Is Farmerville Safe? Crime Rates & Safety Report

Farmerville offers a lakefront recreational adventure in a rural part of northern Louisiana.

Lake D’Arbonne fans out like fingers from the shoreline west of Farmerville.

This is an angler’s paradise.

This is a rural part of the state, and Farmerville is the largest city, with less than 4,000 people living there.

You’re more likely to find a campsite than a hotel room, but some historic bed and breakfasts bring back the Antebellum nostalgia.

While the lake is the biggest attraction here, you might be surprised to know that the lake wasn’t created until almost 150 years after Farmerville was founded.

Lake D’Arbonne is now one of the best crappie lakes in America and hosts many tournaments throughout the year.

If you don’t like the great outdoors, you’ll be pressed to find something to do in Farmerville.

Even the closest larger city, Shreveport, is a good 90-minute drive to the west.

The city is less than 30 minutes from the Arkansas state line, but you’ll just find more wilderness if you cross over it.

Warnings & Dangers in Farmerville

OVERALL RISK: LOW

Farmerville's most recent official crime data is from 2020. In the two years that followed, violent crime surged across Louisiana. After combing through news reports for 2022, it appears that car break-ins, robberies, and drug crimes were the biggest concern in the city and throughout Union Parish. You shouldn't be concerned about this being an area too dangerous to visit, but there are more questions than answers about the exact crime rates.

TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW

You'll need a car here. Even if you could get a taxi, you'd pay a lot to get to the lake and back. Aim for an all-wheel drive or four-wheel drive vehicle if you'll be visiting deep wilderness areas.

PICKPOCKETS RISK: LOW

This is a low risk because it's not a crowded space. There's a Watermelon Festival each year that could bring thieves out, so use extra caution when attending an event like that. You should worry more about things being stolen from a campsite, RV, or parked car.

NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM

This is a medium risk due to the threat of severe weather that can happen any time of year. It's also important since so many people come here to enjoy the outdoors, and you don't want to be outside in a storm. While this part of the state wouldn't get a direct hit from a hurricane, a storm's remnants can move up the state and cause flooding and high winds.

MUGGING RISK: LOW

The majority of robberies reported here are business robberies. While the risk is low that a tourist would be robbed, you should also avoid any risky behavior, like buying illegal drugs. You should never use illegal drugs, but the rural areas are known to have a strong drug presence, and someone might offer you something that looks like a prescription drug but is really laced with deadly combinations of opioids.

TERRORISM RISK: LOW

This is a low-risk area by all accounts. It's a small town in a rural area, leaving no desirable targets for terror groups. The more important thing to look out for is drug houses or suspicious activity in the middle of the wilderness if you come across it. Don't ever try to take matters into your own hands. Call law enforcement to handle it.

SCAMS RISK: LOW

You won't have to worry about tourist scams here, but always be on the lookout for someone trying to offer a deal that seems too good to be true.

WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW

Women shouldn't have any greater risk than men, but they still should be aware of the weather and wilderness risks in this area. It's not the kind of lake where you have a bunch of amenities nearby. Some parts of the lake will leave you without mobile phone service, water, or restrooms.

TAP WATER RISK: MEDIUM

The 2021 Water Quality Report makes me a little nervous. Six violations were reported, mostly due to a disinfectant byproduct that lasted throughout the year. While it's not a violation that will make you immediately sick, it's enough of a concern to use a water filter or bring bottled water. The city also had several water outages during 2022 for repairs, so having an extra case of water will be a good idea anyway.

Safest Places to Visit in Farmerville

You won’t find an official tourism site for Farmerville, but you can look at the LouisianaTravel.com website for some information.

The Lake D’Arbonne State Park website can be found on lastateparks.com.

If you’re driving from Shreveport, there’s a pitstop you might want to consider on the way to Farmerville.

Infamous criminals Bonnie and Clyde were gunned down by authorities in this part of Louisiana.

If you stop in Gibsland, you can tour the Bonnie and Clyde Ambush Museum.

Another 15 minutes down the road, you can find the actual spot where the ambush happened.

To avoid confusion, here are the coordinates of the exact location: 32° 26.476′ N, 93° 5.562′ W.

Once you’re in Farmerville, visit the Union Museum History and Art Discovery Place.

