What it is like to live in Mid-City.
Mid-City sits in the middle of the city, between Bayou St. John and Broad, with Canal Street running through it and City Park at the top. Most of it went up between 1900 and 1940: shotguns, doubles, bungalows and Arts and Crafts houses on a regular grid. Two streetcar lines run on Canal, and the Lafitte Greenway cuts diagonally down toward the Quarter.
The streets, and what the mornings are like.
The grid is a relief after Uptown. Streets run straight, the cross streets make sense, and you can give someone directions without drawing a picture. Canal Street is the spine, four lanes with the streetcar down the middle, and it splits the neighborhood into a lakeside and a riverside that people here treat as two different places.
Mornings are bakery and hardware store rather than tour bus. The Greenway fills up early with runners, bikes and dogs heading the two and a half miles down toward the edge of the Quarter. Bayou Road, the old portage route, still runs at its stubborn diagonal across the grid with a row of small shops along it. On Sundays you hear church bells before you hear traffic.
The housing stock is where the appeal is. Shotguns and doubles from the early 1900s, Craftsman bungalows from the twenties, and plenty of houses that have had one thoughtful renovation and one that was not. Lots run deeper than they are wide. You get more room here than the same money buys upriver, and you take on the maintenance that comes with wood, plaster and piers.
Flooding is the honest conversation. Parts of Mid-City sit at some of the lower elevations in the city and parts do not, and the difference can be three blocks. Drainage has improved, unevenly. Look at the elevation certificate, look at the flood zone, find out what the house did during the August 2017 flash flood, and ask the neighbors on either side.
The housing stock.
Shotgun doubles, raised bungalows, and a lot of houses that were rebuilt or raised after 2005.
House types
Shotgun singles and doubles, camelbacks, raised Craftsman bungalows, and early 1900s cottages, with some newer infill and small apartment buildings mixed in. It is one of the better places in the city to find a double you can live in on one side and rent out on the other.
Condition and era
Most of Mid-City was built between the 1890s and the 1930s. Much of it flooded in 2005, so many houses were gutted and renovated, and some were raised. That can mean newer systems behind old facades, but the quality of post-storm work varies a great deal.
What to watch for
Ask exactly what was done after 2005 and whether it was permitted. Look at elevation, drainage, foundations, and flood insurance quotes before you fall in love. Insurance, Flood & Elevation and Owning an Old House cover what to check.
What is around.
What your days look like once you live here.
Eating and drinking
Parkway Bakery for a roast beef po-boy, Mandina’s on Canal for Creole Italian, and Katie’s for a neighborhood lunch. Canal Street and Carrollton Avenue carry most of the restaurants and bars, with more opening every year.
Walking
Walkability depends on the block. Near Canal Street and Carrollton you can walk to restaurants, the streetcar, and groceries. Deeper in, most people bike or drive for errands.
Green space
City Park and Bayou St. John sit at the neighborhood’s edge, and the Lafitte Greenway runs straight through it toward the French Quarter, with trails, sports fields, and room to bike.
Getting places
The Canal streetcar, with branches to City Park and the cemeteries, reaches downtown in roughly 20 to 30 minutes. By car, the CBD is usually 10 minutes and the airport about 20, with quick access to I-10.
Homes for sale in Mid-City
Three questions about Mid-City.
The ones people ask me most as a New Orleans real estate advisor.
Is Mid-City a good place to live?
Yes, for people who want more house for the money, a real neighborhood feel, and easy access to City Park and downtown. The trade-offs are lower ground in much of the neighborhood, so flood insurance and elevation deserve attention, and blocks that change character quickly.
Which parts of Mid-City flood?
Much of Mid-City sits below sea level and flooded in 2005, and heavy rain can still cause street flooding on some blocks. Houses closer to the Esplanade ridge and those that have been raised fare better. Always check the specific address: its flood zone, elevation certificate, and history.
What does a house in Mid-City cost?
It is generally more attainable than Uptown or the Garden District, and it varies with condition and elevation. A raised, renovated double can cost far more than an original one around the corner. What Your Money Buys has current price bands, and I am happy to pull this month’s sales for the blocks you like.
Read next.
Honest price bands by neighborhood.
What to check before you make an offer.
What caring for an older house involves.
The bayou, City Park, and a small-town feel.
Quiet streets by the lakefront.
Luxury Real Estate Advisor License ID: 995701126
+1(504) 617-5184 | richard@richardhebertrealtor.com
The Mid-City guide.