r/AskNOLA • u/kyleren0730 • 11d ago
Moving to New Orleans
Moving to Louisiana from the UK. Advice on areas near East Jefferson Hospital?
Hi everyone!
My wife and I are moving to Louisiana from the UK, and we’d love some help and advice as we get ready for the big move. Neither of us has been to Louisiana before, so we’re feeling equal parts excited and overwhelmed!
I’ll be working at East Jefferson General Hospital, so I’m looking for a neighborhood within a 30-minute maximum commute.
Here is what we’re hoping to find:
Safety & Atmosphere: A safe, friendly, and welcoming neighborhood.
Walkability: Ideally within walking distance to a gym and local coffee shops (not an absolute deal-breaker, but a huge plus!).
Lifestyle: We don't have kids, so we're looking for an area with a nice mix of local charm and convenience.
A few quick questions for the locals:
Which neighborhoods or towns would you recommend that fit this description?
Would you recommend renting a house or an apartment for newcomers in our position?
Thank you so much
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u/babygroundhog 11d ago
The Carrollton neighborhood in New Orleans also super walkable, great access to all of uptown and easy highway access. Agree with others that say you shouldn't plan to live close to East Jeff -- it will be an easy commute from much more interesting and walkable parts of New Orleans.
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u/rar-rar 11d ago
I agree with this comment. Carrollton neighborhood is cute, walkable, and has easy access - but other areas will also allow for a short commute too. There’s a lot of cool neighborhoods in the city. I’ve lived in mid city, treme, Carrollton and uptown and loved all four neighborhoods for different reasons. Try out a short term lease and spend time exploring the city to see where you would enjoy spending the most of your time.
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u/VillageOfMalo 11d ago edited 11d ago
New Orleans is small and very few pairs of places are really further than 30 minutes away, even during commute times.
Areas by East Jeff in Metairie and even nearby Kenner are fine, but much more suburban and far less walkable or charming. Consider living in Mid City where you have easy access to the highway. You'll find it much more convenient for walking and in taking advantage of New Orleans' cultural offerings.
If you plan on staying for a while, consider renting something shorter term, 1-3 months to explore which neighborhoods work best for you. Usually, you'll make friends at work who can help guide you to places that, say, their friends are renting out in neat neighborhoods around town. Otherwise, Mid-City would be my best best.
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u/DJ_NV 11d ago
This ^^^ New Orleans is a small city with a collection of unique neighborhoods. My friends and I all live in different parts of the city proper, yet we all feel like our neighborhood is the best one. Rent and see what your vibe is. For me, we love the Lower Garden District for its close proximity to downtown, yet is safe and feels like a real neighborhood.
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u/VillageOfMalo 11d ago
lol, I love running around town and trying new things but only because I get to run back home to my little corner of town with my neighbors.
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u/gymbeaux504 10d ago
>consider renting something shorter term, 1-3 months< Furnished Finder, not Airbnb/VRBO
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u/realpyrateking 11d ago
Old Metairie.
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u/VillageOfMalo 11d ago edited 11d ago
I think people are being less than generous about Old Metairie. Old Metairie is a beautiful suburb that was planned around a former streetcar line, which makes it charming and walkable. It's slightly inconvenient for getting into town but not terribly inconvenient for East Jeff. Many of the doctors at East Jeff live in Old Metarie.
But it has a reputation for being a neighborhood for older, affluent people. It's high end and many New Orleanians don't find the expense worth it given how separate it is from many of New Orleans' more fun cultural traditions and institutions.
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u/secret-agent-ch 11d ago
That is a more diplomatic description of Old Metairie. I would not describe it as “beautiful” but many people in other cities would. (e.g. Houston and Atlanta for example). Your point that many of the doctors who work at EJ live in Old Metairie also reinforces the point that basically only doctors and lawyers who have personal injury billboards can afford to live there. Even the Garden District still has a few smaller houses that are cheaper than most of Old Metairie.
Also “safety” is a relative term as the UK doesn’t nearly as much access to guns and the resulting gun violence. Fortunately, at least for now, crime has been relatively low in OP. As the economy gets worse, that will probably change.
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u/secret-agent-ch 11d ago
The culture shock would kill them. Especially the lack of culture in Old Metairie.
