Ascension Parish offers a unique blend of urban, suburban and rural lifestyles. While the Parish has seen significant population growth since 2000, stringent zoning and development codes have acted to preserve rural assets while accommodation suburban residential growth along with commercial and industrial development.
Housing
Abundance of housing: Housing development has grown to meet the varied needs of new residents. From 2000 to 2005, Ascension Parish ranked #1 in single-family residential sales growth and was responsible for 18% of homes sold in the Baton Rouge 9-parish metro area and boasts the highest average home price of $233,000 (March 2007).
Education
Aggressive education system: The Ascension Parish School Board is keeping up with the growth pace in the parish. Major construction projects to meet the goal of five new schools is underway; renovation of two high schools; investment in wireless technology upgrades for all schools; completion of the strict district accreditation process; and establishment of a practical leadership assessment process that will help to make the school system one of the best in state, are just of few of the plans.
Primary/Secondary Education
Ascension Parish’s 31 primary and secondary schools have contributed to its 88.7 percent high school graduate or higher educational attainment in 2021. Its aggressive growth plan to increase the number of schools and enhance technology infrastructure will allow the system to stay ahead of the current and assist with future growth.
Below are just a few of the facts about schools in the Ascension Parish Public School System:
- All public schools in the parish are state approved and are recognized by the Louisiana Department of Education as meeting the standards prescribed by the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.
- All schools have attained regional accreditation through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).
- Teacher-student ratio of 22:1
- Report cards for all schools in the public school system can be found on the Louisiana Department of Education web site.
2021 Ascension Parish Public School System Community Report
2021 Enrollment
| 31 Public Schools | 23,474 |
| 4 Non-public Schools | 1,722 |
| Teacher:Student Ratio | 22:1 |
| ACT Score (2021 Average) | 18.2 |
Colleges & Universities
With ten colleges and universities and outstanding community colleges the Baton Rouge area is blessed with thousands of well-educated, well-rounded young professionals which join the labor force annually. These graduates come from a range of studies including engineering, medicine, business, law, information technology, and many more, which support the diverse group of industries.
The Parish is home to a community college-River Parishes Community College that offers technical curriculum for those seeking to increase skills and knowledge in high school as well as after graduation in preparation for work in local businesses. Programs including process technology, welding, automotive technology, accounting, and basic skills are offered at the campus through associate degrees, certificates, and training. Credits earned at the campus are transferable to Louisiana’s two and four-year degree programs at the area’s colleges and universities.
The local campus also works closely with existing and new industry to develop training in skill sets needed in business. One example is the PTEC or process technology program developed several years ago in anticipation of the chemical industry’s aging workforce.
Associate degrees, certificates and diplomas in industrial instrumentation technology, automotive technology, welding, process technology and several other programs are offered through this campus. In neighboring Baton Rouge, the Baton Rouge Community College offers over 120 credit courses and industry training sessions.
Higher Education Institutions
| Institution | Location | Enrollment (2020) |
|---|---|---|
River Parishes Community College | Gonzales | 3,470 |
Baton Rouge Community College | Baton Rouge | 8,242 |
Louisiana State University (A&M, Medical, Law) | Baton Rouge/New Orleans | 34,290 |
Southern University | Baton Rouge | 7,031 |
University of Louisiana at Lafayette | Lafayette | 16,450 |
Southeastern University of LA | Hammond | 14,500 |
Tulane University (Medical & Law) | New Orleans | 8,610 |
Safety
Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office boasts 300+ deputies protecting the parish as well as serving the municipalities of Donaldsonville and Sorrento. The Gonzales Police Department serves the city limits of Gonzales.
Crime rates are consistently lower than comparably sized parishes/counties nationwide. Click here for crime statistics for Ascension Parish.
Healthcare
Ascension Parish is home to three hospitals and residents are just 15 minutes away from an abundance of healthcare options in neighboring Baton Rouge.
Medical Services (within region)
| Medical Facility | Specialization | No. of Beds |
|---|---|---|
Our Lady of the Lake Ascension | General Medical Services | 95 |
Prevost Hospital | General Medical Services | 25 |
Baton Rouge General Medical Center - Ascension | General Medical Services | 10 |
Ochsner Regional Medical Center | Heart; Nutrition; Neuroscience; Neurophysiology; Psychology; Cancer; Cardiopulmonary | 201 |
Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical | Heart; Nutrition; Neuroscience; Neurophysiology; psychology; cancer | 721 |
Woman's Hospital | Women's Health Services | 225 |
Baton Rouge General Medical Center - Baton Rouge | General Medical Services | 448 |
Tourism
Ascension Parish, with a population of 126,604 and growing, covers approximately 300 square miles that span the Mississippi River. Twenty percent lies on the historic west bank, encompassing Donaldsonville, Bayou Lafourche, and Louisiana Highway 1, sometimes called “the longest main street.” The remaining eighty percent on the east bank includes Gonzales and Sorrento. Interstate 10 and U.S. Highway 61 serves as its major thoroughfares. Visitors find museums, plantation homes, gardens, shopping, and dining from casual to exquisite within our boundaries, and over 1,900 hotel rooms. And you’ll never find friendlier, more hospitable folks than those you meet when you visit us.