Town · Rapides Parish, Louisiana

Boyce, Louisiana

Boyce is a town in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, part of the Alexandria, LA metro area. It has 1,037 residents. Boyce, Louisiana has a quality-of-life score of 5 out of 100 (very low), ranking #14,932 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within Louisiana it ranks #157 of 262 cities and towns. It ranks best on effective property tax rate (low), mental health providers (high) and pharmacies (high). It ranks worst on violent crime rate (high), property crime rate (high) and loneliness (high).

5Very low

Quality-of-life score: #14,932 of 15,651 cities and towns
Louisiana: #157 of 262 in LA
Population: 1,037 (2020-2024)
Land area: 1 mi²
Density: 2,048.6 /mi²
FIPS code: 2209165

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 75 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map

Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety1#15,501/15,637
Economy5#14,774/15,631
Housing34#9,856/14,977
Health1#15,460/15,609
Healthcare46#8,411/15,650
Environment44#8,691/15,453
Education3#15,251/15,649
Infrastructure2#15,340/15,650
Community12#13,724/15,651
Leisure & amenities51#7,613/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Boyce, Louisiana ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Rapides Parish value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Effective property tax rate · low0.23%
99/100Louisiana 0.55%United States 0.94%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25090High uncertainty
Mental health providers · high593 /100k
92/100Louisiana 365 /100kUnited States 348 /100k2025University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteRapides Parish value
Pharmacies · high2.5 /10k
91/100Louisiana 2.7 /10kUnited States 1.8 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsRapides Parish value
Home price to income ratio · low2.3×
82/100Louisiana 3.6×United States 4.1×2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25077
Social associations · high12.6 /10k
80/100Louisiana 9.4 /10kUnited States 9.1 /10k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteRapides Parish value
High ozone days · low0 days
76/100Louisiana 0 daysUnited States 7 days2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyRapides Parish value

Weaknesses

Violent crime rate · high1,334 /100k
0/100Louisiana 515 /100kUnited States 328 /100k2025Federal Bureau of InvestigationCovers part of the area: some reporting agencies or member counties have no figureRapides Parish value
Property crime rate · high3,460 /100k
1/100Louisiana 1,966 /100kUnited States 1,535 /100k2025Federal Bureau of InvestigationCovers part of the area: some reporting agencies or member counties have no figureRapides Parish value
Loneliness · high43.5%
1/100Louisiana 37.4%United States 33.2%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionModel-based estimate
Adult obesity · high47.2%
2/100Louisiana 42.3%United States 38.2%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate
Distance to an airport · high155 mi
2/100Louisiana 80 miUnited States 33 mi2025Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census BureauRapides Parish value
Bachelor's degree or higher · low6.7%
3/100Louisiana 27.0%United States 35.7%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B15003High uncertainty

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Child poverty rateImproving
39.6% (2015-2019) → 21.1% (2020-2024)
−19 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
65.6% (2015-2019) → 80.0% (2020-2024)
+14 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Poverty rateImproving
29.4% (2015-2019) → 15.0% (2020-2024)
−14 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 12.3% → 12.1%
High school diploma or higherWorsening
87.7% (2015-2019) → 74.9% (2020-2024)
−13 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 88.0% → 89.6%
Median household incomeImproving
$23,920 (2015-2019) → $37,895 (2020-2024)
+58%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604
Uninsured residents (under 65)Improving
11.5% (2015-2019) → 4.3% (2020-2024)
−7.2 pts5 yearsCensus table B27010US 10.8% → 9.8%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Boyce, Louisiana improved on 1 of 9 measures with a comparison and declined on 0. 8 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved1

Household income+58%$23,920 → $37,895

Declined0

No measure declined by more than its margin of error.

