Rapides Parish, Louisiana
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 38% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade B, better than 58% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade F, better than 6% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade C, better than 43% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 46% of US counties
- top 12% for annual snowfall
- top 19% for property tax rate
- bottom 1% for sales tax
Rapides Parish is a county in Louisiana with about 130,000 residents. It grades B for weather and F for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include annual snowfall, property tax rate, and cost of living. It rates lower on violent crime and sales tax.
Official websiterppj.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Wet
cool
comf.
warm
hot
warm
comf.
cool
78%53%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.5 in4.2 in
oppressive 95%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$55k34th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$43kbetter than 72% of US counties
Home Value$171k57th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$925better than 32% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 41% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.55%better than 81% of US counties
Income Tax4.30%better than 71% of US counties
Sales Tax9.56%better than 1% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden9.15%better than 57% of US counties
Unemployment5.7%better than 32% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)49°F88th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)83°F86th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation58.2 in93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.1 inbetter than 88% of US counties
Sunny Days237 daysbetter than 51% of US counties
Summer Humidity72°Fbetter than 9% of US counties
Comfortable Days82 daysbetter than 57% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk84.3better than 15% of US counties
Air Quality43 AQIbetter than 49% of US counties
School Quality46.1better than 30% of US counties
Violent Crime2769/100kbetter than 2% of US counties
Property Crime3303/100kbetter than 3% of US counties
Community
Population129,53684th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age37.720th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.5282nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9413th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+3343rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)60.5%24th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)31.1%91st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)3.5%38th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.2%72nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.8%59th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time23 minbetter than 57% of US counties
Walkability6.4/20better than 61% of US counties
Airport Distance159 mibetter than 22% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access84.5%better than 58% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.23better than 26% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 65% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Rapides Parish an affordable place to live?
- Rapides Parish is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $43k, better than 72% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Rapides Parish?
- The median home value in Rapides Parish is $171k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Rapides Parish?
- Median household income in Rapides Parish is $55k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Rapides Parish?
- Median gross rent in Rapides Parish is $925 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Rapides Parish safe?
- Rapides Parish is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 2769/100k (better than 2%). Property crime is 3303/100k.
- What is the weather like in Rapides Parish?
- Rapides Parish averages 83°F in July and 49°F in January, with 58.2 in of annual precipitation and about 237 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Rapides Parish?
- Public-school quality in Rapides Parish is below average, scoring better than 30% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Rapides Parish?
- The average one-way commute in Rapides Parish is 23 min.
Other counties in Louisiana
Explore Louisiana
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)