This is where the history of Farmerville is explored, going back to the Native Americans that once lived on the land.

Exhibits and events rotate throughout the year, so it’s never the same trip twice.

Lake D’Arbonne State Park is 10 minutes west of Farmerville.

The 15,000-acre lake is one of the biggest in the state and also one of the most popular for anglers and boaters.

Mountain bikers will love the hills and bumps of this rural region.

The entrance fee is just $3 per person.

A mega-dock is being built to accommodate the demand of boaters.

Boats and watercraft are available for rent.

The last weekend in July is the Watermelon Festival, so book any reservations for that as early as possible.

There’s a parade, watermelon eating, and seed spitting contests, with pageants and demonstrations for all to enjoy.

You can also take part in the annual watermelon fishing tournament too.

Places to Avoid in Farmerville

Farmerville isn’t big enough to have a bad part of town, but you should stay on the main roads and avoid the side streets.

You never know what you could run into or if someone might get aggravated if you go onto their property.

Having a paper map here will help if your GPS service is intermittent.

The lake is large, but the shoreline is a little misleading when you look at the map.

The majority of the shore is on private property with vacation homes.

Don’t go onto private property to access the lake.

The mega-dock is being built due to boater demand, but don’t try to use someone’s personal dock just to avoid the traffic.

You should also avoid going off the map to drive through different locations, as some of the roads are narrow and dirt covered.

If it has rained recently, you could end up stuck in the mud.

It’s better to explore the nooks and crannies of the lake by boat than to tackle it in a vehicle.

Safety Tips for Traveling to Farmerville

So... How Safe Is Farmerville Really?

There are some cities in Louisiana that don’t have updated crime information, and it drives me bonkers trying to give you the best information.

While Farmerville doesn’t offer updates, it’s easy to see what crime is happening closer to your visit by using news.google.com and typing in “Farmerville Crime.”

This small town has been safe enough – or outdated enough – that it didn’t get a full-time crime investigation until the spring of 2021.

“The addition of an investigator was needed due to the challenging task of patrol officers working crimes that required extensive investigation while also working their everyday complaints,” said Farmerville Police Chief Bim Coulberston.

The biggest risks I see from news reports in Farmerville are as follows:

• Drug crimes
• Business robberies
• Stolen cars
• Stolen batteries from cars
• Car break-ins
• Juvenile crime

There are violent crimes here, including two juveniles who got a ride from someone.

They robbed the driver and shot and killed him.

So while the crime rates aren’t astronomical here, even looking at 2020 crime data, it’s not an all-around safe city.

You should also be wary of weather risks here and don’t downplay something like a severe thunderstorm warning.

The storms here can be really rough and dangerous.

You shouldn’t be on a boat when the storms kick up.

If a tornado warning is issued, you need to seek shelter immediately, ideally in an interior room of a home or business.

It’s also extremely humid in this part of the country, and that makes it a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

There are also alligators in Louisiana, so you should review alligator safety if that’s not common where you live.

Don’t ever feed or bait an alligator.

This is truly the great outdoors in Northern Louisiana, but you’ll need to know outdoor, fishing, hunting, boating, and wilderness safety to thoroughly enjoy your time.

How Does Farmerville Compare?

Useful Information

Visas

A U.S. Visa is required to get through Customs before you can leave the airport. The Visa application and interview process can take several months. The U.S. State Department website offers detailed information on how to get a Visa.

Currency

The U.S. Dollar is the only currency you can use here. You should plan to exchange currency before arriving in Farmerville. Since this is a rural area, you should have cash with you, but don't carry all your cash in one place.

Weather

You'll get a nice taste of the seasons here without too brutal of a winter. You will likely need a warm jacket but likely can get by without a winter coat. It's a casual town, so dress comfortably and wear clothing that can get muddy or wet. You'll sweat a lot in this humid climate, so factor that in when deciding how much to bring.

Airports

It will take about 90 minutes to get to and from the Shreveport Regional Airport, which is the closest option to Farmerville.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance helps protect against last-minute illnesses or cancelations. You should also consider insurance for outdoor adventures since emergencies can cost a lot of money when you're this far away from a hospital.

Farmerville Weather Averages (Temperatures)

Average High/Low Temperature

Louisiana - Safety by City