When Louisiana farmer Darel Zachary sold his land to a railroad company in the 1880s, a village sprang up around the tiny depot about 15 miles north of Baton Rouge. Today, the city known as Zachary is home to 20,000 people, the result of a 25 percent increase since 2010. Though a devastating fire — allegedly caused by a greengrocer attempting to flame-ripen his bananas — ripped through the town in the early 20th century, its citizens remained loyal. “People who were born and raised in Zachary stay in Zachary,” says Shawn Gee, Realtor with Katie Miller Realty and host of "Moving to Baton Rouge" on YouTube. “It has a lot of die-hards.” A water tower painted with baseball stitching pays tribute to the town’s outstanding school system bolstered by stellar sports programs.
Top marks for Zachary Community Public Schools
About 6,000 students attend schools in the Zachary Community Public Schools district, which earns a Niche grade of A-plus. With 650 teachers, administrators and personnel, the school system is also a major area employer. Louisiana State University’s flagship campus in Baton Rouge is 18 miles away.
Zachary High School has a student-teacher ratio of 18 to 1.
Watch a nail biting Friday night game at Zachary High School.
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Baseball fields at Zachary Youth Park
The sports fields at Zachary Youth Park Complex give student athletes space to hone their skills. Spanning 33 acres, the complex includes synthetic turf fields, allowing year-round practice. College and professional scouts are known to frequent the park, too. The park system also offers fishing, biking and hiking opportunities, plus several golf courses spread out along the town’s outskirts.
Zachary Youth Park features multiple basketball goals for a quick pick-up game.
These geese roam from waterfront to waterfront in Zachary's lakes and ponds.
Zachary Youth Park is the location for youth sports in the Zachary area.
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Historic homes and modern custom builds
At $275,000, Zachary’s median home price is slightly higher than the Louisiana median but far below the national median of $407,000. However, properties that enter the market tend to sit for over 80 days, nearly twice as long as the national average Starter homes are typically priced at $200,000 to $250,000, while upscale townhomes and smaller new builds might cost $250,000 to $325,000. Historic homes and modern custom builds can cost $500,000 to $1 million. Residents in subdivisions like Copper Mill and Americana enjoy access to pools and golf courses.
Zachary homes can feature long driveways and sidewalks.
Zachary has acadian style homes with tall and short roofs.
Purchase this cottage home in the welcoming Zachary area.
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A stroll through Zachary Historic Village
Downtown Zachary is the city hub lined with shops, restaurants, drugstores and banks. The Zachary Historic Village, a two-block area that serves as a community museum, includes the railroad depot that started it all. A blend of local and chain restaurants accents the rows of shopping centers along Main Street, east of downtown.
Every Saturday, downtown Zachary hosts a farmers market with more than 50 local vendors and artists. The Zachary Cars and Coffee Club offers an open car show on the second Saturday of every month, inviting auto enthusiasts to show off their classic rides outside City Hall. For the past few years, local outfit Really Hot Air Balloons has taken the spotlight at a summer festival, with colorful orbs filling the sky over Zachary Community Park.
Come get crawfish, nachos, and snowballs at Zachary's Virginia St. Snowballs.
The commute to Baton Rouge
With around 800 team members, Lane Regional Medical Center is the city’s largest employer. Georgia-Pacific recently upgraded its paper mill in nearby Port Hudson, adding more jobs to the area. Other residents might make the 16-mile commute to Baton Rouge on Louisiana Highway 19, which runs through the heart of town. “Zachary is near a lot of smaller towns, so if you go in one direction, you’re in the country, and if you go in another, you’re in the city,” says Cullyn Vespo, leasing consultant at The Palms of Sunset Lakes Apartment Homes. “So a lot of people commute to Baton Rouge, but they also might work in one of the other small towns nearby.” The Capital Area Transit System (CATS) doesn’t provide reliable bus service this far north, so commuters rely on cars to make the trip. Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport, 10 miles away, offers direct flights to major hubs like Houston, Atlanta and Charlotte.
Crime rates and environmental concerns
Like many Louisiana communities, Zachary is prone to flooding during major storms. The city’s website provides information about flood insurance requirements.
According to FBI data, rates of property-related crime trend close to state and national figures, although the rates have spiked and dipped at several points throughout the last five years. Likewise, violent crime rates have followed a similar up-and-down trajectory, but they’re generally lower than statewide numbers.
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Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