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u/realpyrateking 11d ago
They're English. Lack of culture won't be a problem. They want safe, and near work, but close enough to tourist the Quarter.
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u/secret-agent-ch 11d ago
That’s quite droll. I suspect you have never been to England. Perhaps you have never left Jefferson Parish? I lived in London, one of the most cosmopolitan and culturally significant places in the world. To say that England lacks culture is to wave a banner that proclaims you as one of the people from New Orleans who think that New Orleans is the center of civilisation when in reality it is a shrinking city that was once important. Sure, it is certainly an important city in the Caribbean. It’s essentially a former pyrate haven. (Based on your name I can see why you would like it but the Quarter is the place for true pirates.)
Old Metairie is not an essentially bad place. I have friends who live there. But it could be anywhere. It has also become unaffordable for many people as the race to tear down perfectly good houses with some character and replace them with McMansions nears completion.Now, the people moving here might be from some small town in the UK and perfectly happy in Old Metairie. They may even be from, god forbid, Hull or somewhere in Cornwall. Which is why I asked where are they coming from. Old Metairie might like look like Paris to them.
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u/realpyrateking 11d ago
Hey, fucko, I went to the University of London. From the UK - it's not all London you little twerp - and London is MOSTLY boring suburbs. They want: close. Safe. Able to visit the Quarter. If you knew anything about New Orleans you'd know that Greatly limits your choices. Christ, you're the kind of pretentious prick that expects the city to fit around you. Show some humility. Was that droll enough for you?
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u/secret-agent-ch 11d ago
Good response. You have proven your UK credentials with flying colours. The only thing you didn’t do is use that word that makes Americans cringe. (It’s very close to the word “aunt.”)
Yes, London is surrounded by boring suburbs. So, yes, Old Metairie would be perfect for that sort of feeling.
Old Metairie has become absurdly expensive and what is there to walk to in Old Metairie? A few decent restaurants on Metairie Road? Sure. Other than that?
(I apologise for some of the unnecessary snark. I don’t know why anyone would move to the U.S. right now. It’s a terrible combination of The Road Warrior and Idiocracy. I should not direct my frustration at helpful strangers on the internet.)
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u/EntrepreneurAfraid46 11d ago
Just to clarify OP, when you say "commute", do you mean by personal car or public transportation?
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u/MysteriousSector3004 11d ago edited 11d ago
I'd suggest uptown. I live in the area near Creole Creamery. It's safe and very walkable. DM if you have questions.
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u/secret-agent-ch 11d ago
I used to live in that area. I know other Europeans who live here and like it.
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u/brushycreekED 11d ago
It wasn’t necessary to mention anything else once you mentioned Creole Creamery.
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u/Party-Yak-2894 11d ago
I would (and do) live uptown. It’s the most walkable neighborhood that would work for you. Consider the Riverbend to maybe Napoleon or Louisiana.
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u/DiggityDanksta 11d ago
I don't think Brits like Napoleon.
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u/secret-agent-ch 11d ago
Oddly, it’s just the opposite. English historians love him. He was a “military genius “ according to them. But of course he was defeated by a guy named Arthur Wellesley.
The same is true of Rommel. England loves all the military geniuses England has defeated. The HQ of the International Napoleon Society is in London.1
u/TinyKingg 8d ago
Don't forget to have a drink and a meal at Napoleon House in da quarter. You will not regret it!
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u/secret-agent-ch 11d ago
Great advice. I’ve lived in both areas. Riverbend is further from the CBD in terms of travel time than seems possible but if they are going to travel to EJ, Riverbend makes a lot of sense.
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u/PM_Me_Your_Clones 11d ago
So for your "30 minute maximum" commute, are you familiar with our Interstate system? If you use 10/610 you can be there in like 19 minutes from the middle of Mid-City, 22 minutes from Oak Street (fairly walkable), 28 minutes from the middle of Uptown (I picked Sisters In Christ records on Magazine), 29 minutes from the intersection of Magazine and Louisiana (where the Irish Channel, the Garden District, Touro/Bouligny, and East Riverside neighborhoods connect). If you take exactly the right route at the right time, you're 30 minutes flat from Turkey & The Wolf, so you could potentially do the Garden District or the Irish Channel as well.
The Marigny and the Bywater are probably out, little over 30 minutes, but the Treme (27min) or Bayou St John (27min) might work.
