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Slidell vs Central

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

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Slidell, LAAn outdoors townLouisiana · 28,561 people
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Central, LAKnown for its schoolsLouisiana · 29,783 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.

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

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

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

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

Slidell$1,300/mo
Typical home $222K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.72% · or rent about $1,375/mo · Housing →
Central$1,670/mo
Typical home $289K (Census) · tax rate 0.65% · or rent about $1,309/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
SlidellCentral
Snow a year0″0″
January low42°F—
July high90°F—
Growing season (days)281d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)96th90th
Outdoors & history
SlidellCentral
Trails11 mi7 mi
Conserved land2.8%2.5%
Settled18822005
National Register places7—
Archive photos312
Famous people born here192
Community
SlidellCentral
Library hours a week60 hrs66 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined10

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.

SlidellLACentralLA
Slidell ↔ Central77 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.

SlidellCentral
People
Population 28,561Lowest 29,783Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +6.3%Lowest LA: +2.7% +10.1%Highest LA: +2.7%
Median age 38.9±2Lowest about the LA average 40.4±2Highest 6% above LA
Central and Slidell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 23.7%±2.9Lowest LA: 23.5% 25.9%±2.8Highest 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+ 21.4%±2.3Highest LA: 16.7% 18.4%±2.4Lowest 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+ 31.4%Lowest LA: 27% 35.3%Highest 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 $70,497±$7kLowest 16% above LA $89,554±$13kHighest 47% 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 $217,700±$7kLowest about the LA average $288,700±$18kHighest 33% above LA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,375±$78Highest 29% above LA $1,309±$101Lowest 23% 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 $1,563Lowest 32% above LA $1,868Highest 58% above LA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 57.4%±9.3Lowest LA: 54.8% 65.2%±4Highest 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 15.7%Highest LA: 18.9% 5.4%Lowest LA: 18.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 68.5%Lowest LA: 67.4% 88.8%Highest LA: 67.4%
Typical home builtmedian year 1979Lowest 4 yrs older than LA 1990Highest 7 yrs newer than LA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 29 minHighest 13% above LA 29 minLowest 13% above LA
Work from home 11.1%±3.7Highest LA: 8.1% 10.1%±2.7Lowest 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 18.9%Highest 10.7%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 24.8 miHighest 10.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.41Highest 0.46Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town New Orleans (17%)Baton Rouge (36%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in CentralFew work in Slidell
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2.8%Highest 2.5%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 10.9 miHighest 6.6 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.7 miHighest 0.1 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 13Highest 3Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 78.5Highest 12.9Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #43 of 153 in LA#17 of 153 in LA
School district St. Tammany ParishCentral Community School District
High school in town Slidell High SchoolCentral High School
Students per teacherat that high school 14.2Lowest 15.1Highest
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.

Slidell neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 5d

Lake Pontchartrain Favorites

1 neighbor in Slidell can answer.

Central neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Central’s Town Square.

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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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