Bossier Parish, Louisiana

Infobox U.S. County
county = Bossier Parish
state = Louisiana




founded year = 1843
founded date =
seat wl = Benton
largest city wl = Bossier City
area_total_sq_mi = 867
area_total_km2 = 2245
area_land_sq_mi = 839
area_land_km2 = 2174
area_water_sq_mi = 28
area_water_km2 = 72
area percentage = 3.19%
census yr = 2000
pop = 98310
density_sq_mi = 117
density_km2 = 45
time zone = Central
UTC offset = -6
DST offset = -5
footnotes =
web =
named for = US Representative Pierre Bossier

Bossier Parish ( _fr. Paroisse de Bossier) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Benton. As of 2000, the population was 98,310. The principal city is Bossier City, which is located east of the Red River from Shreveport, the seat of Caddo Parish.

Bossier Parish is part of the Shreveport–Bossier City Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the Shreveport–Bossier City–Minden Combined Statistical Area.

History

Bossier Parish is named for Pierre Bossier, a 19th-century Louisiana state senator and U.S. representative from Natchitoches Parish.

Law and government

Bossier Parish is governed by a 12-member elected body, the Bossier Parish Police Jury (equivalent to county commission in other states). Eddy Shell, a prominent Bossier City educator, served on the police jury from 1992 until his death in 2008. Here is the current makeup of the police jury:

* District 1 - Hank Meachum
* District 2 - Glenn Benton
* District 3 - Wanda Bennett
* District 4 - Winfred R. Johnston
* District 5 - Barry Butler
* District 6 - Rick Avery
* District 7 - Jimmy Cochran
* District 8 - J. Brad Cummings
* District 9 - William R. Altimus
* District 10 - Jerome Darby
* District 11 - Wayne Hammack
* District 12 - Paul M. "Mac" Plummer [http://policejury.mybossier.com/pj/jurors_details.asp?ID=12]

Geography

The parish has a total area of 867 square miles (2,245 km²), of which, 839 square miles (2,174 km²) of it is land and 28 square miles (72 km²) of it (3.19%) is water.

Major highways

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Adjacent parishes

*Miller County, Arkansas (northwest)
*Lafayette County, Arkansas (north)
*Webster Parish (east)
*Bienville Parish (southeast)
*Red River Parish (south)
*Caddo Parish (west)

National protected area

* Red River National Wildlife Refuge (part)

Demographics

USCensusPop
title=
1790=
1800=
1810=
1820=
1830=
1840=
1850=
1860=
1870=
1880=
1890=
1900= 24153
1910= 21738
1920= 22266
1930= 28388
1940= 33162
1950= 40139
1960= 57622
1970= 64519
1980= 80721
1990= 86088
2000= 98310
estimate= 107270
estyear= 2006
estref= [cite web|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/22/22015.html|title=Bossier Parish Quickfacts|author=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=2008-02-02]
footnote=Bossier Parish Census Data [cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/la190090.txt|title=Louisiana Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|author=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=2008-02-02]

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 98,310 people, 36,628 households, and 26,628 families residing in the parish. The population density was 117 people per square mile (45/km²). There were 40,286 housing units at an average density of 48 per square mile (19/km²). The racial makeup of the parish was 74.66% White, 20.82% Black or African American, 0.52% Native American, 1.26% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 1.00% from other races, and 1.65% from two or more races. 3.12% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 36,628 households out of which 36.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.60% were married couples living together, 14.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.30% were non-families. 22.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the parish the population was spread out with 28.00% under the age of 18, 9.70% from 18 to 24, 30.50% from 25 to 44, 21.30% from 45 to 64, and 10.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 96.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.80 males.

The median income for a household in the parish was $39,203, and the median income for a family was $45,542. Males had a median income of $32,305 versus $23,287 for females. The per capita income for the parish was $18,119. About 10.60% of families and 13.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.00% of those under age 18 and 12.50% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities and towns

Census-designated places

*Eastwood
*Red Chute

Education

Bossier Parish School Board operates public schools in the parish.

ee also

References

External links

* [http://www.mybossier.com Bossier Parish]