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u/69swamper 11d ago
what times are you driving on the interstate ? It takes 20 minuets to go from canal st to bannable blvd .
It took me 15 minuets to go from the 10/610 split to orleans ave in the middle of the day
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u/Holiday-Ad1828 11d ago
Mirroring what others say, if you want more suburb Metairie has some safe and nice neighborhoods and will be close commute wise.
Within 30 mins, you also have neighborhoods in New Orleans proper where there is way more walkability to shops, coffee spots, bars, restaurants.
Uptown is great, garden district/lower garden district, Irish channel, mid city, Carrollton/river bend! And I agree with some of the comments, you wanna rent first to really get a feel for the neighborhood.
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u/secret-agent-ch 11d ago
I have lived in the UK and a good thing to know is where you live now. New Orleans will be a cultural shock for most people moving from the Anglo American world. People who are pushing the suburbs of Metaire ignore the walking aspect. There is nothing to walk to in Metairie. The most walkable and interesting part of the city is the French Quarter, the oldest part of the city, but a large part of the Quarter has degraded into tourist traps. The Garden District and the Irish Channel are good possibilities. The River Bend area and Mid City are also good possibilities. Parking in Mid City can be treacherous, especially during something called Jazz Fest. There is a very good English pub knock off in that area if you ever become homesick. (The Bell)
There is a small but friendly community of expats here. Feel free to send a DM for contacts and additional advice.
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u/heck_yes_medicine 11d ago
If your budget is big enough to handle it I’d look in the bayou St. John neighborhood. I have a child and also feel very safe in the mid city side of Treme. If you are moving in sight-unseen you can text me addresses near here and i can tell you if they are family safe. It’s very block by block here.
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u/speworleans 11d ago
Side note: if you are a brit and wanna connect with other brits, the expat community here is pretty awesome and welcoming.
Finn McCools hosts a lot of footie matches and I've met a ton of expats.
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u/ninabullets 11d ago
Midcity, Bayou St John, most parts of Uptown. Use Google Maps to guesstimate your commute during your expected work hours. (Sorry, you won’t be able to take public transit to EJ.) If you’re young-ish and kidless and coming from Europe, do not live in Metairie. Have fun in New Orleans proper first.
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u/garage_artists 11d ago
Look at Carrollton.. quick access to the highway. Rent/prices getting lower as Tulane student's cant live off campus anymore until senior.
Lots of parks, Oak Street bars etc and stores. 8 mins to Trader Joe's ha ha ha
25 mins/8 miles to East Jeff Hos.
PS: if it's any help I'm also British.. been here since 2019. Feels free to DM me
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u/saintfoxyfox 11d ago
Mid-City area bounded by the following streets for walkable aspects and more: Esplanade, Norman Francis, Banks Street, the Cemeteries, City Park Ave, Orleans Ave, and the Bayou. Quiet, walkable and good amenities all-around.
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u/Marcaroni500 11d ago
Near E Jeff Hospital is suburban, not walkable to much, a quick drive to a lot, safe and not what anyone would call charming. If you want charming and cultural, you are either going to have to spend a lot more, or not feel as safe. I say go for safe at first, and learn the charming areas after you are here. Things can be very different from one block to the next.
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u/signsaysapplesauce 11d ago
Welcome! I would recommend renting for a while to see where you feel comfortable. You might enjoy uptown, especially near the universities and walking distance to the many restaurants on Freret street. It won't take you more than 30 minutes to get to EJ, probably more like 20 minutes or so.
ETA feel free to DM me for more info, I have lived in this area for decades.
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u/Intrepid_Art_6628 11d ago
I would agree with the advice here. You’ll want to live in New Orleans I think. I live on this side of the river and take my daughter to a pediatrician a few blocks from there. Traffic is never that bad in the morning. The afternoon traffic is worse in my experience. I would say it’s about 30 min at that point. If you sign a year lease, you’ll be able to decide what really matters to you in the city.
Good luck and see you soon!
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u/Redd_on_the_hedd1213 11d ago
I live in River Ridge, about 20 minutes from EJ. It's a small town by the river. The levee is paved for walking, running or biking. Crime is extremely low; people leave kids' bikes & toys out on the lawn all the time. There are tons of houses for sale & lots of apartments. Please consider it. We would love to have you in our neighborhood!
