Louisiana Zombie Survival Index: 66/100

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The three tests

Louisiana scored three times

A state that handles shamblers can get erased by sprinters. Here is how Louisiana performs under each outbreak model.

Walking DeadThe Walking Dead

70

Slow zombies reward distance, terrain, food and water. Louisiana has about 4,618,189 people and 8.0 million acres in farm operations, with 680,000 cattle and calves plus major soybean, rice, sugarcane, corn, crawfish, poultry and seafood production. Survival comes down to reaching higher ground before the water does.

World War ZWorld War Z

54

Fast zombies remove the luxury of waiting. Louisiana scores 3 on defensive terrain and 4 on chokepoint dependency — bridges, levees and water crossings mean a great many routes converge on a small number of crossings that everyone needs at once.

Last of UsThe Last of Us

74

Yes, we know they're not technically zombies. This asks whether a community can still function after modern supply chains stop, and Louisiana recovers strongly to 74. Freshwater scores a perfect 10, as do survival resources and hunting and fishing. The food base is genuinely broad.

What helps

Mississippi River floodplain, bayous, wetlands, coastal marsh, piney uplands and low rolling country in the north
Mississippi, Red, Atchafalaya and Ouachita river systems, bayous, lakes, wetlands and abundant groundwater
8.0 million acres in farm operations across 25,600 farms
680,000 cattle and calves
Major soybean, rice, sugarcane, corn, crawfish, poultry, cattle and seafood production
29,124 MW of net summer capacity in 2024, with natural gas dominant and major refining and petrochemical infrastructure
Barksdale Air Force Base, Fort Johnson, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans and Louisiana National Guard forces

What hurts

Hurricanes, storm surge, river flooding, extreme heat, tornadoes, coastal erosion and heavy rainfall
Very low relief across much of the state — terrain scores 3 out of 10
Levees, pumps, refineries and coastal infrastructure are highly vulnerable and hard to maintain after collapse
Almost no winter suppression, scoring 1 out of 10

Move north and inland before coastal evacuation begins, then favour higher ground in north-central Louisiana with reliable freshwater, farms, forests and road access that does not depend on levees or low bridges.

Personal assessment

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The reason for the score

Louisiana's zombie superpowers

Mississippi River floodplain, bayous, wetlands, coastal marsh, piney uplands and low rolling country in the north define movement, observation, escape and settlement options. A strong refuge requires more than remoteness — it needs water plus food plus energy plus defensible geography plus usable access.

1 · Water and fisheries

Louisiana has an extraordinary combination of rivers, bayous, wetlands, seafood and inland fisheries — perfect 10s in both freshwater and fishing.

2 · Food diversity

Rice, sugarcane, soybeans, cattle, poultry, crawfish and Gulf seafood create a genuinely broad food base.

3 · Energy infrastructure

Louisiana starts with major natural-gas, refining and industrial energy capacity.

4 · Wetlands as barriers

Against slow infected, marshes and bayous can channel movement and protect approaches.

The catch

Water is an advantage until it is indoors

Hurricanes

A perfectly defended settlement is still inside hurricane country, and disaster risk scores 2 out of 10.

Low ground

Water is an advantage until it is inside the building.

Infrastructure complexity

Levees, pumps, petrochemical systems and bridges create dependence on systems that are hard to maintain after collapse.

The framework

25 survival factors, scored 1–10

Every state is measured on the same 25 factors. Weighting shifts by scenario — terrain matters more against sprinters, agriculture matters more in a long collapse.

