A quiet village rooted in faith and Italian heritage
Tickfaw is a village of just under 700 people in rural Tangipahoa Parish. Its Choctaw name translates to “rest among the pines,” and between these tall trees lies a sleepy community indeed. “It’s mostly family,” says Mayor Anthony Lamonte, lifelong resident. “Folks commute for work. We have a couple of small businesses, but there isn’t much.” Local churches – packed every Sunday – play an active role in village life. “We have Methodist, Baptist, Catholic… People do a lot in church,” Lamonte says. “And every year we have a big Italian Festival.” For over 50 years, Tickfaw has held a festival celebrating its Italian American heritage. It goes back to the late 1800s, when crop failures in Sicily forced farmers across the ocean to the port of New Orleans. The low-lying Northshore landscape proved to be a great place to rebuild a close-knit, multigenerational farming community rich with traditions, including springtime crawfish boils.
Mix of ranch homes and new builds on spacious wooded lots
Contemporary single-family homes are typical in Tickfaw. They range from 1980s ranch-style houses to newly built starter homes. There are also some established properties, like midcentury cottages and farmhouses. Lots are big in Tickfaw, with most houses on at least a half-acre; many are partially wooded. The median sale price for single-family homes here is roughly $242,000. Depending on factors like age, square footage, acreage and condition, homes can sell for as high as $650,000, but most sell for between about $160,000 and $350,000. Tangipahoa Parish has a low-lying landscape that’s rich in rivers and prone to flooding. Hurricane season runs from June to November, and Tickfaw’s annual rainfall averages over 60 inches. Due to flood zoning, many properties may require flood insurance for federally backed mortgages.
Southeastern Lab School offers small classes and strong academics
Tangipahoa Parish School System receives a grade of B-minus from Niche. Local standout Southeastern Laboratory School (A-minus) is within a 5-mile drive, located inside the Southeastern Louisiana University Charles E. Cate Teacher Education Center. The school for prekindergarten through eighth grade is a joint venture between the Southeastern Louisiana University College of Education and Tangipahoa Parish School System that first opened in 1940. The school offers small class sizes with only one class per grade level.
Tickfaw sits between two scenic state park escapes
Beyond the village ballfield and community green spaces around local churches, Tickfaw doesn’t have much parkland. It’s surrounded by dense woods with creeks running through. Locals can fish on the tributaries, but Lamonte says folks typically head elsewhere for outdoorsy fun. Indian Creek Campground is on the Natalbany River, just over 5 miles away. Tickfaw is also between two state parks, both within a 35-mile drive. Due southwest, the dark, slow-moving Tickfaw River flows through Tickfaw State Park, where moss-draped cypress trees welcome paddlers and hikers into the bayou. Upland, Bogue Chitto State Park offers a striking contrast to the Northshore’s swampy lowlands, featuring steep sandstone bluffs overlooking the namesake river. “Great camping,” Lamonte says.
Route 51 offers basics, while Hammond has broader choices
The commercial scene in Tickfaw is small and mostly concentrated along U.S. Route 51. Dollar General and Dollar Tree are on the south side, near El Ranchito, the local go-to for authentic Mexican cuisine. A bigger variety of shopping and dining options is about 5 miles away in Hammond. Familiar stores along its main strip include Albertsons, Aldi, Rouses Market, Walmart, Lowe’s and Hobby Lobby.
Tickfaw’s location offers simple routes to major Louisiana cities
Independence, a town less than 5 miles north, has the closest emergency room at LSU Health Lallie Kemp Regional Medical Center. Interstate 55 runs through car-dependent Tickfaw, running parallel to Route 51 before they merge just north of Lake Pontchartrain. I-55 connects to Interstate 10 on the other side of the water, providing direct routes into Baton Rouge, around 50 miles away, and New Orleans, about 60 miles away. Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is closer to 50 miles away.
![Micaela Willoughby]()
Written By
Micaela Willoughby
