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Northwest Region

Biggest Cities: Shreveport, Bossier City, Natchitoches, Ruston

Northwest Louisiana offers a robust economy supported by a major military presence, a regional healthcare hub with medical education and research facilities, a diverse advanced manufacturing base, and a growing IT corridor. Additionally, the region offers diverse activities for residents of all ages, a thriving nightlife, including museums, scenic outdoor spaces and a wide variety of annual festivals.

 

Dig Deeper:

  • See the complete list of parish and local economic development organizations in the comprehensive Directory of Regional Resources on OpportunityLouisiana.com.

 

Key Sectors

A variety of career options are available in northwest Louisiana’s core economic driver industries, such as healthcare, which includes hospital systems, specialty clinics, medical education and research facilities, advanced manufacturing, and a growing IT corridor, with relevant training offered at the nine colleges and universities in the region.

A Diverse and Growing Manufacturing Base

Northwest Louisiana’s assets and strategic location support a variety of manufacturing sectors.

Regional Healthcare Hub

Providing the largest number of private sector jobs in the region, it is anchored by LSU Health Shreveport Medical and Allied Health Schools and research facilities.

Defense and Information Technology Assets

Barksdale Air Force Base, Air Force Global Strike Command, the National Cyber Research Park, InterTech Science Park, and General Dynamics IT are fostering a growing defense-related and IT ecosystem in North Louisiana.

Culture

Northwest Louisiana offers a variety of entertainment options, including numerous annual festivals, abundant lakes and rivers for sport and recreation, and dining options reflecting the influences of Louisiana, Texas and flavors from around the world.

Arts and Culture

Attend the annual Red River Revel festival celebrating art, music, food, and culture; Enjoy the Shreveport Symphony & Shreveport Metropolitan Ballet; Peruse the collection of iconic American & European art & rare books in a museum surrounded by lush gardens at the R.W. Norton Art Gallery.

Family-Friendly and Educational Activities

Visit Sci-Port Discovery Center, a 92,000-square-foot science museum housing interactive exhibits, a planetarium and a laser-enhanced IMAX Dome theater, or the Shreveport Aquarium, which is home to over 300 species and 1,000 animals located along the Red River.

Outdoor Life

Venture out on one of the 45 Bike Trails nearby; Camp, fish, or wakeboard along Cypress Black Bayou; take a stroll on the cobblestone Historic Front Street along Cane River in Natchitoches.