Population 127,527 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Rapides Parish
Household size in Rapides Parish
| Period | Rapides Parish | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.62 | 2.66 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.71 | 2.64 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.63 | 2.64 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.61 | 2.59 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.01 | −0.07 | −0.03 |
Households in Rapides Parish average 2.61 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). Household size is little changed from 2006–10, while the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Rapides Parish
| Period | Rapides Parish | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.4 | 36.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.3 | 37.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.5 | 38.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.3 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.9 | +2.2 | +2.3 |
At 39.3, the median age in Rapides Parish is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 37.4, mirroring the country.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Rapides Parish
| Period | Rapides Parish | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.6% | 14.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.0% | 15.1% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 17.6% | 14.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 16.2% | 15.2% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | +0.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Rapides Parish: 16.2% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. Louisiana as a whole looks much the same. The single-parent share is up 0.6 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Rapides Parish
Renters in Rapides Parish
| Period | Rapides Parish | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.4% | 31.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 35.1% | 33.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 38.3% | 34.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 35.2% | 32.6% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.8 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Rapides Parish is about as common as it is nationally: 35.2% of households rent, against 34.8%. About half of owners (50.1%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the southwest. The renter share has risen 2.8 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Rapides Parish
| Period | Rapides Parish | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.3% | 13.9% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.3% | 13.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 16.6% | 15.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.8% | 14.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +3.5 pts | +0.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 15.8% of the housing in Rapides Parish, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy has risen 3.5 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Rapides Parish
| Period | Rapides Parish | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1977 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1978 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1979 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1982 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +7 | +6 |
The typical home in Rapides Parish was built around 1982, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). The median year built has moved up from 1977 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the center.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Rapides Parish
| Period | Rapides Parish | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $674 | $755 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $732 | $831 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $853 | $920 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,026 | $1,122 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$352 | +$366 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Rapides Parish costs $1,026 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $352 a month since 2006–10, up 52%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 32.2% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Rapides Parish
Bachelor's degrees in Rapides Parish
| Period | Rapides Parish | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.9% | 22.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.1% | 22.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.5% | 24.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 22.8% | 27.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.8 pts | +5.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Rapides Parish have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 22.8%, against 35.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 2.8 points, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the west and least in the east.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Rapides Parish
| Period | Rapides Parish | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.9% | 81.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 84.0% | 83.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 85.9% | 85.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.6% | 87.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.7 pts | +5.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in Rapides Parish never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 87.6% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The picture is much the same across Louisiana. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 4.7 points, in line with the national trend.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Rapides Parish
| Period | Rapides Parish | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.8% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.4% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.6% | 6.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.8% | 6.5% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | −1.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Rapides Parish is close to the national rate: 5.8% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has edged down 1.0 points, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Rapides Parish compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rapides Parish | 2.61 | 39.3 | 16.2% | 35.2% | 15.8% | 1982 | $1,026 | 22.8% | 87.6% | 5.8% |
| Wilkinson County | 2.24 | 42.7 | 20.0% | 21.6% | 27.2% | 1978 | $679 | 11.4% | 87.3% | 13.1% |
| Sabine County | 2.20 | 52.3 | 9.9% | 14.3% | 34.8% | 1988 | $889 | 14.6% | 87.2% | 5.8% |
| Amite County | 2.22 | 48.8 | 12.2% | 17.6% | 18.3% | 1988 | $657 | 10.6% | 87.5% | 6.0% |
| Pike County | 2.69 | 39.1 | 17.4% | 33.2% | 21.1% | 1985 | $886 | 15.9% | 85.5% | 5.7% |
| Angelina County | 2.68 | 38.9 | 14.8% | 36.0% | 12.9% | 1986 | $1,048 | 18.4% | 85.8% | 6.4% |
| Walthall County | 2.63 | 42.5 | 13.3% | 19.7% | 22.8% | 1983 | $890 | 12.8% | 80.5% | 6.3% |
| Marion County | 2.59 | 41.3 | 14.0% | 22.8% | 19.3% | 1980 | $801 | 13.5% | 83.5% | 6.8% |
| Houston County | 2.46 | 45.0 | 11.9% | 29.4% | 26.3% | 1980 | $947 | 15.5% | 82.7% | 6.9% |
| Lamar County | 2.64 | 38.6 | 12.1% | 30.5% | 9.0% | 1997 | $1,207 | 35.1% | 92.0% | 5.0% |
| Forrest County | 2.50 | 35.1 | 15.3% | 42.8% | 10.9% | 1983 | $1,001 | 31.4% | 91.6% | 6.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Calhoun County, MI · Harnett County, NC · Skagit County, WA · Fayette County, PA · Hunterdon County, NJ · Comanche County, OK · Sumter County, FL · Clarke County, GA · Clark County, OH · Kendall County, IL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Rapides Parish. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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