Washington to Louisiana Moving Guide
Updated June 21, 2025

Planning a 2,491 mile interstate move from Washington to Louisiana? This moving guide will help you compare living in Washington vs Louisiana across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like gray, rainy weather vs abundant sunshine), food & health (like Salmon vs Gumbo), real estate & housing (modern, craftsman vs colonial, french creole), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in Washington), politics & religion, and education.
Key Takeaways:
- Say goodbye to Salmon and Grilled Salmon, but get your taste buds ready for Gumbo & Jambalaya
- Louisiana housing costs are 66% less expensive than they are in Washington
- Rent in Louisiana is 33.25% more affordable than in Washington
- Moving from Washington to Louisiana will cost on average between $2,500 - $9,500
- Our top recommended Washington to Louisiana movers is Seattle Moves & More
Washington to Louisiana Moving Guide
Pros and Cons of Moving from Washington to Louisiana
- Gray, rainy weather
- High cost of living
- Earthquake risk
- Traffic congestion
- Abundant sunshine
- More affordable housing
- Less seismic activity
- Reduced traffic
- Limited mountains
- Fewer tech opportunities
- Hot, humid summers
- Fewer art venues
- Expansive national parks
- Tech job market
- Cooler summers
- Vibrant arts scene
Pros of moving from Washington to Louisiana
- Say goodbye to gray, rainy weather and hello to abundant sunshine
- Look forward to moving away from the high cost of living and moving to Louisiana with more affordable housing
- Swap the earthquake risk of Washington for less seismic activity in Louisiana
- Get ready for reduced traffic in Louisiana
Cons of moving from Washington to Louisiana
- Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from expansive national parks in Washington to live with limited mountains in Louisiana
- You'll lose out on the pro of a tech job market and have to settle with the con of fewer tech opportunities
- Time to bid farewell to cooler summers and get used to hot, humid summers in Louisiana
- Swap the vibrant arts scene for fewer art venues
Washington vs. Louisiana: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene
Comparison | Washington | Louisiana |
---|---|---|
Most iconic local food item | Salmon | Gumbo |
Most popular meat dish | Grilled Salmon | Jambalaya |
Most popular street food item | Food Truck Tacos | Po'boy Sandwiches |
Most popular vegan food | Quinoa Salad | Red Beans and Rice |
Top 3 iconic restaurants that summarize the state |
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Fitness/Health Conscientiousness | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ |
Abundance of Food Trucks | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Foodie Scene | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ |
Vegan Friendly | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± |
If you're moving from Washington to Louisiana, you will be trading the iconic salmon of Washington for the equally delicious gumbo of Louisiana. And while the locals in Washington rave about their flavorful grilled salmon and sumptuous food truck tacos, Louisiana residents know they have tasty jambalaya and po'boy sandwiches to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the quinoa salad they've grown to love, they can get ready for the red beans and rice of Louisiana. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic Washington eateries like Canlis, The Pink Door, and Mamnoon. After the boxes are unpacked in Louisiana, don't wait too long before making your way to Louisiana's acclaimed eateries like Commander's Palace, Antoine's, and Cochon.
When comparing lifestyles, Louisiana shows less emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than Washington. Food truck fans will discover a less desirable selection in Louisiana compared to what you are used to in Washington. Also, the overall foodie scene is more bustling in Louisiana.
Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between Washington and Louisiana
Comparison | Washington | Louisiana |
---|---|---|
Typical Architecture Style | Modern, Craftsman | Colonial, French Creole |
Walkability | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Bikeability | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² |
Urban Lifestyle | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ |
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listing | Green spaces, tech-ready homes | Historic properties, waterfronts |
- The Modern and Craftsman architecture that Washington is known for will be replaced with the Colonial and French Creole architecture typical of Louisiana.
- Compared to Washington's real estate listings that commonly reference green spaces and tech-ready homes, Louisiana real estate listings often highlight features like historic properties and waterfronts.
- You can keep your walking shoes packed away; Louisiana is less walkable than Washington.
- You might want to think twice before moving your bike; Louisiana is less bike-friendly than Washington.
- Louisiana has less of an urban feel than Washington.
- Louisiana housing costs are 66% less expensive than they are in Washington, with a median home price of $199,091 compared to Washingtonβs $591,148.
- Over the prior 5 years, home prices in Louisiana have increased by 13% compared to a 49% increase in Washington.
- Rent in Louisiana is 33.25% more affordable than in Washington.
Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between Washington and Louisiana
Comparison | Washington | Louisiana |
---|---|---|
Days of Sunshine per Year | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ |
Avg. Annual Humidity | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ |
Avg. UV Index | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ |
Natural Disasters | Earthquakes, Volcanoes | Hurricanes, Floods |
Air Quality | Good | Moderate |
Average Summer High/Low (Β°F) | 75Β°F / 55Β°F | 91Β°F / 73Β°F |
Average Winter High/Low (Β°F) | 47Β°F / 36Β°F | 62Β°F / 42Β°F |
Annual Rainfall (Inches) | 38" | 60" |
Annual Snowfall (Inches) | 5" | <1" |
- Break out the sunglasses for your move from Washington to Louisiana. Louisiana gets 41% more sunshine days than Washington.
