Rayville is a rural community about to undergo a major change
Right now, Rayville is like many small towns in Louisiana. The rural community supports local businesses and has a handful of down-home restaurants. Everyone knows everyone else, and hunting and fishing are popular pastimes, says Jay Shepherd, a Realtor with French Realty LLC. But change is on the horizon. Rayville is the closest city to an upcoming Meta artificial intelligence data center, announced in December 2024, that will potentially create up to 500 permanent jobs and require around 5,000 construction workers. The $10 billion project carries a completion estimate of 2030, and site work has already begun. Shepherd says the news has already started to impact the area’s housing market, and more residential and commercial development is expected. “If you don’t get in now, it might be too late,” Shepherd says.
Ranch-style and Acadian-influenced homes sit along narrow streets
Ranch-style homes and Acadian-influenced houses with columns and covered porches are prevalent. The median sale price is around $130,000, well below the U.S. median, but Shepherd believes that statistic will soon change. “The prices of land and homes have skyrocketed since the announcement,” Shepherd says. “Some pieces of land are going for $40,000 to $50,000 per acre, and they were going for $5,000 to $8,000 before.”
Yards are mostly sparse but can have medium- and large-sized trees and a few bushes. City streets are narrow and lie in a grid-like pattern. Street parking is a common practice along the region’s main strip, but less so on residential roads, which also often lack sidewalks.
Steak, seafood, barbecue and pizza eateries, plus access to Walmart
Most restaurants are located south of town near the city’s Interstate 20 exit, though some are scattered throughout the region. Big John’s Steak & Seafood offers a daily lunch buffet, plus a Friday and Saturday dinner buffet. Rayville Southern BBQ & Grill serves homestyle meals in plastic containers. Johnny’s Pizza House, a Louisiana-based chain, bakes specialty pies and state favorites like muffulettas. The region has Walmart, Brookshire’s and Dollar General locations.
Diverging pathways at Rayville High, plus a school choice program
Students are served by the Richland Parish School Board. They can attend Rayville Elementary School, which earns a C-minus Niche grade. Rayville Junior High School also holds a C-minus. Rayville High School offers university- and career-focused pathways and receives a C-plus.
The state’s LA GATOR Scholarship Program creates education scholarship accounts for eligible families, whom the state will then award funds to pay for private school tuition or other expenses. The private Riverfield Academy, for prekindergarten through 12th grade, gets a B-minus Niche score.
Baseball fields, fishing areas and hunting grounds are nearby
Though there are no parks in the city proper, just west of the area is the Tim McGraw Sports Complex, which can host youth baseball and softball games. Around 6 miles north is LaFourche Lake, part of the Boeuf River, where anglers can catch bass, crappie and sunfish. The Russell Sage Wildlife Management Area, close to 12 miles west, offers hunting opportunities, with deer and waterfowl among the most popular game. Boating, fishing, camping and hiking are also available.
A fall market and several Christmas activities
Market 425 is an annual fall tradition that supports the city’s businesses. Food and art vendors line Downtown Rayville, surrounded by live music, a car show and kids' activities. The Kiwanis Club of Rayville throws a Christmas Parade each December, while First Baptist Church Rayville's "Christmas Extravaganza" is a theatrical retelling of the holiday’s story.
Drivers can get on Interstate 20 to get to Monroe Regional Airport
State Road 425 runs north and south through the city and connects with Interstate 20. Monroe is around 20 miles west, as is Monroe Regional Airport. Rayville is home to Richardson Medical Center, a hospital with nearly 40 beds. Shepherd says the area rarely experiences hurricanes, and when it does, the storms have often weakened to Category 1 or lower.
