Rapides Parish, LA

County

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2021 Population

130,459

0.0637% 1-year growth

US Senator

Bill Cassidy

Republican Party

US Senator

John Kennedy

Republican Party

2021 Median Age

37.6

0.267% 1-year increase

2021 Poverty Rate

18.8%

0.266% 1-year increase

2021 Median Household Income

$49,639

3.39% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$153,600

4.35% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

54,925

0.496% 1-year decline

About

In 2021, Rapides Parish, LA had a population of 130k people with a median age of 37.6 and a median household income of $49,639. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Rapides Parish, LA grew from 130,376 to 130,459, a 0.0637% increase and its median household income grew from $48,013 to $49,639, a 3.39% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Rapides Parish, LA are White (Non-Hispanic) (60.6%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (31.1%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.72%), White (Hispanic) (1.63%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (1.24%).

None of the households in Rapides Parish, LA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

98.7% of the residents in Rapides Parish, LA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Rapides Parish, LA are Central Louisiana Technical Community College (158088) (1,417 degrees awarded in 2021), Louisiana State University-Alexandria (593 degrees), and Blue Cliff College-Alexandria (261 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in Rapides Parish, LA was $153,600, and the homeownership rate was 64.9%.

Most people in Rapides Parish, LA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 23.1 minutes. The average car ownership in Rapides Parish, LA was 2 cars per household.

Rapides Parish, LA borders Allen Parish, LA, Avoyelles Parish, LA, Evangeline Parish, LA, Grant Parish, LA, LaSalle Parish, LA, Natchitoches Parish, LA, and Vernon Parish, LA.

United States Louisiana Alexandria, LA

Population & Diversity

Rapides Parish, LA is home to a population of 130k people, from which 98.7% are citizens. As of 2021, 2.54% of Rapides Parish, LA residents were born outside of the country (3.31k people).

In 2021, there were 1.95 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (79.1k people) in Rapides Parish, LA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 40.6k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 3.54k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

98.7%

2021 Citizenship

98.7%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 98.7% of Rapides Parish, LA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Rapides Parish, LA was 98.7%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Rapides Parish, LA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Rapides Parish, LA

White (Non-Hispanic)
79.1k ± 212
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
40.6k ± 572
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
3.54k ± 663

3.38%

Hispanic Population

4.41k people

3.38% of the people in Rapides Parish, LA are hispanic (4.41k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Rapides Parish, LA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Louisiana.

Most Common Origin

Honduras
34,582 ± 4,549 people
Mexico
24,245 ± 3,813 people
Vietnam
18,108 ± 3,297 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Louisiana was Honduras, the natal country of 34,582 Louisiana residents, followed by Mexico with 24,245 and Vietnam with 18,108.

Foreign-Born Population

2.54%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

3.31k people

2.48%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

3.24k people

As of 2021, 2.54% of Rapides Parish, LA residents (3.31k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Rapides Parish, LA was 2.48%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Rapides Parish, LA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
3,019 ± 367
Gulf War (2001-)
2,058 ± 441
Gulf War (1990s)
1,504 ± 309

Rapides Parish, LA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.47 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Rapides Parish, LA employs 54.9k people. The largest industries in Rapides Parish, LA are Health Care & Social Assistance (11,516 people), Retail Trade (5,741 people), and Educational Services (5,476 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($84,265), Utilities ($81,154), and Public Administration ($53,764).

