Hammond, LA

Hammond is a Tangipahoa Parish city northwest of Lake Pontchartrain, best known as the home of Southeastern Louisiana University. Its namesake, Peter Hammond, bought inexpensive land in the area, and the city later grew into a rail and regional service center. North Oaks Medical Center is one of Louisiana's larger hospitals, adding a major health-care role alongside the university. Hammond feels like a college town, medical hub, and crossroads community all at once, with New Orleans and Baton Rouge both within regional reach.