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Central vs Slidell

77 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (6.1× in Slidell) and jobs per worker (3.1× in Slidell).

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Central, LAKnown for its schoolsLouisiana · 29,783 people
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Slidell, LAAn outdoors townLouisiana · 28,561 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 →
SlidellAn outdoors town
Outdoors#11 most trails in LA11 miles of trails across 13 parks and preserves Health78% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Schools#43 for schools in LAof 153 towns All about Slidell →
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.

Street grid6.1×
Slidell has the more walkable street grid
Slidell 78.5Central 12.9
Jobs per worker3.1×
Slidell is more of a job hub
Slidell 1.41Central 0.46
Home values+33%
Homes cost more in Central
Central $288,700Slidell $217,700
Homeowners+20.3 pts renters
Slidell has more renters
Central 88.8%Slidell 68.5%
Trails+65%
Slidell has more miles of trail
Slidell 10.9 miCentral 6.6 mi
Property tax bill+20%
Tax bills are bigger in Central
Central $1,868Slidell $1,563
★ What stands out · Report cards

Central places higher on 14 of 22 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
–CentralNot graded C−SlidellSafer than 22% of U.S. towns
Schools
ACentralBetter than 93% of districts in the state ASlidellBetter than 89% of districts in the state
Health
B+CentralHealthier than 71% of U.S. towns C−SlidellHealthier than 22% of U.S. towns
14Central
8Slidell

Lists won, of 22 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most trailsOutdoors · 71 towns #68#11 Most walkableOutdoors · 163 towns #160#47 Most new homesHousing · 91 towns #22#66 Highest graduation rateSchools · 161 towns #47#108 Lowest depressionHealth · 163 towns #76#18 Rent easiest to affordCost of living · 34 towns #29#19 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 163 towns #44#88 HealthiestHealth · 163 towns #6#49

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 $370 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 →
Slidell$1,300/mo
Typical home $222K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.72% · or rent about $1,375/mo · Housing →

The difference: $370 a month, about $4,400 a year, between Central and Slidell.

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
CentralSlidell
Snow a year0″0″
January low—42°F
July high—90°F
Growing season (days)—281d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)90th96th
Outdoors & history
CentralSlidell
Trails7 mi11 mi
Conserved land2.5%2.8%
Settled20051882
National Register places—7
Archive photos231
Famous people born here219
Community
CentralSlidell
Library hours a week66 hrs60 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined01

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

77 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

CentralLASlidellLA
Central ↔ Slidell77 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.

CentralSlidell
People
Population 29,783Highest 28,561Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +10.1%Highest LA: +2.7% +6.3%Lowest LA: +2.7%
Median age 40.4±2Highest 6% above LA 38.9±2Lowest about the LA average
Central and Slidell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 25.9%±2.8Highest LA: 23.5% 23.7%±2.9Lowest LA: 23.5%
Central and Slidell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 18.4%±2.4Lowest LA: 16.7% 21.4%±2.3Highest LA: 16.7%
Slidell and Central 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% 31.4%Lowest LA: 27%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.6%±1.4 LA: 5.8% 5.6%±1.4 LA: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $89,554±$13kHighest 47% above LA $70,497±$7kLowest 16% above LA
Central and Slidell 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 $217,700±$7kLowest about the LA average
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,309±$101Lowest 23% above LA $1,375±$78Highest 29% above LA
Slidell 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 $1,563Lowest 32% above LA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 65.2%±4Highest LA: 54.8% 57.4%±9.3Lowest LA: 54.8%
Central and Slidell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 5.4%Lowest LA: 18.9% 15.7%Highest LA: 18.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 88.8%Highest LA: 67.4% 68.5%Lowest LA: 67.4%
Typical home builtmedian year 1990Highest 7 yrs newer than LA 1979Lowest 4 yrs older than LA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 29 minLowest 13% above LA 29 minHighest 13% above LA
Work from home 10.1%±2.7Lowest LA: 8.1% 11.1%±3.7Highest LA: 8.1%
Slidell and Central are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 10.7%Lowest 18.9%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 10.8 miLowest 24.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.46Lowest 1.41Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Baton Rouge (36%)New Orleans (17%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in SlidellFew work in Central
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2.5%Lowest 2.8%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 6.6 miLowest 10.9 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 0.7 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Lowest 13Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 12.9Lowest 78.5Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #17 of 153 in LA#43 of 153 in LA
School district Central Community School DistrictSt. Tammany Parish
High school in town Central High SchoolSlidell High School
Students per teacherat that high school 15.1Highest 14.2Lowest
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.

Slidell neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 5d

Lake Pontchartrain Favorites

1 neighbor in Slidell can answer.

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Bordering Central

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Denham Springs9,323 people · $188K homes
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Brownfields4,261 people · $207K homes
M
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Monticello3,999 people · $176K homes
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Zachary19,952 people · $259K homes

Towns like Central

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Youngsville17,427 people · $288K homes
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Broussard14,322 people · $310K homes
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Sulphur20,775 people · $183K homes
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Mandeville12,946 people · $376K 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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