Males in Louisiana have an average income that is 1.54 times higher than the average income of females, which is $46,011. The income inequality in Louisiana (measured using the Gini index) is 0.467, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

54.9k

2021 Value

± 2,096

−0.496%

1 Year decline

± 5.5%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Rapides Parish, LA declined at a rate of −0.496%, from 55.2k employees to 54.9k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Rapides Parish, LA, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (6,416 people), Sales & Related Occupations (5,129 people), and Management Occupations (4,621 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Rapides Parish, LA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Louisiana (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

54.9k

2021 Value

± 2,096

−0.496%

1 Year decline

± 5.5%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Rapides Parish, LA declined at a rate of −0.496%, from 55.2k employees to 54.9k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Rapides Parish, LA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (11,516 people), Retail Trade (5,741 people), and Educational Services (5,476 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Rapides Parish, LA, though some of these residents may live in Rapides Parish, LA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$42,342

Median earning men ± $2,111

$30,313

Median earning women ± $1,500

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Manufacturing ($58,066), Public Administration ($55,598), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($53,750).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($60,139), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($49,145), and Public Administration ($45,513).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in Louisiana. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Louisiana.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

1,758
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
941
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
682
Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$1.39M
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$767k
Manufacturing
$268k
Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Louisiana to other states, or from other states to Louisiana.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

Gasoline
$48B
Coal-n.e.c.
$46.7B
Fuel oils
$46.4B

In 2020, the top outbound Louisiana product (by dollars) was Gasoline with $48B, followed by Coal-n.e.c. ($46.7B) and Fuel oils ($46.4B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Louisiana products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Louisiana.

$371B

2020 Value in Louisiana

$691B

Projected 2050 Value in Louisiana

86.1% growth

In 2020, total outbound Louisiana trade was $371B. This is expected to increase 86.1% to $691B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Louisiana trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Louisiana to other states, or from other states to Louisiana.

Most Common Trade Partners

Texas
$48.8B
Mississippi
$24.6B
Florida
$8.21B

In 2020, the top outbound Louisiana domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Texas with $48.8B, followed by Mississippi with $24.6B and Florida and $8.21B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Louisiana shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Rapides County, LA went to Donald J. Trump with 65.1% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (33.1%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.18%).

Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy are the senators currently representing the state of Louisiana. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Louisiana is currently represented by 6 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (65.1%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (33.1%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.18%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Rapides County, LA for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Louisiana

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Louisiana.

Bill Cassidy

Senator from Louisiana

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

John Kennedy

Senator from Louisiana

Assumed office on January 3, 2017

Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy are the senators currently representing Louisiana.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Louisiana over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Louisiana

Louisiana is currently represented by 6 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Louisiana have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2021, universities in Rapides Parish, LA awarded 2,685 degrees. The student population of Rapides Parish, LA in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 2,830 male students and 4,809 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Rapides Parish, LA are White (1,588 and 59.2%), followed by Black or African American (743 and 27.7%), American Indian or Alaska Native (96 and 3.58%), and Hispanic or Latino (83 and 3.1%).

The largest universities in Rapides Parish, LA by number of degrees awarded are Central Louisiana Technical Community College (158088) (1,417 and 52.8%), Louisiana State University-Alexandria (593 and 22.1%), and Blue Cliff College-Alexandria (261 and 9.72%).

The most popular majors in Rapides Parish, LA are Welding Technology (554 and 20.6%), Registered Nursing (196 and 7.3%), and General Administrative Assistant & Secretarial Science (173 and 6.44%).

The median tuition costs in Rapides Parish, LA are $17,850 for private four year colleges, and $4,984 and $4,984 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2021 in Rapides Parish, LA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 62.4%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 26.1%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 7,639 (37% men and 63% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2021 there were 7,639 students enrolled in Rapides Parish, LA, 37% men and 63% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 4,315 records, of which 63.5% were women and 36.5% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Licensed Practical & Vocational Nurse Training
127 degree-majors awarded
Medical Assistant
75 degree-majors awarded
Welding Technology
287 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for 1 to 2 Year Postsecondary Certificate recipients in Rapides Parish, LA was Licensed Practical & Vocational Nurse Training with 127 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a 1 to 2 Year Postsecondary Certificate from schools in Rapides Parish, LA according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Central Louisiana Technical Community College (158088)
1,417 degrees awarded
Louisiana State University-Alexandria
593 degrees awarded
Blue Cliff College-Alexandria
261 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Central Louisiana Technical Community College (158088) with 1,417 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 1,140 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Rapides Parish, LA, which is 0.738 times less than the 1,545 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 1,588 degrees mean that there were 2.14 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 743 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($17,850) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,990) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,400) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Louisiana.

