Caddo Parish, Louisiana facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Caddo Parish
Parish
Parish of Caddo
Caddo Parish Courthouse in Shreveport
Flag Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Louisiana
Louisiana's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Louisiana
Region	North
Founded	January 18, 1838
Named for	Caddo Native Americans
Parish seat (and largest city)	Shreveport
Incorporated municipalities	11 (total) 1 city, 5 towns, 5 villages (located entirely or partially within parish boundaries)
Area
• Total	2,430 km2 (937 sq mi)
• Land	2,280 km2 (879 sq mi)
• Water	150 km2 (58 sq mi)
• percentage	16 km2 (6.2 sq mi)
Population  (2020)
• Total	237,848
• Density	98.01/km2 (253.84/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
Area code	318
Congressional district	4th
Website	official website: http://www.caddo.org

The Shreve Memorial Library in Shreveport located downtown in the former US post office and courthouse

Caddo Parish (French: Paroisse de Caddo) (/ˈkædoʊ/) is a parish located in the northwestern corner of the U.S. state of Louisiana. According to the 2020 U.S. census, the parish had a population of 237,848. The parish seat and largest city is Shreveport, which developed along the Red River.

The city of Shreveport is the economic and cultural center for the tri-state region of the Ark-La-Tex containing Caddo Parish. Caddo Parish is included in the Shreveport–Bossier City metropolitan statistical area.

History

In 1838, Caddo Parish was carved from Natchitoches Parish; the legislature named it for the indigenous Caddo Indians.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of 937 square miles (2,430 km²), of which 978 square miles (2,530 km²) is land and 58 square miles (150 km²) (6.2%) is water.

Major highways

• Interstate 20
• Interstate 220
• Interstate 49
• U.S. Highway 71
• U.S. Highway 79
• U.S. Highway 80
• U.S. Highway 171

Adjacent counties and parishes

National protected area

• Red River National Wildlife Refuge (part)

Communities

• 

  Shreveport is the largest incorporated area

• 

  Vivian is the second-largest incorporated area

City

• Shreveport (parish seat and largest city)

Towns

• Blanchard (suburb of Shreveport)
• Greenwood (suburb of Shreveport)
• Oil City
• Vivian

Villages

• Belcher
• Gilliam (smallest incorporated village)
• Hosston
• Ida
• Mooringsport
• Rodessa

Census-designated place

• Lakeview (suburb of Shreveport)

Unincorporated communities

• Bethany (partly in Panola County, TX)
• Conn
• Dixie
• Forbing
• Keithville (suburb of Shreveport)

Demographics

At the publication of the 2020 United States census, there were 237,848 people, 92,589 households, and 56,525 families residing in the parish. At the 2010 U.S. census, there were 254,969 people, 119,502 households, and 68,900 families residing in the parish. According to 2012 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the Caddo Parish population was 257,093. As of 2010, the population density was 286 inhabitants per square mile (110/km²).

At the 2019 American Community Survey, the racial and ethnic makeup of the parish was 49.9% Black or African American, 44.3% non-Hispanic or Latino white, 0.4% Native American, 1.2% Asian, 0.2% Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, 0.3% some other race, 1.8% two or more races, and 2.9% Hispanic or Latino American of any race. In 2010, the racial makeup of the parish was 49.1% White, 40.0% Black or African American, 1.2% Native American, 1.8% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.82% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races; 5.4% of the population were Hispanic or Latin American. Since the 2020 census, its Black or African American, and non-Hispanic white population have remained the predominant groups though Hispanic or Latino Americans rebounded to comprising 3.52% of the population; multiracial Americans also increased to forming 3.69% of the population. Reflecting nationwide trends of greater diversification since the 2020 U.S. census, the Asian American community saw increases among its population as well.

In 2010, there were 119,502 households, out of which 30.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.20% were married couples living together, 19.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.70% were non-families. A total of 28.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.11. In 2019, there were 92,589 households spread throughout 113,578 housing units; 59.8% of housing units were owner-occupied. The median gross rent was $810. By 2021, the median sales price for a single-family household was $207,000.

At the 2010 census, the parish population was spread out, with 26.80% under the age of 18, 10.20% from 18 to 24, 27.40% from 25 to 44, 22.00% from 45 to 64, and 13.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 89.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.90 males. At the 2019 American Community Survey, 76.1% were aged 18 and older, and 6.8% of the population were age 5 and under. The median age was 38.8, though 2020 estimates determined the median age declined to 37.8 with a ratio of 89.9 males per 100 females.

Economy

LSU Health Sciences Center, Shreveport

The economy of the parish is primarily centered in the city of Shreveport, with international corporations including Amazon and Walmart stimulating the economy alongside nationwide chains such as Best Buy, Target, and others. While maintaining these companies in the parish, however, Caddo includes some of the poorest areas in Louisiana by ZIP code. Statistics from 2014 show West Shreveport (71103) was the poorest ZIP code in the state with a per capita income of just $22,267; Queensborough, Shreveport (71109) was the fourth-poorest with $24,966; Caddo Heights/South Highlands (71108) was the fifth-poorest with $25,334; and Rodessa (71069) was the twenty-fourth-poorest with $34,346. In 2020, an estimated 22.9% of the parish population lived at or below the poverty line with 33.9% of its impoverished population being under 18 years of age.

Parishwide, the median household income was $42,003 as of 2020's American Community Survey; families had a median income of $55,719; married-couple families $81,114; and nonfamily households $26,204. Despite the poverty within the parish, however, the Shreveport–Bossier City metropolitan statistical area and entire Northwest Louisiana region gained three projects valued at over $750 million in the early 2020s to offset its population and economic decline, and increase recognition.

The largest employers in the region as of 2017 were:

Education

The Caddo Parish School Board operates public schools.

The parish also has fourteen private schools as of 2018. It is in the service area of Bossier Parish Community College, though the private Centenary College of Louisiana and LSU's Shreveport campus are also prominent institutions of higher education.

Correction center

The Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections operated the Forcht-Wade Correctional Center in Keithville, an unincorporated section of Caddo Parish. As the state succeeded in reducing the number of prisoners, it closed this facility in July 2012.

The Caddo Correctional Center is a full-service parish jail rated at a capacity of 1,500 beds. Constructed in 1994, this facility was designed to successfully manage a large number of inmates with a minimum of personnel. The Caddo Correctional Center is the largest jail in the Ark-La-Tex and the only "direct supervision" facility in the state.

See also

In Spanish: Parroquia de Caddo para niños