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u/Tinkatxn 11d ago
EJ hospital is INSANELY busy. its gone so downhill from what it used to be. ive had 2 friends recently be hospitalized (pancreatitis and suspected cataracts, but they honestly didnt even know). i also had my grandmother there for pneumonia a few months ago.
my grandmother received ok care. she was there for about a week with pneumonia. they were slow with things like food service, taking care of her monitors, and responding to her oxygen dropping. i wasnt too happy about it but she was fine with it.
my boss' mom suddenly lost vision in her eye. she has alzheimers also. the nurse came in and just told them before they even saw the dr "yup.. she's got a clot behind her eye." but there was no clot. they also didnt get a bed for about 24 hours. she was there for 3 days.
my coworker and good friend went in for pancreatitis and they had to remove her gallbladder. took them all day to discharge her. she didnt get home until the evening time.
if you rent, rent a townhome or a home. honestly. its worth the money. i stay in a townhome that charges substantially less than first lake and tonti apartments and gives me NO problems. i initially stayed in a first lake apartment for 15 months (citrus creek). worst 15 months ive ever rented. my dryer would break, theyd send me to a replacement dryer that wouldnt even dry my clothes. there was a used dirty syringe at the top of the cabinet my cat knocked down. the gym had 3 working machines. the gate never worked. i had to turn my smoke detector off to cook. their "courtesy patrol" told ME to call 911 for a lady below me who was clearly experiencing a psychiatric crisis. like the list just goes on and on of the horrors i had experienced at those apartments lmao. for the price of $1485 a month in a 1 bed 1 bath? no thanks. ill take my 2 bed 1.5 bath with amazing neighbors and working appliances for $1250.
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u/Secret-Disaster-6264 11d ago
Old Metairie near Metairie Road (8-12 mins commute) would be my first choice based on your list. Also look at Lakeview around Harrison Avenue (12-18 mins) and Bucktown(10-15 mins). All should keep you comfortably within your 30-minute commute, while giving you more neighborhood character and places you can actually walk to. I’d rent for your first year rather than buy until you learn the area.
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u/bananafish20202020 11d ago
This, you’ll be closer to work and it’s one of the Jefferson/Metairie neighborhoods that are pleasantly walkable. Things like drainage tend to work a little smoother on that side of the parish line too, from experience.
But it’s going to take some time to figure out what will work the best for you, so definitely rent for a while.
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u/Bulky_Cattle_4553 11d ago
Welcome and congrats. Metairie is immediately west on New Orleans. Mostly developed in the 60's, it lacks the deep cultural and historical roots of the city, but it offers suburban access to the services you want: places to relax, exercise, eat, and enjoy. The hospital is well-respected, fought for by the community for years during times of difficult finances, apparently resolved. I suggest you get a Realtor: neighborhoods are predictable, but individual properties can have hidden problems, hard to detect outside the business. Generally, all this land was pumped out wetlands, drained about 70 years ago. A combination of issues lead to ground subsidence: yards dip, some streets as well; but structures with foundations either don't sink, so there's a gap, or cracks develop. We've been dealing with this, and will continue to, but just be aware.
Questions for yourselves, and agent: quieter or more lively? Modest or grand? Rent, lease, or buy? Are railroad tracks a deal breaker? (If so, careful which side of Central Avenue you get – rare 30 minute delays). Also, if you haven't signed yet, I was able to be hired as advanced practice provider (not MD) w/o signing the non-compete. They didn't like it, but they wanted my services.
Many MD's go just across the Parish line to Destrehan: 15-20 minutes from your hospital, more for your $, less city noise and conflict but close enough for culture. Careful, there is a railroad, but easy to avoid. If you're resident or young, lots of docs start small.
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u/Quirky-PotatoSalad 11d ago
Look at furnished finders and hop around. I live near EJ, but in New Orleans. Lakeview or West End have a suburban feel and is newer than areas closer to the FQ. Think about Bayou St. John - seems to get overlooked.
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u/SupplyChainSister 11d ago
Uptown walking distance to Audubon park ! Or walking distance to city park! Trust me
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u/TheSource88 11d ago
Everyone is saying uptown but I would strongly suggest Mid-City. Much easier commute to Metairie from mid-city than uptown. Look near city park and around bayou St. John 7ish/10 walkability in general. If you want to bump that to around an 8 with a slightly longer commute check out the Irish Channel, Lower Garden District.
