"There's a little town straight on down / The Avenue of St. Claude / With Our Lady of Prompt Succor Church / In the Parish of St. Bernard / I have been there, got-gown in there / Alas, without regret / It was a special time of year / Christmas in Chalmette" - "Christmas in Chalmette," Benny Grunch & The Bunch
Not really big enough to be called a town, Chalmette is technically a census-designated place (CDP) in the greater New Orleans area. Anywhere else, it would just be considered nothing more than part of NOLA. But the Big Easy is all about individual identities, so Chalmette waves its unique flag high and proudly. It's the seat of St. Bernard Parish and, as of the 2010 census, has 16,751 residents, most of whom work in New Orleans.
Considering the fact that the town was flooded -- water was as high as 15 feet in some places -- during Katrina, the rebuild effort has been nothing short of miraculous
"There's a little town straight on down / The Avenue of St. Claude / With Our Lady of Prompt Succor Church / In the Parish of St. Bernard / I have been there, got-gown in there / Alas, without regret / It was a special time of year / Christmas in Chalmette" - "Christmas in Chalmette," Benny Grunch & The Bunch
Not really big enough to be called a town, Chalmette is technically a census-designated place (CDP) in the greater New Orleans area. Anywhere else, it would just be considered nothing more than part of NOLA. But the Big Easy is all about individual identities, so Chalmette waves its unique flag high and proudly. It's the seat of St. Bernard Parish and, as of the 2010 census, has 16,751 residents, most of whom work in New Orleans.
Moving to Chalmette
Considering the fact that the town was flooded -- water was as high as 15 feet in some places -- during Katrina, the rebuild effort has been nothing short of miraculous. Stores, restaurants and infrastructure were up and running within a year or two, and now it's relatively easy to find apartments as new ones are popping up all the time. The rental market remains tight, but solid rentals can be found. Prices seem to have returned to pre-Katrina levels (adjusted for inflation), but it's still smart to do extensive price checks and only deal with reputable apartment managers or rental agents when you start your search for a Chalmette apartment to rent. This isn't really the area to find high-rise apartments or even an all utilities paid deal, but you should have no trouble finding a house rental or one-bedroom apartments for rent.
Chalmette Neighborhoods
While Chalmette isn't large enough to warrant many separate neighborhoods, there are a few areas of town that do have distinct names and personalities. Your best bet if your heart is set on an apartment complex is to look along Paris Road near the shopping centers or just north of Chalmette Vista behind the large Walmart.
Chalmette Vista: Between Judge Perez Drive and St. Bernard Highway in the western (or upriver as the locals say) side of Chalmette, this neighborhood is a suburban spot of medium-size homes. Don't expect to find any apartments here, although you may be able to score a home to rent if you look really, really hard.
Meraux: More apartments are found here along the east bank downriver of the rest of Chalmette, but you're still more likely to nab a small rental home.
Living in Chalmette
As any New Orleanian will tell you, a sign of life returning to the area after Hurricane Katrina was when Mardi Gras -- the biggest, loudest party on a calendar full of parties and holidays throughout the year -- returned. Chalmette didn't miss a beat, celebrating Mardi Gras in February 2006 when the krewe of Knights of Nemesis rolled their parade down the main thoroughfare of Judge Perez Drive. While many Chalmette residents could stay contained within neighborhood borders and never need to travel over the canal to New Orleans, most residents either work in NOLA or travel there regularly to eat, shop or just visit. With the French Quarter, the live music of Frenchmen Street and the romantic streetcars rolling down St. Charles Avenue through the Garden District, can you blame them?
