LaSalle Parish, Louisiana

LaSalle Parish, Louisiana
Parish
Parish of LaSalle
LaSalle Parish Courthouse in Jena
Location within the U.S. state of Louisiana
Louisiana's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Louisiana
Region	Central Louisiana
Founded	January 1, 1910
Named for	René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle
Parish seat (and largest town)	Jena
Area
• Total	1,710 km2 (662 sq mi)
• Land	1,620 km2 (625 sq mi)
• Water	100 km2 (38 sq mi)
Population  (2020)
• Total	14,791
• Density	8.6/km2 (22/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
Area code	318
Congressional district	5th

LaSalle Parish (French: Paroisse de La Salle) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 14,791.^[1] The parish seat is Jena.^[2] The parish was created in 1910 from the western section of Catahoula Parish.^[3]

The parish is named for René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle.

There is some confusion as to whether the parish is spelled "LaSalle" (no space) or "La Salle." An example of the latter view can be seen in the photo at right of the sign over the entrance to a "La Salle Parish Courthouse." A photo of this sign is also featured on the main webpage of the LaSalle Parish Clerk of Court, but the parish is consistently spelled "LaSalle" (no space) in the website text. The prevailing spelling of the parish is "LaSalle" (no space), consistent with the U.S. Census since 2011,^[4] and as demonstrated for example by a Google Trends comparison of the phrase's different spellings.^[5]

The parish was established (as the Parish of LaSalle) on July 3, 1908.^[6][7]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of 662 square miles (1,710 km²), of which 625 square miles (1,620 km²) is land and 38 square miles (98 km²) (5.7%) is water.^[8]

• U.S. Highway 84
• U.S. Highway 165
• Louisiana Highway 8
• Louisiana Highway 28

• Caldwell Parish (north)
• Catahoula Parish (east)
• Avoyelles Parish (south)
• Rapides Parish (southwest)
• Grant Parish (west)
• Winn Parish (northwest)

• Catahoula National Wildlife Refuge (part)

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1910	9,402		—
1920	9,856		4.8%
1930	11,668		18.4%
1940	10,959		−6.1%
1950	12,717		16.0%
1960	13,011		2.3%
1970	13,295		2.2%
1980	17,004		27.9%
1990	13,662		−19.7%
2000	14,282		4.5%
2010	14,890		4.3%
2020	14,791		−0.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[9] 1790-1960[10] 1900-1990[11] 1990-2000[12] 2010-2013[1]

LaSalle Parish racial composition^[13]

Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	11,263	76.15%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	1,283	8.67%
Native American	133	0.9%
Asian	252	1.7%
Pacific Islander	10	0.07%
Other/Mixed	448	3.03%
Hispanic or Latino	1,402	9.48%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 14,791 people, 4,814 households, and 3,643 families residing in the parish.

As of the census^[14] of 2000, there were 14,282 people, 5,291 households, and 3,798 families residing in the parish. The population density was 23 people per square mile (8.9 people/km²). There were 6,273 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile (3.9/km²). The racial makeup of the parish was 86.13% White, 12.20% Black or African American, 0.64% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.20% from other races, and 0.64% from two or more races. 0.82% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 5,291 households, out of which 33.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.00% were married couples living together, 9.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.20% were non-families. 25.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the parish the population was spread out, with 26.10% under the age of 18, 9.40% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 22.60% from 45 to 64, and 14.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 100.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.20 males.

The median income for a household in the parish was $28,189, and the median income for a family was $36,197. Males had a median income of $27,431 versus $19,697 for females. The per capita income for the parish was $14,033. About 14.90% of families and 18.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.70% of those under age 18 and 18.90% of those age 65 or over.

The 1087TH Transportation Company of the 165TH CSS (combat service support) Battalion of the 139TH RSG (regional support group) resides in Jena, Louisiana.

• Jena
• Olla
• Tullos
• Urania

• Good Pine
• Midway

• Standard
• Summerville
• Trout

• Thomas "Bud" Brady, member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1976 to 1988
• Mike Francis, former Louisiana Republican state chairman
• Henry E. Hardtner, lumberman known as "Louisiana's first conservationist", member of both houses of the Louisiana State Legislature, LaSalle Parish police juror, founder of Urania
• Speedy O. Long, state senator, U.S. representative, district attorney
• Jeffery Simmons, Football player for the Tennessee Titans

LaSalle Parish has been staunchly Republican since 1956, except in 1968 when it voted strongly for American Independent nominee George Wallace. Prior to that, it had been heavily Democratic, but no Democratic nominee since 1956 besides Jimmy Carter has passed forty percent of the parish’s vote, with Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden not even reaching double digits.

United States presidential election results for LaSalle Parish, Louisiana^[15]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	6,023	90.98%	546	8.25%	51	0.77%
2020	6,378	90.12%	638	9.02%	61	0.86%
2016	5,836	88.84%	605	9.21%	128	1.95%
2012	5,726	87.13%	764	11.63%	82	1.25%
2008	5,602	85.49%	860	13.12%	91	1.39%
2004	5,015	80.39%	1,155	18.52%	68	1.09%
2000	4,564	74.72%	1,397	22.87%	147	2.41%
1996	2,925	44.96%	2,543	39.09%	1,038	15.95%
1992	3,068	45.63%	2,389	35.53%	1,266	18.83%
1988	4,559	71.69%	1,622	25.51%	178	2.80%
1984	5,404	78.60%	1,318	19.17%	153	2.23%
1980	3,792	57.16%	2,665	40.17%	177	2.67%
1976	3,161	50.10%	2,961	46.93%	188	2.98%
1972	3,858	81.51%	651	13.75%	224	4.73%
1968	1,258	21.52%	710	12.15%	3,878	66.34%
1964	4,319	83.33%	864	16.67%	0	0.00%
1960	2,123	55.26%	843	21.94%	876	22.80%
1956	1,885	61.56%	951	31.06%	226	7.38%
1952	1,692	45.82%	2,001	54.18%	0	0.00%
1948	266	9.67%	716	26.03%	1,769	64.30%
1944	504	19.78%	2,018	79.20%	26	1.02%
1940	258	11.18%	2,039	88.38%	10	0.43%
1936	256	13.48%	1,643	86.52%	0	0.00%
1932	117	6.30%	1,738	93.64%	1	0.05%
1928	450	33.81%	881	66.19%	0	0.00%
1924	102	17.93%	456	80.14%	11	1.93%
1920	109	15.71%	570	82.13%	15	2.16%
1916	20	3.13%	610	95.61%	8	1.25%
1912	7	1.26%	366	65.95%	182	32.79%

• National Register of Historic Places listings in LaSalle Parish, Louisiana

• State Website Profile
• LaSalle Parish Clerk of Court
• LaSalle Parish Sheriff's Office

31°41′N 92°10′W / 31.68°N 92.16°W / 31.68; -92.16