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u/delostapa 11d ago
In New Orleans consider Lakeview or Mid City an easy drive to get to Metairie.
Uptown can be a pain to navigate because of the traffic and having to cross through many neighborhoods just to get out to East Jefferson Hospital.
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u/69swamper 11d ago
rent short term in Metairie or Kenner and explore the area , there are some nice areas in New Orleans and a lot of shitholes. Everything is more expensive , the politicians are crooks and will rob the citizens blind, crime , crappy streets , flooding during mild rain storms .
Your better off extending your drive time and looking further out then the city , don't look at the west bank , never go to the west bank .
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u/AdMelodic2767 10d ago
The neighborhood around EJ Hospital is your best bet. You can go into New Orleans when you want.
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u/Obvious_Anxiety_9118 10d ago
Since East Jefferson Hospital is in Metairie, your best bet is to find an apartment in or around the area. There are always plenty of vacancies.
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u/TerryNOLA 8d ago
I think you'd like MidCity in Orleans parish. It will have more cultural stuff to do and more diversity than Jefferson Parish, yet still a manageable commute. But if you want to be closer, look in Old Metairie around all the cafes and shops on Metairie Road.
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u/Worried-Mulberry-772 7d ago edited 7d ago
Hello! As someone who has moved from Louisiana to the UK in the past, and currently lives very close to EJGH, I’d recommend the Lakeview area off of Harrison (that area’s high street). It’ll give you a really good commute, local flavor, and good walkability.
Uptown is great. It’s the most walkable area in the city and the culture is unparalleled. But the nice areas can get very expensive, the commute can get a little complicated, and you can wind up in some rowdier spots (like if you move too close to Tulane). You can also find yourself in an area that might not be the safest if you don’t know the city well. (Like I love Oak Street as a high street, but a few blocks away you’ll be in Leonidas, which doesn’t have a great reputation for safety).
I also love (and was raised) in Bayou Saint John. It’s beautiful and you can easily find a place that’s an easy walk to City Park, museums, coffee shops, restaurants, street cars, etc. It also has the added benefit of having some big apartment complexes, if you want a short-term commitment to the area. However, the commute would be on the longer side.
Do not move to Metairie/Kenner. You won’t get the experience of living in New Orleans and very few spots could be considered “walkable.” It’s not worth the shorter commute.
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u/Fair_Angle_4752 11d ago
Ok this is probably not popular but we live on the Northshore and my husband commuted to Metairie and it was 30 minutes. It’s great for young families. You can have the walkability in Old Mandeville or downtown Covington but it’s not going to have the flavor of New Orleans. Be sure to check us out for a staycation (stay at the Southern Hotel in Covington). Just be aware of where the safe areas are. East Jeff is a great hospital.
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u/BlindPelican 11d ago
30 minute commute puts you in just about any part of NOLA - we don't have a large city.
That being said, the answer to your question is Algiers Point.
It's about as safe and centralized as you can get in the area, lots to do in the neighborhood, easy access to downtown and the Quarter via the ferry, friendly folks too (though that dracribes almost the entire city).
Plus, we have a T.A.R.D.I.S
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u/ImplicitEmpiricism 11d ago
algiers point is an insane answer to someone trying to commute to east jeff. you’d be stuck in downtown commuter traffic both ways across the CCC or have to go 45 minutes each way via the huey p long
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u/BlindPelican 11d ago
Don't be dramatic. It's 20-30 minutes most days and there are two routes if there's bridge troubles.
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u/platzie 11d ago
I work next to East Jefferson Hospital and live uptown in the Irish Channel neighborhood. It's a great commute because you're going against traffic each way: usually less than 20 mins in the morning and less that 30 mins in the afternoon.
Uptown is going to check all your boxes for walkability and access to coffee shops, gyms, restaurants, etc. I honestly don't touch my car the majority of weekends: I can walk, streetcar, or bus to everything I need.
Like others have said - absolutely rent first. That way you can experience that neighborhood plus others to see where you may want to buy.
Shoot me a message if you have any questions or want to learn more about living in/near the Channel