How corridor housing markets have grown

The 10/12 corridor housing market was certainly alive and well in 2008. New U.S. Census estimates tell us that 11 of the 17 parishes along the interstates have enjoyed double-digit growth in new housing units since 2000. Ascension Parish had one of the fastest-growing home construction markets in the nation. Housing units there are up 36%, which translates into 10,390 new units. Ascension was ranked 83rd in the nation and was the only Louisiana parish to make the Top 100 list. Rounding out the top three fastest-growing housing markets along the corridor were Livingston Parish, up 29%, and St. Tammany, up 28%. Housing units in Lafayette, St. Charles and West Baton Rouge all grew by 15% during that same time period. Just two parishes along the corridor have lost housing units, thanks to Hurricane Katrina. Orleans Parish is up 17% since the storm, but remains down 47% from 2000; Jefferson Parish is up less than 1% since Hurricane Katrina, but down 4% since 2000. Here’s how the rest of parishes along the corridor fared over the past eight years: St. John the Baptist, up 11%; East Baton Rouge and St. James, up 11%; St. Martin, up 10%; Calcasieu, up 9%; Acadia, up 7%; and Iberville and Jefferson Davis, up 6%. Overall, housing units in Louisiana went up just 2%. To see the statistics for all parishes in Louisiana, click here. — Penny Font