RANK #587 / 1001 NAT · #16 / 21 LA · POP 272,421
1YR FORECAST: -1.8%
5YR OUTLOOK: +27%
St. Tammany Parish, on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain, offers a blend of natural beauty and community life, just a 40-minute drive from New Orleans. Mandeville, one of its notable towns, was originally a weekend retreat for New Orleanians. The parish is known for its extensive outdoor recreation, including the 31-mile Tammany Trace, a rails-to-trails path connecting several towns for cyclists and pedestrians. Fontainebleau State Park, with its ancient live oaks and Lake Pontchartrain access, provides opportunities for hiking, fishing, and kayaking.
Life in St. Tammany Parish appeals to families and commuters seeking a quieter pace with access to urban amenities. The public school system is recognized for its quality, with many schools receiving high ratings. Commute options include driving across the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, and local transit services are available. The economy is experiencing growth, with recent investments across various sectors, including manufacturing, logistics, and professional services.
St. Tammany Parish's data profile doesn't fit any single market profile cleanly — its housing, labor, and demographic signals pull in different directions (home prices -0.9% YoY, population +1.1%, wages +3.7%). About 414 U.S. counties show this kind of mixed-signal pattern.
See all 414 Idiosyncratic Markets counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Prices declining
Moderate climate & terrain
Above national median (15x)
Housing looks overvalued at 12.9x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →
Source: EPA Air Quality System (2021–2023). Grade based on 3-year average median AQI. Learn about AQI →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Flood Risk Management and Coastal Storm Risk Management Project (Levee System, Structure Raising/Floodproofing)
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
|
$5,900M | Proposed |
|
St. Tammany Parish Infrastructure Improvements (Roads, Bridges, Drainage, Broadband)
St. Tammany Parish Government
|
$53M | Planned |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
St. Tammany Parish scores 41/100 on the Boom Town Index, landing in the middle of the pack among 1001 U.S. counties (#587). Median household income is $81,202 and job growth is running at +1.1%. The data points to a county with mixed signals — some positive indicators alongside areas that lag faster-growing peers.
Housing in St. Tammany Parish is roughly in line with national affordability norms. The median home costs $284,000 and the income-to-home-value ratio sits at 0.29, with rents averaging $1,332/month. Not a bargain, but not a stretch for most local earners either.
St. Tammany Parish is growing on multiple fronts. Population is up +1.1% year-over-year while employers added jobs at a +1.1% clip. Home values shifted -0.9% in the past year.
There's a moderate stream of newcomers. About 3.64% of residents moved from another state, which is above average and suggests St. Tammany Parish has appeal as a relocation destination — though it's not among the highest-inflow counties nationally.