Prairieville is a census-designated place in Ascension Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is south of Baton Rouge and north of Gonzales.Prairieville is an expanding bedroom suburb of Baton Rouge. Its name is derived from the once plentiful pastures and prairies that were visible from Highway 73 and Airline Highway, which is now covered with development. Prairieville started off as a quiet community with few people.In recent decades, Prairieville has benefited from migration out of Baton Rouge, with new residents particularly drawn to the area by its high-performing public schools and low crime rate. Prairieville had an official 2010 census population of 26,895 inhabitants. If it incorporated it would be the largest city in Ascension Parish. Prairieville is in one of the fastest-growing areas in Louisiana. Prairieville's population is bigger than the parish's two largest incorporated cities, Donaldsonville and Gonzales combined.