4% 74.4%Lowest LA: 67.4%
Typical home builtmedian year 1990Highest 7 yrs newer than LA 1977Lowest 6 yrs older than LA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 29 minHighest 13% above LA 27 minLowest 4% above LA
Work from home 10.1%±2.7Highest LA: 8.1% 2.7%±3Lowest LA: 8.1%
Work in townworking residents 10.7%Highest 0.8%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 10.8 miHighest 9.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.46Highest 0.16Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Baton Rouge (36%)Baton Rouge (44%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Brownfields2% work in Central
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2.5%Lowest 3.3%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 6.6 miHighest 0.7 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 0.2 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Highest 2Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 12.9Lowest 28.1Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #17 of 153 in LA#82 of 153 in LA
School district Central Community School DistrictEast Baton Rouge Parish
High school in town Central High SchoolNone in town
Students per teacherat that high school 15.1 —
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.

Central neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Central’s Town Square.

Brownfields neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Brownfields’s Town Square.

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Bordering Central

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Denham Springs9,323 people · $188K homes
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Monticello3,999 people · $176K homes
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Zachary19,952 people · $259K homes
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St. George

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Sulphur20,775 people · $183K 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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