Moving to Gonzales, Louisiana

Gonzales, Louisiana is a small city located in the southeastern part of the state. With a population of 11,873 as of 2019, it is the largest incorporated city in Ascension Parish. The geography of Gonzales is mostly flat land with some rolling hills, and it is located near several rivers and bayous. The climate is humid subtropical with hot summers and mild winters.

Gonzales has a long history that dates back to 1804 when it was first established as a Spanish settlement. It was later annexed by the United States in 1810 and became an important trading center for cotton and sugar cane during the 19th century. During the Civil War, Gonzales was part of Confederate territory until it fell to Union forces in 1863.

Gonzales has traditionally been a Democratic-leaning city, though it does have some Republican support as well. In terms of economy, Gonzales has a strong agricultural base with sugar cane being one of its major crops. There are also several businesses located in town such as restaurants, retail stores, and banks that provide employment opportunities for locals.

The city has several schools including two public high schools – East Ascension High School and Dutchtown High School – as well as two middle schools – Prairieville Middle School and St Amant Middle School – and four elementary schools – Lake Elementary School, Galvez Primary School, Sorrento Primary School, and Gonzales Primary School.

The most notable landmark in Gonzales is the Jambalaya Festival which takes place every year on Memorial Day weekend at Lamar Dixon Expo Center. This festival celebrates Cajun culture with live music performances from local bands as well as traditional Cajun food such as jambalaya, gumbo, etouffee, crawfish boils and more! Additionally there are other festivals throughout the year such as Mardi Gras parades that take place along Main Street or during football games at East Ascension High School’s Spartan Stadium.

Population: 8,156. Estimated population in July 2024: 8,499 (+4.2% change)
Males: 3,888 (47.7%), Females: 4,268 (52.3%)

Zip codes: 70737.

Demographics

Median resident age: 34.0 years
Median household income: $38,173
Median house value: $91,300

Population by Race

Races in Gonzales:

• White Non-Hispanic (63.9%)
• Black (31.3%)
• Hispanic (3.6%)
• Other race (1.6%)
• Two or more races (0.9%)

Ancestries: French (17.8%), Irish (8.7%), United States (7.6%), German (5.8%), French Canadian (5.0%), English (4.8%).

Elevation: 10 feet

Land area: 8.4 square miles

Population by Education

Gonzales, Louisiana is a small city located in Ascension Parish, about 25 miles southeast of Baton Rouge. It has a population of 10,817 people according to the 2019 U.S. Census Bureau estimates. The city is relatively diverse, with 44% White, 41% Black or African American, 11% Hispanic or Latino, and 4% other races.

Gonzales has been experiencing steady growth since the turn of the century. The median household income is $59,824 according to the 2018 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, which is slightly below the national average of $61,937 for that same year. The cost of living in Gonzales is about 6% lower than the national average and 8% lower than Louisiana state’s average cost of living index score. Housing costs are very affordable in Gonzales with a median home price of $199K and median rent price of $1K per month respectively as reported by Zillow in 2020 data analysis report on real estate trends in Gonzales area. The local economy is driven by manufacturing and healthcare industries while most residents commute to nearby cities for jobs due to limited job opportunities within Gonzales city limits.

The city offers a variety of recreational activities including fishing at nearby lakes and rivers such as Blind River and Lake Maurepas; golfing at several local courses; hiking trails at Diversion Canal State Park; and shopping at local stores like Walmart Supercenter or Tanger Outlets Mall near Gonzales town center along Airline Highway (U.S Route 61). In addition to these activities there are several annual events such as Mardi Gras parades on Main Street during carnival season; Crawfish Festival held every springtime; Watermelon Festival held every summer; and Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony held during winter holiday season bringing together many locals from different walks life all celebrating their hometown pride together in joyous occasions throughout the year!

For population 25 years and over in Gonzales

• High school or higher: 79.9%
• Bachelor’s degree or higher: 14.8%
• Graduate or professional degree: 4.5%
• Unemployed: 7.2%
• Mean travel time to work: 21.6 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Gonzales city

• Never married: 28.8%
• Now married: 49.2%
• Separated: 3.6%
• Widowed: 5.6%
• Divorced: 12.9%

1.5% Foreign born

Population change in the 1990s: +853 (+11.7%).

