| Rapides Parish, Louisiana | |
| Official Name: | Parish of Rapides |
| Settlement Type: | Parish |
| Image Map1: | Louisiana in United States.svg |
| Map Caption1: | Louisiana's location within the U.S. |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Type2: | Region |
| Subdivision Name2: | Central Louisiana |
| Established Title: | Founded |
| Established Date: | 1807 |
| Named For: | The local river rapids |
| Seat: | Alexandria |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 1362 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 1318 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 44 |
| Area Blank1 Title: | percentage |
| Area Blank1 Sq Mi: | 3.2 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Total: | 130023 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | auto |
| Timezone1: | CST |
| Utc Offset1: | -6 |
| Timezone1 Dst: | CDT |
| Utc Offset1 Dst: | -5 |
| Area Code Type: | Area code |
| Area Code: | 318 |
| Blank Name Sec1: | Congressional district |
| Blank Info Sec1: | 5th |
Rapides Parish (French: Paroisse des Rapides) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 130,023.[1] The parish seat is Alexandria, which developed along the Red River of the South.[2] Rapides is the French word for "rapids". The parish was created in 1807 after the United States acquired this territory in the Louisiana Purchase.[3]
Rapides Parish is included in the Alexandria metropolitan area, Louisiana.
In 1763, the land that is now Rapides Parish became the new home of the Apalachee tribe, who were settled there with the permission of Governor Kerlerec. Some Native Americans had come after fleeing the British and their Creek Indian allies from what is now Leon County, Florida. Many of their descendants remain in Natchitoches Parish.
The first French settler was Vincent Porei, who was granted a small tract of land in July 1764 by the Civil and Military Commander of Natchitoches. Nicolas Etienne Marafret Layssard arrived in December 1766, with the permission of Aubrey and Foucault, to establish a "tar works" in the pineries of Rapides, for naval stores. He was later appointed the first Civil Commander of Rapides Parish. During the 1760s, the area was still a dependency of Natchitoches Parish
Parts of Catahoula Parish, Grant Parish, Vernon Parish, and Winn Parish were initially part of Rapides Parish territory, but they eventually separated and obtained land from neighboring parishes.
Since the late 20th century, conservative whites have mostly shifted from the Democratic Party, long in control in Louisiana and other Deep South states, to the Republican Party. The population of Alexandria is heavily Democratic, but voters in the white-majority Rapides Parish frequently favor Republican candidates in competitive presidential elections. In 2012, Republican Mitt Romney carried the parish with 37,193 votes (64.1 percent), compared to Democrat U.S. President Barack Obama's 20,045 (34.6 percent) tabulation.[4] The 2008 returns in Rapides Parish were similar to those of 2012. U.S. Senator John McCain of Arizona won the parish with 36,611 votes (63.6 percent) to President Obama's 20,127 (35 percent).[5]
With 58.8 percent and 63.8 percent, respectively, George W. Bush carried Rapides Parish in both 2000 and 2004 over the Democrats, Vice President Al Gore[6] and John F. Kerry.[7] The last Democrat to win at the presidential level in Rapides Parish was Bill Clinton, who in 1996 received 23,004 votes (46.1 percent) to Robert J. Dole's 21,548 (43.2 percent). Ross Perot, founder of his Reform Party, received 4,670 ballots (9.4 percent).[8]
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of, of which is land and (3.2%) is water.[9] It is the largest parish in Louisiana by land area.
| Number | Percentage | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 76,323 | 58.7% | |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 40,261 | 30.96% | |
| Native American | 901 | 0.69% | |
| Asian | 1,805 | 1.39% | |
| Pacific Islander | 33 | 0.03% | |
| Other/Mixed | 5,610 | 4.31% | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 5,090 | 3.91% |
In 2000,[10] there were 126,337 people, 47,120 households, and 33,125 families living in the parish. The population density was 93sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 52,038 housing units at an average density of 39/mi2. The racial makeup of the parish was 66.51% White, 30.43% Black or African American, 0.74% Native American, 0.86% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.42% from other races, and 1.01% from two or more races. 1.38% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 47,120 households, out of which 34.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.70% were married couples living together, 16.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.70% were non-families. 26.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the parish the population was spread out, with 27.20% under the age of 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 27.90% from 25 to 44, 22.40% from 45 to 64, and 13.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.00 males.
The median income for a household in the parish was $29,856, and the median income for a family was $36,671. Males had a median income of $29,775 versus $20,483 for females. The per capita income for the parish was $16,088. About 16.40% of families and 20.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.30% of those under age 18 and 16.30% of those age 65 or over.
The Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections formerly operated the J. Levy Dabadie Correctional Center on property adjacent to Louisiana National Guard Training Center Pineville in Pineville in Rapides Parish.[11] [12] The facility closed in July 2012.[13]
Rapides Parish is solidly Republican in presidential elections. In 2016, Hillary Clinton suffered the worst defeat for a Democratic candidate in the county since Walter Mondale in 1984, Although her husband, Bill, won the parish in 1996 during his reelection bid, this stands as the last time Rapides Parish voted for a Democratic candidate.
Rapides Parish School Board operates public schools.[14]
By 1993 the district had established a secondary school for students with behavior issues, called Redirection Academy. That year, the U.S. federal court system stopped the district from establishing a magnet school for academically advanced students.[15]