Gonzales, Louisiana
Gonzales is a city of 13,108 people in Ascension Parish, Louisiana, founded in 1855.
Why visit Gonzales
Townapedia lists 1 museum or landmark, 11 parks and trails, 31 places to eat, 12 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Malco Gonzales Cinema.
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 91°F; January lows average 42°F.
Weather in Gonzales
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Gonzales
Gonzales is a city in Ascension Parish, Louisiana, United States. As of the 2020 census, it has a population of 12,231. Known as the "Jambalaya Capital of the World", it is famous for its annual Jambalaya Festival, which was first held in 1968.
From the Wikipedia article Gonzales, Louisiana (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks1
Parks, trails and playgrounds11
Restaurants and cafes31
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
19 more on the map.
History
Early European settlers of the area that was developed as Gonzales were, for the most part, of French and Spanish ancestry. They settled among the Houma Indians who lived in the area.
Among the projects and plans carried out by Luis de Unzaga ("Le Conciliateur") while he was governor of Louisiana between 1769 and 1777 was the promotion of new settlements by Europeans; among them were French Acadians and Málaga in the fertile Mississippi region, and more specifically in the Unzaga Post or "Puesto de Unzaga" that he created in 1771 in Pointe Coupee, the parish of Saint Gabriel in 1773 and Fort Manchac in 1776; the Gonzales people occupied land at the confluence of the aforementioned European settlements.
By 1851, the small European settlement still had only ten residents. A school was established in 1855 by Adlard Gautreaux for the European-American children in the area. By 1886, the settlement had grown, and the citizens of the community elected "Big" José Gonzáles as their sheriff. José's son, Joseph "Tee-Joe" (for Petit Joe) Gonzales, opened a general store and post office in May 1887. The post office became known as the Gonzales Post Office.
From the History section of Gonzales, Louisiana on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay12
SpringHill Suites Baton Rouge Gonzales
Motel and hotel · 1.7 mi
2801 South Cabela's Parkway, Gonzales
TownePlace Suites Baton Rouge Gonzales
Motel and hotel · 1.6 mi
2823 South Outfitters Drive, Gonzales
Churches and places of worship21
Gonzales Seventh-day Adventist Church
Church · Seventh Day Adventist · 1.3 mi
200 East Cornerview Street, Gonzales
Saint Theresa of Avila Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 1.9 mi
1022 North Burnside Avenue, Gonzales
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging9
Schools, colleges and libraries23
River Parishes Community College
School · 1.6 mi
925 West Edenborne Parkway;W Edenborne Pkwy, Gonzales
Healthcare4
Map of Gonzales
115 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 62°F | 42°F | 5.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Feb | 66°F | 45°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Mar | 72°F | 51°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Apr | 78°F | 57°F | 4.9 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 85°F | 65°F | 5.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 89°F | 72°F | 7.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 91°F | 74°F | 6.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 91°F | 73°F | 6.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 88°F | 69°F | 5.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 80°F | 59°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 71°F | 49°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 64°F | 44°F | 4.9 in | 0.1 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Donaldsonville 4 Sw Hcn (12 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Ascension Parish has had 37 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2024-09-16: Hurricane Francine (Hurricane)
- 2024-09-10: Tropical Storm Francine (Hurricane)
- 2021-09-13: Tropical Storm Nicholas (Coastal Storm)
- 2021-08-29: Hurricane Ida (Hurricane)
- 2021-08-27: Tropical Storm Ida (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport (BTR) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 26 miles away.
- Sorrento 4 mi southeast, about 6 min by car
- Prairieville 7 mi north, about 12 min by car
- Donaldsonville 9 mi southwest, about 15 min by car
- St. Gabriel 11 mi west, about 18 min by car
- French Settlement 11 mi northeast, about 17 min by car
- Belle Rose 14 mi southwest, about 23 min by car
- Gardere 16 mi northwest, about 26 min by car
- Grand Point 16 mi southeast, about 25 min by car
- Lutcher 16 mi southeast, about 26 min by car
- Baton Rouge 20 mi northwest, about 32 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Gonzales, Louisiana (3922472222), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Ascension Parish, Louisiana, Including I-10 and Gonzales, Louisiana (3921689081), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- KCS Southern Belle, Gonzales, chief_huddleston, CC BY 2.0
- Tanger Outlets Gonzales Crocs, Prayitno / Thank you for (12 millions +) view, CC BY 2.0
- Tanger Outlets Gonzales Louisiana, Prayitno / Thank you for (12 millions +) view, CC BY 2.0
- Diospyros virginiana 450711126, Nick S. G., CC BY-SA 4.0
- ISS042-E-124726 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS042-E-124727 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS042-E-121725 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS065-E-316665 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS037-E-2422 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS042-E-121726 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS065-E-316666 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- Brittany Homestead, SharonDunnDinkinsDymond, CC BY-SA 4.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.