Hospitals

Hospitals/medical centers in Gonzales:

• ASCENSION HOSPITAL (615 E WORTHY ROAD)
• ST ELIZABETH HOSPITAL (1125 WEST HIGHWAY 30)

Other hospitals/medical centers near Gonzales:

• PREVOST MEMORIAL HOSPITAL (about 11 miles; DONALDSONVILLE, LA)
• SUMMIT HOSPITAL (about 16 miles; BATON ROUGE, LA)
• REHAB HOSPITAL OF BATON ROUGE (about 17 miles; BATON ROUGE, LA)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Gonzales:

• BATON ROUGE METROPOLITAN, RYAN FIELD (about 25 miles; BATON ROUGE, LA; Abbreviation: BTR)
• LOUIS ARMSTRONG NEW ORLEANS INTL (about 50 miles; NEW ORLEANS, LA; Abbreviation: MSY)
• LAKEFRONT (about 64 miles; NEW ORLEANS, LA; Abbreviation: NEW)

Other public-use airports nearest to Gonzales:

• LOUISIANA REGIONAL (about 5 miles; GONZALES, LA; Abbreviation: L38)
• ST JOHN THE BAPTIST PARISH (about 27 miles; RESERVE, LA; Abbreviation: 1L0)
• THIBODAUX MUNICIPAL (about 35 miles; THIBODAUX, LA; Abbreviation: L83)

Colleges and Universities

College/University in Gonzales:

• ASCENSION COLLEGE (Full-time enrollment: 158; Location: 320 E ASCENSION ST; Private, for-profit)

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Gonzales:

• LOUISIANA STATE UNIV & AG & MECH & HEBERT LAWS CTR (about 23 miles; BATON ROUGE, LA; Full-time enrollment: 28,696)
• SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AND A & M COLLEGE (about 28 miles; BATON ROUGE, LA; Full-time enrollment: 8,399)
• NICHOLLS STATE UNIVERSITY (about 30 miles; THIBODAUX, LA; Full-time enrollment: 6,244)
• SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA UNIVERSITY (about 37 miles; HAMMOND, LA; Full-time enrollment: 12,549)
• TULANE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA (about 59 miles; NEW ORLEANS, LA; Full-time enrollment: 10,230)
• LOYOLA UNIVERSITY NEW ORLEANS (about 59 miles; NEW ORLEANS, LA; Full-time enrollment: 4,399)
• XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA (about 60 miles; NEW ORLEANS, LA; Full-time enrollment: 3,659)

Schools

Public high school in Gonzales:

• EAST ASCENSION HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 1,007; Location: 612 EAST WORTHEY ROAD; Grades: 08 – 12)

Public primary/middle schools in Gonzales:

• CENTRAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Students: 974; Location: 14101 RODDY ROAD; Grades: KG – 08)
• DUPLESSIS PRIMARY SCHOOL (Students: 823; Location: 38101 HIGHWAY 621; Grades: PK – 05)
• GONZALES PRIMARY SCHOOL (Students: 650; Location: 521 NORTH BURNSIDE AVENUE; Grades: PK – 05)
• G. W. CARVER PRIMARY SCHOOL (Students: 613; Location: 518 WEST OAK STREET; Grades: PK – 05)
• GONZALES MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 589; Location: 1502 WEST ORICE ROTH STREET; Grades: 06 – 08)

Private primary/middle schools in Gonzales:

• ST THERESA OF AVILA SCHOOL (Students: 593; Location: 212 EAST NEW RIVER ST; Grades: PK – 8)
• FAITH ACADEMY (Students: 273; Location: 10469 AIRLINE HIGHWAY; Grades: PK – 8)
• ANTIOCH CHRISTIAN ACADEMY (Students: 163; Location: 14408 E ASCENSION ACADEMY; Grades: PK – 7)

Libraries

Library in Gonzales:

• ASCENSION PARISH LIBRARY (Operating income: $1,860,664; Location: 708 SOUTH IRMA BOULEVARD; 216,543 books; 2,052 audio materials; 4,988 video materials; 508 serial subscriptions)