GARYVILLE — St. John the Baptist Parish’s Garyville has been touted as a top New Orleans suburb by real estate website Motovo, which recently published a list of the top 11 small towns to live in outside of the big city.

“If you … are thinking about living in New Orleans, but aren’t so sure about a big city lifestyle, your perfect home may be in one of these New Orleans suburbs,” the Motovo website states. “We started with 45 suburbs and narrowed them down to the top 11 for young couples. In these suburbs, you’ll have room to spread out or grow, but still be close to all the shopping, music, dining and culture in New Orleans.”

Miss Andouille 2014 Erin Duhe said the small town atmosphere is what she loves the most about Garyville, where she has lived her entire life.

“My family and I live on River Road in a house that my great grandfather built for his daughter and her family,” Duhe said. “My dad and the Heltz side of the family are natives of Garyville.”

Duhe said because her grandmother and father grew up in the community, there have been many family friends who watched her and her brothers grow up.

“Another aspect I love about Garyville is the country feel,” she said. “We have lots of land behind our house, and I grew up exploring the woods, behind the levee and going on adventures.”

Duhe said the ample land has led to her family raising many cats and dogs throughout the years. Today, they enjoy life with two miniature goats, a vegetable garden and fruit trees.

“In the years to come I hope to see new families moving into my community,” Duhe said, adding it will be up to her generation and those to come to keep Garyville’s history alive.

“So many small towns are dying out and abandoned.”

She hopes to see the historic Timbermill Museum restored, “so future generations can see a tangible reminder of our past and how great Garyville was in its prime.”

The acoustic music festival Sings and Strings, which recently celebrated its second annual event, was organized as a fundraising effort for the restoration and reopening of the Garyville Timbermill Museum, a landmark on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Louisiana Secretary of State donated the museum and its surrounding property back to the Garyville Timbermill Museum Association in 2012 after owning the property for seven years. The state donated the property back with the hope the community could restore the building and open the structure for tours and educational exhibits.

Garyville resident Jina Hales Loper also mentioned the museum’s restoration as something she was excited about.

“What I like most is everyone knows everyone and looks out for each other,” she said of Garyville living.

“I would like to see more businesses come.”

Loper, who was born and raised in Garyville, said she and her husband chose the city to raise their three children in so they could be brought up close to family members.

To create the suburbs list, Motovo looked at the following criteria: percentage of residents under age 5, percentage of residents age 22-34, percentage of residents married, median household income, median home value, total crimes per 100,000 residents, high school graduation rate and rating on PlayScore — a website that takes into account a city’s weather, play areas and number of families with children.

Key statistics that led to Garyville’s ranking were the number of residents under age 5 (8.8 percent) and the amount of residents who are married (54.5 percent).

Out of the 45 suburbs ranked, seven of the top 11 are located in the River Parishes, with Norco, Ama, Montz, Boutte, Destrehan and Luling also making the list.