Baton Rouge Apartments and Rentals

The culturally rich city of Baton Rouge is the country's 70th largest metropolitan statistical area and a major center for commercial and industrial activity. Positioned ideally along the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico to be a key industry player, this thriving and vibrant city also can be vulnerable to hurricanes.

Many know Baton Rouge for its dynamic nightlife scene. The entertainment, festivals and cuisine provide great reasons to visit, but the educational opportunities, the thriving port business and the overall culture are enough to encourage residents to find Baton Rouge apartments for rent and stay for a little while.

Baton Rouge has a rich history dating back to 1699 when the area where the city is now was discovered by the French. Since these early days, Baton Rouge has come to see many different flags flying overhead, according to the City of Baton Rouge website. These flags have included those of France, England, Spain, West Florida, Louisiana, Confederate States of America and the United States.

Baton Rouge has remained a key city in a number of different wars, including playing a role in the U.S. Civil War. When the center of state government returned to Baton Rouge in 1882, following the war, at which time the population was only 7,197. Baton Rouge's prime spot along the Mississippi River and just north of the Gulf of Mexico contributed to the significant growth the area experienced at the birth of industry.

Today the city has grown to a population of more than 230,000 people, many of whom opt to live in Baton Rouge apartments across the almost 77 square miles of land.

Information collected by City-Data revealed that Baton Rouge has one of the largest deep-water ports in the country. This and the channel on the lower Mississippi helped to make this one of the most attractive spots in the country for large-scale industrial development. The major products that are shipped through this large port include forest and agricultural products, steel and pipe, ores, coal and other petroleum products.

Baton Rouge rentals could be attractive options for educators because one of the top thriving industries is the educational services, which City-Data reports at making up 11 percent of the area industry. The U.S. Census Bureau revealed that educational services, healthcare and social assistance industries combine to make up roughly 27 percent of area business.

Students will find Louisiana State here, which enrolls approximately 28,000 students and helps to make rentals near Baton Rouge an attractive option for scholars as well. The area's second major school is Southern University, which enrolls roughly 7,600 students. 

According to information gathered by the U.S. Census Bureau, Baton Rouge rentals have a vacancy rate of 6.6 percent, and as of 2010, the median gross rent was $733. Roughly 37 percent of all renters fall in the gross rent range of $500 to $749, with approximately 65 percent of all renters falling in the slightly broader range of $500 to $999. More than half of renters spend 35 percent or more of their household income on gross rental costs.

City-Data revealed that the cost of living in Baton Rouge in 2012 was assigned a value of 91.8, which is more than 8 percent below the national average of 100.

Apartments in Baton Rouge will put the whole city at your doorstep. Many are drawn to the area to experience the thriving night scene or sample the Cajun cuisine, but Baton Rouge is also renowned for its music. Live music clubs pepper the town, famous for blues, gospel and soulful tunes. One of the oldest blues fests can be found here, the Baton Rouge Blues Festival, drawing families and music aficionados to relax and enjoy the blues artist greats who got their start in Louisiana's capital city.

According to the city of Baton Rouge, the tourism industry attracts roughly 1.9 million visitors annually. Some of the top spots to visit include the Mardi Gras parades and celebrations, the historic battlefields and the Baton Rouge Symphony for arts and theater.

To find your next rental apartment or house in Baton Rouge, take a look at our listings on Rent.com®.