Ouachita Parish, Louisiana
Located in Louisiana, Ouachita Parish has a population of 158,480 residents and a median age of 36.6 years, making it the #440 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 23.2%. The median home value is $194,400, and the median household income is $54,688, which is 27% below the national median.
Demographics
Ouachita Parish has a population of 158,480, making it the #440 most populous county in the US. The median age is 36.6 years, which is 5.9% below the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Ouachita Parish is $54,688, ranking #2,493 out of 3,222 counties — 27.2% below the national median. The poverty rate is 23.2% and unemployment stands at 6.5%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Ouachita Parish is $194,400 (-31.0% vs national). Renters pay a median of $959/mo and the homeownership rate is 61.0%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Ouachita Parish, 28.6% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 15.1% below the national average, ranking #870 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Ouachita Parish is 72.0 years. 22.2% of adults report poor or fair health and 7.6% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
18.9% of adults in Ouachita Parish smoke , 42.1% are obese , and 18.1% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 33.5 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Ouachita Parish is 15.2 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 17.9 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 19.0 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
29.4% of children in Ouachita Parish live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 11.1 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 29.7 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Ouachita Parish is 60.2%. The mean commute time is 24.1 min, which is 12.7% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Ouachita Parish voted Republican with a margin of 27.8%. The vote was 35.5% Dem / 63.3% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 4.2 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Ouachita Parish, Louisiana
Ouachita Parish, Louisiana has a total population of 158,480, making it the 440th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Ouachita Parish is 36.6 years, which is 5.9% below the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Ouachita Parish is $54,688, which ranks #2,493 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 27.2% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 23.2%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 6.5%.
The median home value in Ouachita Parish is $194,400, 31.0% below the national median. Renters in Ouachita Parish pay a median gross rent of $959 per month. The homeownership rate is 61.0%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Ouachita Parish, 28.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 15.1% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 92.6% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 24.1 min.
Ouachita Parish is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 55.3% of the population, followed by Black (non-Hispanic) (37.2%) and Hispanic or Latino (3.7%).
All data for Ouachita Parish, Louisiana comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.