Ponchatoula, Louisiana
Ponchatoula is a city of 7,808 people in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, founded in 1820.
Why visit Ponchatoula
Townapedia lists 7 museums and landmarks, 4 parks and trails, 18 places to eat and 2 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Ponchatoula Commercial Historic District, Carter House and Kliebert & Son’s Gator Tours.
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 92°F; January lows average 38°F.
Weather in Ponchatoula
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Ponchatoula
Ponchatoula is the second-largest city in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana. The population was 6,559 at the 2010 census and 7,545 at the time of the 2020 population estimates program.
From the Wikipedia article Ponchatoula, Louisiana (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks7
Ponchatoula Commercial Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Park in the United States of America
Carter House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.8 mi
House in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana
McGehee House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.8 mi
Historic mansion in Hammond, Louisiana
Nichols House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.8 mi
Historic house near Ponchatoula, Louisiana, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds4
Restaurants and cafes18
J. Rucker's House of Soul
Restaurant · 0.6 mi
140 North Baronne Street, Ponchatoula
Roux & Brew Seafood and Steak House
Restaurant
135 Southwest Railroad Avenue, Ponchatoula
Burger King
Fast food · Burger · 0.7 mi
910 West Pine Street, Ponchatoula
Mo-Sa 06:00-22:00; Su 07:00-22:00
6 more on the map.
Where to stay2
Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Ponchatoula/Hammond
Motel and hotel · 0.6 mi
727 West Pine Street, Ponchatoula
History
The city of Ponchatoula was founded when the railroad from Jackson, Mississippi to New Orleans was constructed through this area in the 1850s. The New Orleans, Jackson and Great Northern Railroad Company hired an experienced civil engineer, James B. Clarke (ca. 1809–1861) to survey the projected railroad route, establish railroad depot sites, buy timber for bridges and railroad ties, and do the other tasks necessary to construct the railroad.
Finding that there was an unclaimed section of land north of the Manchac swamp, Clarke located a railroad depot near the first dry land after leaving the swamp. Mr. Clarke purchased this one square mile section of land from the state of Louisiana in two installments in December 1852 and January 1853. He surveyed this land and laid out a town in 1853 using the familiar grid system with streets running east–west named for native trees, and north–south streets numbered one through nine. He called his new development "Ponchatoula" after the Ponchatoula River located a couple of miles west of the new settlement. Ponchatoula is a Choctaw word meaning "hanging hair" referring to the beautiful Spanish moss which drapes many of the local trees.
From the History section of Ponchatoula, Louisiana on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship14
Tasker African Methodist Episcopal Zion Chapel
Church · African Methodist Episcopal Zion · 0.5 mi
Shopping5
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries14
Southeastern La University Lab School
School · 5.5 mi
1200 North General Pershing, Hammond
Tucker Memorial Elementary School
School · 0.6 mi
310 South Third Street, Ponchatoula
Healthcare7
Map of Ponchatoula
74 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 62°F | 38°F | 5.8 in |
| Feb | 65°F | 42°F | 4.6 in |
| Mar | 72°F | 49°F | 5.2 in |
| Apr | 78°F | 55°F | 5.6 in |
| May | 84°F | 62°F | 5.4 in |
| Jun | 90°F | 69°F | 6.7 in |
| Jul | 92°F | 72°F | 6.8 in |
| Aug | 92°F | 71°F | 5.6 in |
| Sep | 88°F | 67°F | 4.4 in |
| Oct | 81°F | 56°F | 4.1 in |
| Nov | 70°F | 46°F | 4.2 in |
| Dec | 64°F | 40°F | 5.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Hammond 5 E (6 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
Tangipahoa 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
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 33 miles away.
- Hammond 5 mi north, about 7 min by car
- Natalbany 8 mi north, about 13 min by car
- Independence 14 mi north, about 23 min by car
- Livingston 18 mi west, about 30 min by car
- Covington 20 mi east, about 32 min by car
- Mandeville 21 mi east, about 33 min by car
- Amite City 21 mi north, about 33 min by car
- French Settlement 23 mi west, about 37 min by car
- Laplace 26 mi south, about 41 min by car
- Kenner 32 mi south, about 51 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, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- PonchatoulaStrawberryFascade2007, Flickr photographer terin. / Terin Barrios, CC BY 2.0
- Ponchatoula Louisiana July 2013 02, Polka Dots and Pastries, CC BY 2.0
- HamMcGeHouseWM, Z28scrambler, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Northbound from Southbound - panoramio, Loco Steve, CC BY 3.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.