Rapides Parish

Also known as Rapides Parish, Louisiana

parish in Louisiana, United States

Key facts

Country: United States
State: Louisiana
Region: Central Louisiana
Founded: 1807 (219 years ago)
Named after: The local river rapids
Parish seat and largest city: Alexandria
Total: 1,362 sq mi (3,530 km )
Land: 1,318 sq mi (3,410 km )
Water: 44 sq mi (110 km )
Percentage: 3.2 sq mi (8.3 km )
Estimate 2025: 125,877
Density: 98.65/sq mi (38.09/km )
Time zone

~9 min read

Article

Lower view of the Rapides Parish Courthouse The main branch of the Rapides Parish Library is located in downtown Alexandria.

Rapides Parish (/ˈræpiːdz/) (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. The parish seat and largest city is Alexandria, which developed along the Red River of the South. Rapides is the French word for "rapids". The parish was created in 1807 after the United States acquired this territory in the Louisiana Purchase.