Essential Travel Tips for Your Louisiana Adventure
Facts
- Ascension parish was created in 1807
- Our parish is made up of 303 square miles of which 290 is land and 13 square miles is water
- 20% of the square miles is on the west bank & 80% on the east side
- Ascension Parish is approximately 25 minutes outside of Baton Rouge and 45 minutes from New Orleans
- One of the fastest growing Parishes in the State.
Fun Facts
- In 1946, the company Blue Runner Red Beans moved to its current location in Gonzales, Louisiana, where all of its products are still produced to this day.
- Ascension Parish has been the backdrop of numerous films for over 50 years because of its diverse scenes and easy access.
- The City of Gonzales holds the title as “Jambalaya Capital of the World”
- Jambalaya Festival Association holds the Guinness Book World Record for World’s largest pot of Jambalaya.
- Ascension Parish’s Historic City of Donaldsonville was the capital of Louisiana from 1829-1831.
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Weather Highlights
Annual Average Temperature: 68 Degrees
Summer High: the July high is around 91 degrees
Winter Low: the January low is 41
Rain: averages 62 inches of rain a year
Snow: averages 0 inches of snow a year
Population
Ascension Parish has a total 42,976 households for a total population of 117,029 people
- Gonzales: 40,470
- Prairieville: 37,790
- Donaldsonville: 11,441
- St. Amant: 10,549
- Geismar: 7,911
- Sorrento: 2,399
- Darrow: 1,912
Transportation:
Interstate: 10
U.S. Highways: 61
LA Highway: 22, 30, & 44
Shuttle Services:
Airports:
All within 45 Minutes drive
Distance to Major Cities (in miles)
New Orleans, LA: 50
Lafayette, LA: 80
Natchez, MS: 110
Biloxi, MS: 140
Houston, TX: 290
Dallas, TX: 440
Atlanta, GA: 520
Birmingham, AL: 240
Nashville, TN: 600
Education
Ascension Parish is the home to River Parishes Community College, ranked among the fastest-growing community and technical colleges in the nation.
Helpful Links
Ascension Parish Chamber of Commerce
Ascension Economic Development Corp.