Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Simmesport vs Bernice

137 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (2× in Bernice) and trails (3× in Simmesport).

×
Simmesport, LAOne of the healthiest townsLouisiana · 1,625 people
×
Bernice, LAOne of the healthiest townsLouisiana · 1,355 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.

SimmesportOne of the healthiest towns
Health99% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates HistorySettled in 18112 places on the National Register SchoolsBetter than 70%of LA districts All about Simmesport →
BerniceOne of the healthiest towns
Health96% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$110K typical home49% below the LA typical home HistorySettled in 18995 places on the National Register All about Bernice →
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.

Property tax bill2×
Tax bills are bigger in Bernice
Bernice $393Simmesport $199
Trails3×
Simmesport has more miles of trail
Simmesport 1.8 miBernice 0.6 mi
Average commute14 min
Bernice has the shorter commute
Simmesport 36 minBernice 21 min
Growth since 2010+12.4 pts
Bernice has grown faster since 2010
Bernice -19.7%Simmesport -32.1%
Jobs per worker2.3×
Simmesport is more of a job hub
Simmesport 0.82Bernice 0.36
Work in town+12.1 pts
More of Simmesport’s workers stay in town
Simmesport 16.8%Bernice 4.7%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $270 more a month in Bernice

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.

Simmesport$350/mo
Typical home $63K (Census) · tax rate 0.32% · or rent about $619/mo · Housing →
Bernice$620/mo
Typical home $110K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.49% · or rent about $695/mo · Housing →

The difference: $270 a month, about $3,300 a year, between Bernice and Simmesport.

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.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

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
B+SimmesportBetter than 70% of districts in the state –BerniceNot graded
Health
D−SimmesportHealthier than under 1% of U.S. towns D−BerniceHealthier than 4% of U.S. towns
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
SimmesportBernice
Snow a year0″1″
January low39°F—
July high93°F—
Growing season (days)270d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)77th46th
Outdoors & history
SimmesportBernice
Trails2 mi1 mi
Conserved land0%0%
Settled18111899
National Register places25
Archive photos45
Famous people born here310
Community
SimmesportBernice
Library hours a week28 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

137 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

SimmesportLABerniceLA
Simmesport ↔ Bernice137 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.

SimmesportBernice
People
Population 1,625Highest 1,355Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -32.1%Lowest LA: +2.7% -19.7%Highest LA: +2.7%
Median age 40.1±8.8Lowest 6% above LA 41.8±14.4Highest 10% above LA
Bernice and Simmesport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 24.4%±6.9Highest LA: 23.5% 21%±9.1Lowest LA: 23.5%
Simmesport and Bernice are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 19.6%±3.8Highest LA: 16.7% 17.1%±5.5Lowest LA: 16.7%
Simmesport and Bernice are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 3.4%Lowest LA: 27% 7.8%Highest LA: 27%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.8%±3.2Lowest LA: 5.8% 4.7%±5.4Highest LA: 5.8%
Bernice and Simmesport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $29,712±$13kHighest 51% below LA $26,399±$15kLowest 57% below LA
Simmesport and Bernice are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $63,100±$9kLowest 71% below LA $80,300±$20kHighest 63% below LA
Bernice and Simmesport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $619±$180Lowest 42% below LA $695±$168Highest 35% below LA
Bernice and Simmesport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $199Lowest 83% below LA $393Highest 67% below LA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 69.4%±26.5Highest LA: 54.8% 58.9%±22.5Lowest LA: 54.8%
Simmesport and Bernice are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 37.6%Highest LA: 18.9% 28.1%Lowest LA: 18.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 61.9%Lowest LA: 67.4% 68.4%Highest LA: 67.4%
Typical home builtmedian year 1975Lowest 8 yrs older than LA 1977Highest 6 yrs older than LA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 36 minHighest 38% above LA 21 minLowest 17% below LA
Work from home 1.3%±2.2Highest LA: 8.1% 1.1%±1.2Lowest LA: 8.1%
Simmesport and Bernice are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 16.8%Highest 4.7%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 19.3 miLowest 26.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.82Highest 0.36Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Marksville (12%)Farmerville (11%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BerniceFew work in Simmesport
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 1.8 miHighest 0.6 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.8 miHighest 0.2 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 52.8Highest 42.1Lowest
Schools
School district Avoyelles Parish—
High school in town None in town—
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.

Simmesport neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Simmesport’s Town Square.

Bernice neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Bernice’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Simmesport and Bernice

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Towns like Simmesport

+ Compare
Zwolle1,796 people · $76K homes
+ Compare
Duson1,282 people · $54K homes
+ Compare
Oberlin1,809 people · $96K homes
M
+ Compare
Merryville1,004 people · $101K 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.

Post to Simmesport

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in