Measure

In 2021, 0.927% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.797% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Louisiana.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were High School or Equivalent (1.2M), Some college (815k), and Secondary Education (622k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Rapides Parish, LA was $153,600 in 2021, which is 0.627 times smaller than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $147,200 to $153,600, a 4.35% increase. The homeownership rate in Rapides Parish, LA is 64.9%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Rapides Parish, LA have an average commute time of 23.1 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Rapides Parish, LA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Rapides Parish, LA is $49,639. In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Rapides Parish, LA was Census Tract 123.01 with a value of $78,413, followed by Census Tract 134 and Census Tract 104, with respective values of $76,927 and $73,423.

In 2022, 15.2% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Rapides Parish, LA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 1.46%.

Housing

Property

$153,600

Median Property Value 2021

±$5,445

$31,551

Median Property Taxes

±$1,394

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Rapides Parish, LA the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Rapides Parish, LA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

64.9%

Homeownership

2021

67.6%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 64.9% of the housing units in Rapides Parish, LA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 64.2%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Rapides Parish, LA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 123.01
Census Tract 134
Census Tract 104

In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Rapides Parish, LA was Census Tract 123.01 with a value of $78,413, followed by Census Tract 134 and Census Tract 104, with respective values of $76,927 and $73,423.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Rapides Parish, LA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$49,639

Median Household Income

± $2,227

48.7k

Number of Households

± 1,850

In 2021, the median household income of the 48.7k households in Rapides Parish, LA grew to $49,639 from the previous year's value of $48,013.

The following chart displays the households in Rapides Parish, LA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Rapides Parish, LA is from Louisiana.

0.467

2021 Wage GINI in Louisiana

0.465

2020 Wage GINI in Louisiana

In 2021, the income inequality in Louisiana was 0.467 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.399% growth from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Louisiana was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Louisiana in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Louisiana across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021

Drove Alone (80.7%)
Carpooled (7.72%)
Worked At Home (3.64%)

In 2021, 80.7% of workers in Rapides Parish, LA drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (7.72%) and those who worked at home (3.64%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

23.1 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Rapides Parish, LA have a shorter commute time (23.1 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 4.22% of the workforce in Rapides Parish, LA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Rapides Parish, LA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Rapides Parish, LA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Rapides Parish, LA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2022, 15.2% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Rapides Parish, LA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 1.46%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

18.8% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Rapides Parish, LA (23.8k out of 127k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Females 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Rapides Parish, LA is Black, followed by White and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2022, 22.7% of the children was living in poverty in Rapides Parish, LA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 9.8%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 1.01k in Rapides Parish, LA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 248 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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Health

90.9% of the population of Rapides Parish, LA has health coverage, with 36.7% on employee plans, 28.5% on Medicaid, 10.4% on Medicare, 12.8% on non-group plans, and 2.61% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Rapides Parish, LA see 1089 patients per year on average, which represents a 4.89% decrease from the previous year (1145 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1837 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 183 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.2% were men and 52.8% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,089 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Rapides Parish, LA

Primary care physicians in Rapides Parish, LA see an average of 1,089 patients per year. This represents a 4.89% decrease from the previous year (1,145 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Rapides Parish, LA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 26.7% under 18 years, 19.7% between 18 and 34 years, 37.8% between 35 and 64 years, and 15.9% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.2% were men and 52.8% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

9.06%

Uninsured

36.7%

Employer Coverage

28.5%

Medicaid

10.4%

Medicare

12.8%

Non-Group

2.61%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Rapides Parish, LA declined by 1.38% from 9.19% to 9.06%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Rapides Parish, LA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2022, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 59.1 in Rapides Parish, LA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Rapides Parish, LA.

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2022, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 39.8% in Rapides Parish, LA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Rapides Parish, LA.

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