- Louisiana has lower humidity and a higher average UV index compared to Washington.
- Say goodbye to the possible earthquakes and volcanoes in Washington, but be on the lookout for potential hurricanes and floods in Louisiana.
- Get ready for warmer summers. The average summer high temperature in Louisiana is 16 degrees warmer than in Washington.
- The average winter lows are 6 degrees warmer than they are in Washington.
- Your umbrella might be more overworked in Louisiana. Louisiana receives 22 more inches of rain compared to Washington.
Financial & Community Snapshot: Washington and Louisiana
Comparison | Washington | Louisiana |
---|---|---|
Avg. Household Income | $91,306 | $55,416 |
Cost of Living Index | 104.1 | 96 |
State Income Tax | 0% | 2% - 6% |
Avg. Property Tax | 0.93% | 0.53% |
Avg. Sales Tax | 9.29% | 9.45% |
Top 3 Industries | Technology, Aerospace, Agriculture | Energy, Agriculture, Manufacturing |
Affluence | Prosperous | Moderate |
Poverty | Moderate | High |
Homelessness | Concerning | Problematic |
- When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in Louisiana tend to earn about 39% less than those in Washington
- The COLI in Louisiana will be 8% lower than what you are used to living in Washington
- Bummer... By moving from WA to LA, you'll now have a state income tax of 2% - 6%
- The affluence in Louisiana is moderate compared to prosperous in Washington
- The poverty level is high in Louisiana compared to moderate in Washington
- In terms of homelessness, it is concerning in Washington and problematic in Louisiana
Political and Religious Climate in Washington vs. Louisiana
Comparison | Washington | Louisiana |
---|---|---|
Political Make-up | Lean Democratic | Lean Republican |
Local Politics | Progressive urban areas; conservative rural | Conservative with pockets of liberal influence in cities |
Religion | Less religious overall; diverse religious communities | Higher religious engagement; predominantly Christian |
- Washington tends to lean Democratic in its political climate
- Louisiana, on the other hand, is often described as lean Republican
- Louisiana's religious environment can be described as having higher religious engagement and predominantly Christian
- Washington's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as less religious overall and diverse religious communities
Education Guide When Moving from Washington to Louisiana
Comparison | Washington | Louisiana |
---|---|---|
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3) | University of Washington Washington State University Gonzaga University | Louisiana State University Tulane University University of Louisiana |
Top 3 Elementary Schools | Cascade Ridge Elementary (Issaquah) Challenge Elementary (Everett) Discovery Elementary (Gig Harbor) | Lusher Charter School (New Orleans) South Highlands Elementary Magnet (Shreveport) T.S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School (Lake Charles) |
Top 3 Middle Schools | International Community School (Kirkland) Odle Middle School (Bellevue) Lakeside Middle School (Seattle) | Caddo Parish Middle Magnet (Shreveport) Glasgow Middle (Baton Rouge) Lusher Charter School (New Orleans) |
Top 3 High School Schools | International School (Bellevue) Newport High School (Bellevue) Lakeside School (Seattle) | Benjamin Franklin High School (New Orleans) Haynes Academy for Advanced Studies (Metairie) Baton Rouge Magnet High School (Baton Rouge) |
Top 3 private high schools | The Overlake School (Redmond) The Bear Creek School (Redmond) Lakeside School (Seattle) | Isidore Newman School (New Orleans) Metairie Park Country Day School (Metairie) Episcopal High School (Baton Rouge) |
Top 3 private K-12 schools | The Overlake School (Redmond) The Bear Creek School (Redmond) Seattle Academy (Seattle) | Isidore Newman School (New Orleans) Metairie Park Country Day School (Metairie) Episcopal School of Baton Rouge (Baton Rouge) |
Top 3 School Districts | Lake Washington School District Bellevue School District Mercer Island School District | Zachary Community School District Central Community School System West Feliciana Parish School District |
How Much Do Washington to Louisiana Movers Cost?
Moving 2,491 miles from Washington to Louisiana will typically cost between $4,000 and $9,500 to hire full service movers. See the chart below for a detailed breakdown by home size.
- Expected Range: $4,000 - $9,500
- Expected Time To Complete: 2-4 days
- Most Affordable Recommended Movers: John Volken Academy Movers
HOME SIZE | MOVING COST | VOLUME OF PACKED ITEMS (FT3) | $/FT3 |
---|---|---|---|
Studio | $2,615 | 300 ft3 | $8.72 |
1 Bedroom | $3,900 | 450 ft3 | $8.67 |
2 Bedrooms | $6,462 | 750 ft3 | $8.62 |
3 Bedrooms | $9,422 | 1100 ft3 | $8.57 |
4 Bedrooms | $13,625 | 1600 ft3 | $8.52 |
5+ Bedrooms | $15,238 | 1800 ft3 | $8.47 |
Top Washington to Louisiana Movers
Read our in-depth analysis of the best Washington to Louisiana movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.
Seattle Moves & More
Best moving company overall for Washington to Louisiana