01 Population density Moderate density 7/10

02 Major city exposure New Orleans and Baton Rouge create regional concentrations 5/10

03 Road escape capacity Road network is strong where dry, fragile during flood events 6/10

04 Freshwater availability Exceptional surface water and groundwater 10/10

05 Agricultural capacity 8.0 million farm acres 8/10

06 Food self-sufficiency Rice, sugarcane, soy, seafood, cattle and poultry are strong 9/10

07 Wilderness & remote land Large wetlands and forests, limited dry remote terrain south 7/10

08 Natural defensive terrain Very low relief across much of the state 3/10

09 Climate survivability Heat and humidity are severe 4/10

10 Winter zombie suppression Almost no winter suppression 1/10

11 Natural disaster risk Hurricane, flood and storm-surge risk is extreme 2/10

12 Energy production Large gas-heavy generation and industrial energy base 9/10

13 Off-grid energy potential Good solar and biomass potential 8/10

14 Medical resources Strong metro medicine, rural gaps 8/10

15 Military & Guard presence Barksdale, Fort Johnson and Guard assets 7/10

16 Emergency management Extensive hurricane-response experience 9/10

17 Supply & logistics Ports and river logistics are exceptional while systems work 9/10

18 Infrastructure vulnerability Levees, pumps, refineries and coastal infrastructure are highly vulnerable 3/10

19 Survival resource availability Food, fish, water, timber and fuel resources are strong 10/10

20 Evacuation & refuge potential Refuge potential improves sharply inland and north 6/10

21 Natural barriers & water access Rivers and wetlands create barriers 9/10

22 Distance from population centers North Louisiana has better distance from Gulf metros 6/10

23 Chokepoint & bridge dependency Bridges, levees and water crossings are severe chokepoints 4/10

24 Hunting, fishing & foraging Elite fishing, hunting and foraging 10/10

25 Long-term settlement potential Viable inland, much weaker in low coastal areas 7/10

Tactics

What works, by scenario

Strategy	Walking Dead	World War Z	Last of Us
Rural farm or ranch with independent water	Excellent	Very good if reached early	Excellent
Small agricultural town	Very good	Good	Excellent
Remote site with no food system	Good early	Very good for isolation	Poor long-term
Major highway evacuation	Good early, bad late	Terrible late	Poor after collapse
Major metro shelter	Poor	Terrible	Poor
Distributed renewable power	Very good	Good	Excellent
Hunting and fishing supplement	Very good	Good	Very good
One-road refuge	Risky	Risky	Risky

Geography

Where to be

Best overall

North-central Louisiana uplands

Higher ground, forests, farms and better road reliability than anywhere south.

Elevation above the flood zones
Piney forest for timber and fuel
Farms and cattle nearby
Roads that do not depend on levees

Runner-up

Rural northeast Louisiana above major flood zones

Strong agriculture and water access, but floodplain selection matters enormously.

Third

Western piney uplands

Forests and lower density with better elevation than the coast.

Where not to be

Avoid early

New Orleans metro

Hurricane, levee, bridge and population exposure stack too many risks at once.

Avoid early

Lower Mississippi industrial corridor

Dense infrastructure and river dependence are serious liabilities.

Avoid

Coastal marsh refuge with one road

That road is temporary.

Verdict

66 out of 100 · Grade D · Rank #44

Louisiana has abundant food and water resources, but surviving there would require constant respect for the landscape. It offers fisheries, wetlands, rivers, productive farmland, forests, oil and gas infrastructure, and access to the Gulf. The catch is flooding, hurricanes, extreme heat, disease, coastal erosion, fragile roads, and dependence on levees, pumps, and drainage systems. New Orleans and the lower Mississippi corridor would be especially dangerous during the first wave.

Walking Dead 70. World War Z 54. Last of Us 74.

Move north and inland before coastal evacuation begins, then favour higher ground in north-central Louisiana with reliable freshwater, farms, forests and road access that does not depend on levees or low bridges.

See the national survey board

Method & sources

Where the numbers come from

The Zombie Survival Index is a fictional entertainment ranking that uses real public data as its inputs. Every state is scored on the same 25 factors under three outbreak models, and the overall number blends those results. All fifty states have been assessed and normalised against the same national scoring set.

U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 Population Estimates and QuickFacts
USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2025 State Agriculture Overview
U.S. Energy Information Administration, State Electricity Profile
State water-resource and environmental agencies
State emergency-management agencies
U.S. Department of Defense and National Guard installation sources
State wildlife, hunting and fishing agencies
NOAA and state climatology and hazard sources