Delhi is a rural area with outdoor recreation and change on the way
The city of Delhi is about to get a new claim to fame. The Richland Parish region is known for its soil, but it will soon be recognized for its location near a Meta artificial intelligence data center, announced in December 2024. The $10 billion project, a few miles west of the community, is scheduled to finish in 2030, and site work has already begun. The Richland Parish housing market is poised to boom, says Jay Shepherd, a Realtor with French Realty LLC, and Delhi will benefit, especially since it has more outdoor recreation than other parts of the area. “It’s a small, quaint town in a great spot,” Shepherd says. “You have close amenities and quick drives to Monroe and Vicksburg.”
Traditional ranch-style homes and cottages with grassy yards
Despite the nearby data center, Delhi remains surrounded by farmland and woods. The community has several traditional ranch-style homes that can range from $120,000 to $280,000. There are a few cottage-style houses that often sell from $50,000 to $100,000. Residential roads are narrow and usually lack lane lines, consistent streetlights and sidewalks. U.S. Route 80 is an exception; the highway serves as a commercial corridor with brick walking paths. Yards are mostly grass, but can feature medium and large trees and small bushes along the front of the house.
Louisianan, Mexican and Southern food options, plus a quirky retailer
Most of the city’s restaurants and shops line Louisiana Highway 17, as do churches like Delhi Presbyterian Church. Tastebuds & Suds is known for Louisiana favorites like boudin balls. La Fonda Mexican Grill has a mix of traditional and modern entrees. Delhi Little Grill serves homestyle, Southern-inspired food. There are also several fast-food restaurants and chains like Fox’s Pizza Den. The community has Brookshire’s and Dollar General locations. West Brothers sells a mix of furniture, home goods and clothing.
The Richland Parish School Board and a school choice scholarship
Students are served by the Richland Parish School Board. They can attend Delhi Elementary, which holds a C-minus Niche grade. Delhi Middle School also earns a C-minus score. Delhi High School offers dual enrollment classes through partnerships with state colleges. It receives a C rating.
The state’s LA GATOR Scholarship Program gives education scholarship accounts to approved families, who receive funds for private school tuition and other expenses. The closest private school is Rayville’s Riverfield Academy, which is around 15 miles away and gets a B-minus score.
Hit the links, climb a jungle gym or visit Poverty Point Reservoir
Delhi Country Club takes public tee times for its nine-hole course, which was built in 1932. Delhi City Park offers a jungle gym, a swing set and a large open field for athletics. The region’s most popular attraction, Poverty Point Reservoir State Park, is a few miles north. Anglers visit the park to catch bass, crappie and catfish, and its walking paths cut through woods with a lot of wildlife. “You can run into Louisiana black bears on the trails,” Shepherd says. “Just stay away from them. They’ll run from you before you run from them. We’re told to treat them like giant raccoons.”
The Northeast Louisiana Livestock Show and Parade takes over the town
The Northeast Louisiana Livestock Show and Parade has been held in Delhi each winter for more than 85 years, bringing a different parade theme each year. Participants can ride anything from a horse to an antique car.
Access to Interstate 20 and easy drives to Monroe and Vicksburg
Interstate 20 and U.S. Route 80 cut through the community, and Louisiana Highway 17 is its main commercial thoroughfare. A railroad runs through the community south of U.S. Route 80, and Bayou Macon borders the area to the east. Delhi is around 40 miles from both Monroe and Vicksburg, Mississippi. Monroe Regional Airport is about 35 miles away. Delhi Hospital, part of the Richland Parish Hospital system, has more than 40 beds. Shepherd says hurricanes rarely impact Richland Parish, and the ones that arrive have often weakened to Category 1 or lower.
