Best place to raise kids in Louisiana: Ball
Nearby city: Alexandria
Population: 3,693
Median family income: $47,077
Runner-up: Lake Arthur
Ball, an affordable middle-class town incorporated in 1972, is about eight miles north of Alexandria, near the Kisatchie National Forest. It is part of the Rapides Parish School District, which includes Paradise Elementary School, Tioga Elementary School, and Ball Elementary School. The median home list price in Ball in November was $135,000, according to Zillow.com.