All 9 measures

Change of every measure of Boyce, Louisiana between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	24.5 min2015-2019	19.5 min2020-2024	−5.0 min	Within the margin of error	90%
Broadband subscriptions	65.6%2015-2019	80.0%2020-2024	+14 points	Within the margin of error	78%
High school diploma or higher	87.7%2015-2019	74.9%2020-2024	−13 points	Within the margin of error	1%
Home price to income ratio	2.4×2015-2019	2.3×2020-2024	−0.1×	Within the margin of error	83%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4202015-2019	0.4592020-2024	+0.039	Within the margin of error	21%
Median household income	$23,9202015-2019	$37,8952020-2024	+58%	Improved	90%
Public transit commuters	0.0%2015-2019	0.0%2020-2024	0 points	Within the margin of error	60%
Rent as share of income	35.4%2015-2019	33.5%2020-2024	−1.9 points	Within the margin of error	68%
Rent-burdened households	53.6%2015-2019	56.7%2020-2024	+3.1 points	Within the margin of error	44%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Boyce, Louisiana five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Boyce, Louisiana in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Boyce, Louisiana itself moved +0.1 points in standing on average over the same 8 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

1,037 residents (±315)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†
50–59†
40–49†
30–39†
20–29†
10–19†
Under 10†

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: 60–69 women (−6.4 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

1,037 residents (±315)

Boyce, Louisiana
Louisiana share

White16%†167
Black83%†865
Hispanic or Latino0.0%0

Education

565 residents (±151)

Boyce, Louisiana
Louisiana share

No high school diploma25%†142
High school or GED44%†246
Some college17%†

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

340 households (±84)

Boyce, Louisiana
Louisiana share

Under $25k35%†120
$25k–50k22%†76
$50k–75k17%†57
$75k–100k8.8%†30
$100k–150k11%†36
$150k–200k5.6%†19
$200k or more0.6%†2

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Under $25k (−20.1 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

340 households (±84)

Boyce, Louisiana
Louisiana share

Own49%†168
Rent51%†172

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

127 households (±60)

Boyce, Louisiana
Louisiana share

Under $75061%†77
$750–1,00021%†27
$1,000–1,50018%†23

Home values

168 homes (±54)

Boyce, Louisiana
Louisiana share

Under $150k72%†121
$150k–250k20%†33
$250k–400k8.3%†14

Age of homes

436 homes (±88)

Boyce, Louisiana
Louisiana share

2010 or later2.1%†9
2000–20097.1%†31
1980–199913%†58

Size of homes

436 homes (±88)

Boyce, Louisiana
Louisiana share

Studio1.6%†7
1 bedroom0.0%0
2 bedrooms40%†173

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

433 workers (±188)

Boyce, Louisiana
Louisiana share

Drive alone92%†398
Carpool3.9%†17
Public transit0.0%0
Walk2.1%†9
Bike0.0%0
Work from home0.0%0
Other2.1%†9

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Drive alone (+23.2 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

433 workers (±188)

Boyce, Louisiana
Louisiana share

Under 15 min26%†112
15–29 min55%†240
30–44 min17%†74

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Alexandria, LA

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Rapides Parish, the county holding most of Boyce's residents.

Rapides Parish has 3,172 employer establishments, 251 for every 10,000 residents (1.01× the US rate of 248; 1.06× Louisiana's), with 46,374 paid employees at an average annual pay of $49,919. The Census Bureau also counts 9,907 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 3,172; 9,907 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 251; US 248 · Louisiana 236
Paid employees: 46,374
Average annual pay: $49,919; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Rapides Parish by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	403	31.9	1.53×More than typical	3,877	$61,000	653
Restaurants and other eating places	203	16.1	0.87×About typical	4,120	$19,928	41
Offices of physicians	167	13.2	2.04×More than typical	1,552	$81,131	158
Specialty trade contractors	147	11.6	0.75×Fewer than typical	1,567	$60,193	713
Lessors of real estate	142	11.2	0.91×About typical	341	$37,886	802
Religious organizations	132	10.4	1.88×More than typical	1,115	$24,617	—
Limited-service restaurants	112	8.9	1.10×About typical	2,326	$18,444	22
Offices of other health practitioners	112	8.9	1.46×More than typical	567	$44,238	213
Legal services	104	8.2	1.53×More than typical	444	$74,489	98
Gasoline stations	91	7.2	2.22×More than typical	633	$27,434	8
Building equipment contractors	81	6.4	1.06×About typical	1,056	$66,437	154
Banks and credit unions	64	5.1	1.57×More than typical	697	$59,617	—

Rank places for an industry Open Rapides Parish

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 126,442 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

No federal contract obligations recorded here in FY2026.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Boyce is mostly in Rapides Parish.

See federal money in Rapides Parish

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Boyce, Louisiana is split between congressional districts: each representative is shown with the share of its residents in their district (current boundaries).