Why are people moving away from Louisiana?

The honest drivers of out-migration from Louisiana are insurance costs, climate risk, and job market concentration. Hurricane insurance has risen sharply over the past decade, with coastal homeowners often paying $3,000 to $8,000 a year just for windstorm and flood coverage. Climate exposure (hurricanes, subsidence, increasing summer heat) drives long-term concerns even where headline costs stay low. The state’s job market still leans heavily on energy, ports, and tourism, which limits options for tech, finance, and other knowledge-economy workers. Population has been roughly flat to slightly declining for a decade. Yet the cost advantage remains real: Louisiana’s $2,500 per person per month moderate benchmark sits well below Florida ($3,500) and the US average ($3,275)—a gap of $1,000 and $775 respectively. For the full picture, see our Louisiana cost of living page.