Natchitoches, LA: Local News, Events & Neighbors

Natchitoches ( , NAK-ə-tish; French: Les Natchitoches, [le nakitɔʃ]) is a city in and the parish seat of Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 18,039 at the 2020 census. Established in 1714 by Louis Juchereau de St. Denis as part of French Louisiana, the community was named after the indigenous Natchitoches people. The city was incorporated on February 5, 1819, and is the oldest permanent settlement in the land acquired by the Louisiana Purchase. Natchitoches is home to Northwestern State University of Louisiana. Its sister city is Nacogdoches, Texas.

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How Natchitoches ranks

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#8Shortest commute in LA #31Most educated in LA #34Cheapest rent in LA All LA rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code71457, 71458, 71497

Area code318

Living in Natchitoches

Housing in Natchitoches

$193K▲ 0.9% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Natchitoches home is worth about $193,000, up 0.9% in a year, 11% below the Louisiana typical home.

A balanced market

Buyer’sBalancedSeller’s

Days on market12

Sale-to-list99.4%

Sold in May10

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Natchitoches

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Not graded

A grade needs all of the FBI's latest years (2023–2025). Natchitoches's police department reported only 2024 and 2025, so we don't grade it yet. The figures below are still real.

Violent crime per 1,000

Natchitoches 8.6

Louisiana 4.7

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Natchitoches 41.3

Louisiana 18.6

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Schools in Natchitoches

All Natchitoches schools →

B⁺

School Grade B+

The public schools Natchitoches’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 72% of Louisiana’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.

#49Best public schoolsof 153 in LA

DistrictNatchitoches ParishSchools11

L.P. Vaughn Elementary & Middle SchoolElementary · Grades PK–2 · 687 students M.R. Weaver Elementary School DElementary · Grades 3–4 · 379 students N.S.U. Elementary Lab School A+Elementary · Grades PK–5 · 290 students East Natchitoches Elementary & Middle School DMiddle · Grades 5–6 · 383 students Natchitoches Jr. High School C-Middle · Grades 7–8 · 371 students N.S.U. Middle Lab School A+Middle · Grades 6–8 · 178 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within LA. Ratings are from neighbors.