Living in Shreveport, Louisiana: a local guide

Where is Shreveport?

Shreveport is in the northwest corner of Louisiana, in Caddo Parish, not far from the Texas line and the Arkansas line. The Red River runs along the east side of the city, and Bossier City sits on the far bank. Together they are usually called Shreveport-Bossier.

We are in Keithville, south of the city, and we buy and sell homes across Shreveport, Bossier City and DeSoto Parish. That is why we wrote this guide: to describe the area, not to rank it.

Roads and commutes

Most trips in Shreveport use one of three interstates. I-20 runs east and west through the middle of the city and across the river into Bossier City. I-49 runs north and south and carries you out toward Keithville, Stonewall and Mansfield to the south, or north toward Arkansas. I-220 is the loop on the north side, connecting I-20 on the west to I-20 on the east through Bossier City.

City streets fill in the rest. Youree Drive, Line Avenue, Mansfield Road and Kings Highway are long, busy roads with a lot of shopping and services along them. Traffic is heaviest around the river crossings and the I-20 and I-49 interchange, and at the usual morning and afternoon hours. If you will drive to work, try the trip at the time you would make it before you pick a house.

Things to do

The riverfront is the best-known place downtown. The Red River District has restaurants, shops and live music, and the riverwalk along the Red River gives you a long stretch for walking. Nearby you will find casinos, theaters and museums, including Sci-Port, a hands-on science museum.

For something outdoors, Shreveport has a lot of green space for a city its size. Cross Lake, on the west side, is a big reservoir with boat launches and fishing. The city's parks and recreation department lists parks, pools and trails on shreveportla.gov.

Parks and the outdoors

Shreveport's parks run from small neighborhood fields to large ones with trails and ponds. Several of the bigger ones sit in older parts of town near downtown and Highland, and others are on the south side. Check the city's parks page for the one closest to a house you like, and for current hours.

Lake Bistineau and Caddo Lake are within a drive and are popular for fishing and boating. Caddo Lake, on the Texas border, has cypress swamp and calm water good for paddling.

Shopping, food and hospitals

Shopping in Shreveport is spread out along a few corridors rather than in one place. South Shreveport, along Youree Drive and Bert Kouns Industrial Loop, has big stores and restaurants. Downtown and Highland have local restaurants and older shops. Across the river, the Louisiana Boardwalk in Bossier City has outlet and big box stores.

Shreveport is the main medical center for the region. Major hospitals include Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport, Willis-Knighton Health System with several campuses, and CHRISTUS Shreveport-Bossier Health System. The Overton Brooks VA Medical Center is also in the city. Check each hospital's own site for services and locations.

Schools

Shreveport is served by the Caddo Parish school system. You can look up school zones, enrollment and calendars on the district's own site at caddoschools.org. We don't rank schools, and we suggest checking the district site for the address of any house you are looking at.

How to look for a rent to own home in Shreveport

Decide which part of town works with your drive, then call us. Shreveport has older neighborhoods close to downtown and Highland, and newer ones on the south side. Not every house we have is in the city, so tell Vana what part of town or what commute you are looking for.

Here is a simple way to go about it.

• Pick one or two roads you will drive every day, such as I-20 or I-49, and note the time.
• Call or text Vana, who asks a few quick questions and texts you the address of a home that is open.
• Go see it the same day, and drive the commute from the house.
• Ask us how the agreement works. We go over every term with you, in writing, before you sign.

We own our homes, so there is no bank qualifying, and bad credit is OK. For the full picture, read how rent to own works.

Updated October 21, 2026