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COUNTY

Rapides Parish

Louisiana · 125,877 residents (2025 est.) · 1,324.11 sq mi
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The short version

Rapides Parish has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $54,967. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. 23% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 36%. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $181,100.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 37.9
US median: 38.9
Less educated
23% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 46%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
127,527
+1%since 2000
from 126,337 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
96 / sq mi
−3%since 2009
from 100 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
37.9
+7%since 2000
from 35.5 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:125,877 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
126K128K129K131K133K1990201020202024Rapides Parish
2024128K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.4%(8,199)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.6%(8,377)
US avg: 6%
10 to 147.5%(9,602)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.7%(8,497)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246%(7,701)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3412.7%(16,216)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.7%(16,188)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.4%(14,531)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6413%(16,530)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7410.2%(12,956)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845%(6,372)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.8%(2,358)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$54,967
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $29,856 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$31,518
+96%since 2000
from $16,088 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
38.7%
+14.6 ptssince 2009
from 24.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
19.9%
−0.6 ptssince 2000
from 20.5% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.480
+2%since 2010
from 0.472 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information13.3%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade6.9%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance5.4%
US avg: 5.9%
Retail trade5.1%
US avg: 9.9%
Other services4%
US avg: 6.7%
Professional, scientific, technical3.8%
US avg: 5.1%
Transportation & warehousing2.8%
US avg: 2.2%
Public administration2.4%
US avg: 4.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing2.2%
US avg: 1.6%
Education & health services1.6%
US avg: 0.9%
Construction1.4%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0.7%
US avg: 0.4%
Arts, entertainment, food0.7%
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$181,100
+46%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $68,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$950
+20%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $434 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
64.8%
−3.2 ptssince 2000
from 68.0% in 2000
35.2% rent
Vacancy rate
16.4%
+4.4 ptssince 2009
from 12.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
18.0%
−3.4 ptssince 2009
from 21.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
48.4%
+2.8 ptssince 2009
from 45.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.3
+27%since 2009
from 2.6 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
26
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Rapides Parish on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic65.7%(83,059)
Black30.3%(38,298)
Hispanic / Latino1.4%(1,739)
Asian0.8%(1,071)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic59.4%(75,793)
Black30.7%(39,187)
Hispanic / Latino4.2%(5,386)
Asian1.1%(1,432)
Other4.5%(5,729)
Diversity Score
69
+11%since 2009
from 62 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
47
−8%since 2020
from 50 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican2.5%(3,157)
Puerto Rican0.3%(389)
Spaniard0.3%(340)
Cuban0.3%(329)
Honduran0.2%(314)
Guatemalan0.1%(93)
Nicaraguan0.1%(92)
Colombian0%(49)
Chilean0%(28)
+ 4 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Filipino0.3%(391)
Asian Indian0.3%(353)
Laotian0.1%(158)
Vietnamese0.1%(151)
Pakistani0.1%(141)
Japanese0.1%(71)
Thai0%(57)
Korean0%(27)
Chinese0%(25)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(44)
Guamanian0%(11)
Ancestry
American14.1%(17,943)
English7.5%(9,576)
French5.8%(7,411)
Irish5.2%(6,625)
German4.4%(5,657)
Italian1.6%(2,078)
Scottish1%(1,232)
Scotch-Irish0.7%(858)
Belgian0.5%(639)
Arab0.4%(532)
+ 35 more ancestry groups with data
Dutch0.3%(350)
British0.2%(308)
Norwegian0.2%(237)
West Indian0.2%(234)
Polish0.2%(221)
Welsh0.1%(172)
Palestinian0.1%(163)
Swedish0.1%(128)
Czech0.1%(126)
Nigerian0.1%(102)
Hungarian0.1%(82)
Russian0.1%(82)
Lebanese0.1%(80)
Austrian0.1%(73)
Greek0%(55)
Jordanian0%(53)
Romanian0%(50)
Haitian0%(49)
Iraqi0%(46)
Syrian0%(46)
Danish0%(46)
Swiss0%(46)
Slovak0%(44)
Jamaican0%(44)
Bulgarian0%(36)
Canadian0%(15)
Egyptian0%(11)
Israeli0%(8)
Serbian0%(8)
RANKED:Largest American population · Largest English population · Largest French population · Largest Irish population · Largest German population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
23.1%
+6.6 ptssince 2000
from 16.5% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
87.9%
+13.3 ptssince 2000
from 74.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
8.9%
+3.0 ptssince 2000
from 5.9% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
22.2 min
+51%since 2000
from 14.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
80.4%
−2.2 ptssince 2009
from 82.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
6.5%
−4.4 ptssince 2009
from 11.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
1.4%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
5.5%
+4.2 ptssince 2009
from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
2.3%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.3%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
9.4%
+1.5 ptssince 2009
from 7.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.1%
−2.5 ptssince 2011
from 7.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
58.5%
+0.3 ptssince 2011
from 58.2% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
15.7%
−1.6 ptssince 2009
from 17.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
34.7%
−27.4 ptssince 2009
from 62.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.5%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 48.2% in 2009
Female
51.5%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 51.8% in 2009
Foreign born
2.8%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 2.4% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
7.4%
−39.6 ptssince 2009
from 47.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
18.5%
−1.5 ptssince 2012
from 20.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
8.1%
−75.6 ptssince 2013
from 83.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
87.1%
+14.5 ptssince 2017
from 72.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
95.0%
+1.0 ptssince 2016
from 94.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
2.7%
+0.1 ptssince 2016
from 2.6% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married38.7%(18,742)
Married46.7%(22,596)
Widowed2.5%(1,195)
Divorced12.1%(5,839)
Women 15+
Never married33.2%(17,612)
Married41.4%(21,950)
Widowed10.8%(5,727)
Divorced14.5%(7,688)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
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Head to head

Compare Rapides Parish to nearby counties

RAPIDES PARISH VS
Grant Parish
Income$64,016+16%
Home value$143,300−21%
Population22,075−82%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RAPIDES PARISH VS
Avoyelles Parish
Income$39,325−28%
Home value$122,400−32%
Population37,941−70%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RAPIDES PARISH VS
Evangeline Parish
Income$41,915−24%
Home value$124,600−31%
Population31,980−75%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RAPIDES PARISH VS
Vernon Parish
Income$57,270+4%
Home value$156,000−14%
Population45,091−64%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Rapides Parish, Louisiana?

Rapides Parish, Louisiana has about 127,527 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Rapides Parish, Louisiana?

The typical household in Rapides Parish, Louisiana earns about $54,967 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Rapides Parish, Louisiana expensive?

In Rapides Parish, Louisiana, the median home is worth about $181,100, and the typical rent is about $950 a month.

How educated are people in Rapides Parish, Louisiana?

About 23.1% of adults age 25 and over in Rapides Parish, Louisiana hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Rapides Parish, Louisiana?

About 19.9% of people in Rapides Parish, Louisiana live below the federal poverty line.

Has Rapides Parish, Louisiana grown since 1990?

Yes, Rapides Parish, Louisiana has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 4,029 residents, a change of about -3 percent over that period.

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19 ZIP codes
ZIP 71360ZIP 71303ZIP 71301ZIP 71302ZIP 71328ZIP 71409ZIP 71405ZIP 71433ZIP 71485ZIP 71430ZIP 71346ZIP 71424ZIP 71325ZIP 71447ZIP 71359ZIP 71466ZIP 71427ZIP 71330ZIP 71472
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

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