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DeRidder vs Baker

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

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DeRidder, LAKnown for its schoolsLouisiana · 9,763 people
B ×
Baker, LAOne of the healthiest townsLouisiana · 12,253 people
Swap order
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.

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

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

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

Left end = #1 in Louisiana. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of DeRidder’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.

DeRidder$1,070/mo
Typical home $197K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.23% · or rent about $958/mo · Housing →
Baker$1,050/mo
Typical home $187K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.45% · or rent about $993/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
DeRidderBaker
Snow a year0″0″
January low39°F—
July high92°F—
Growing season (days)259d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)56th86th
Outdoors & history
DeRidderBaker
Trails0 mi0 mi
Conserved land0.8%1.8%
Settled1903—
National Register places105
Archive photos1810
Famous people born here—8
Community
DeRidderBaker
Library hours a week50 hrs66 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.

DeRidderLABakerLA
DeRidder ↔ Baker128 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.

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

DeRidder neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to DeRidder’s Town Square.

Baker neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Baker’s Town Square.

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St. Gabriel6,639 people · $239K 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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