Town · East Carroll Parish, Louisiana

Lake Providence, Louisiana

Lake Providence is a town in East Carroll Parish, Louisiana. It has 3,349 residents. Lake Providence, Louisiana has a quality-of-life score of 3 out of 100 (very low), ranking #15,259 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within Louisiana it ranks #197 of 262 cities and towns. It ranks best on time spent in the emergency room (low), pharmacies (high) and public libraries (high). It ranks worst on preventable hospital stays (high), adult obesity (high) and dental care shortage (high).

3Very low

Quality-of-life score: #15,259 of 15,651 cities and towns
Louisiana: #197 of 262 in LA
Population: 3,349 (2020-2024)
Land area: 4 mi²
Density: 931.7 /mi²
FIPS code: 2241400

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 71 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.

Safety4#15,018/15,637
Economy0#15,627/15,631
Housing9#13,649/14,977
Health3#15,086/15,609
Healthcare33#10,523/15,650
Environment23#11,827/15,453
Education7#14,526/15,649
Infrastructure4#14,965/15,650
Community9#14,290/15,651
Leisure & amenities88#1,939/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Lake Providence, Louisiana ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “East Carroll 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

Time spent in the emergency room · low89 min
98/100Louisiana 135 minUnited States 170 minOct 2024–Sep 2025Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesEast Carroll Parish value
Pharmacies · high3.0 /10k
95/100Louisiana 2.7 /10kUnited States 1.8 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsEast Carroll Parish value
Public libraries · high2.9 /10k
95/100Louisiana 0.8 /10kUnited States 0.5 /10k2024Institute of Museum and Library ServicesEast Carroll Parish value
Grocery stores · high3.0 /10k
94/100Louisiana 2.0 /10kUnited States 1.7 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsEast Carroll Parish value
Effective property tax rate · low0.43%
92/100Louisiana 0.55%United States 0.94%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25090
Average commute time · low14.5 min
91/100Louisiana 25.7 minUnited States 26.4 min2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B08013

Weaknesses

Preventable hospital stays · high8,803 /100k
0/100Louisiana 3,516 /100kUnited States 2,769 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteEast Carroll Parish value
Adult obesity · high53.5%
0/100Louisiana 42.3%United States 38.2%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate
Dental care shortage · high21.0
0/100Louisiana 13.9United States 5.7Oct 2026Health Resources and Services AdministrationEast Carroll Parish value
Math scores · low2.03
0/100Louisiana 2.71United States 3.032019University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteEast Carroll Parish value
Flu vaccinations · low15.0%
0/100Louisiana 38.0%United States 44.0%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteEast Carroll Parish value
Reading scores · low2.28
0/100Louisiana 2.74United States 3.052019University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteEast Carroll Parish value

Trends

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

PopulationRising
2,753 (2015-2019) → 3,349 (2020-2024)
+22%5 yearsCensus table B01003US 328,329,953 → 340,003,797
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
36.1% (2015-2019) → 69.3% (2020-2024)
+33 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Rent as share of incomeWorsening
34.4% (2015-2019) → 51.0% (2020-2024)
+17 pts5 yearsCensus table B25071US 29.8% → 30.6%
Child poverty rateImproving
75.2% (2015-2019) → 60.4% (2020-2024)
−15 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%
Poverty rateImproving
50.6% (2015-2019) → 39.2% (2020-2024)
−11 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 12.3% → 12.1%
Median household incomeImproving
$18,316 (2015-2019) → $27,580 (2020-2024)
+51%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604

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, Lake Providence, Louisiana improved on 3 of 11 measures with a comparison and declined on 1. 7 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.

Improved3

Inequality−0.2580.771 → 0.513
Broadband+33 points36.1% → 69.3%
Household income+51%$18,316 → $27,580

Declined1

Rent / income+17 points34.4% → 51.0%

All 11 measures

Change of every measure of Lake Providence, Louisiana between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	12.5 min2015-2019	14.5 min2020-2024	+2.0 min	Within the margin of error	27%
Bachelor's degree or higher	13.6%2015-2019	17.3%2020-2024	+3.6 points	Within the margin of error	57%
Broadband subscriptions	36.1%2015-2019	69.3%2020-2024	+33 points	Improved	99%
Child poverty rate	75.2%2015-2019	60.4%2020-2024	−15 points	Within the margin of error	89%
High school diploma or higher	76.2%2015-2019	81.6%2020-2024	+5.4 points	Within the margin of error	84%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.7712015-2019	0.5132020-2024	−0.258	Improved	100%
Median household income	$18,3162015-2019	$27,5802020-2024	+51%	Improved	85%
Poverty rate	50.6%2015-2019	39.2%2020-2024	−11 points	Within the margin of error	95%
Public transit commuters	0.0%2015-2019	0.0%2020-2024	0 points	Within the margin of error	60%
Rent as share of income	34.4%2015-2019	51.0%2020-2024	+17 points	Declined	4%
Rent-burdened households	70.3%2015-2019	79.7%2020-2024	+9.4 points	Within the margin of error	25%

“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 Lake Providence, Louisiana five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Lake Providence, 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, Lake Providence, Louisiana itself moved −0.2 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

3,349 residents (±13)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†

Income

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

Household income

1,573 households (±213)

Lake Providence, Louisiana
Louisiana share

Under $25k46%†725
$25k–50k17%†264
$50k–75k

Homes

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

Owners and renters

1,573 households (±213)

Lake Providence, Louisiana
Louisiana share

Own49%764
Rent51%†809

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

Getting to work

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

How people get to work

1,165 workers (±237)

Lake Providence, Louisiana
Louisiana share

Drive alone73%853
Carpool14%†167
Public transit0.0%0

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 East Carroll Parish, the county holding most of Lake Providence's residents.

East Carroll Parish has 102 employer establishments, 148 for every 10,000 residents (0.60× the US rate of 248; 0.63× Louisiana's), with 1,106 paid employees at an average annual pay of $44,706. The Census Bureau also counts 444 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 102; 444 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 148; US 248 · Louisiana 236
Paid employees: 1,106
Average annual pay: $44,706; US $68,342

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

General merchandise stores	5	7.3	4.12×Too few to compare	19	$18,263	—
Religious organizations	5	7.3	1.31×Too few to compare	24	$13,917	—
Other specialty trade contractors	4	5.8	2.32×Too few to compare	3	$26,333	7
Restaurants and other eating places	4	5.8	0.32×Too few to compare	10	$10,400	6
Specialty trade contractors	4	5.8	0.38×Too few to compare	3	$26,333	21
Ambulatory health care services	3	4.4	0.21×Too few to compare	24	$35,250	13
Food manufacturing	3	4.4	4.72×Too few to compare	62	$35,919	—
Grocery and convenience stores	3	4.4	1.47×Too few to compare	36	$16,167	—
Lessors of real estate	3	4.4	0.35×Too few to compare	3	$37,667	41
Accounting, tax preparation and payroll services	0	0	0.00×Too few to compare	0	—	—
Advertising, public relations and related services	0	0	0.00×Too few to compare	0	—	—
Amusement, gambling and recreation industries	0	0	0.00×Too few to compare	0	—	3

Rank places for an industry Open East Carroll Parish

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

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 6,875 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

In FY2026, an estimated $0 of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Lake Providence, Louisiana: $0 per resident (US $2,007).

Obligations: $0
Per resident: $0; US $2,007
Sole-source: —; US 30%
Single offer: —; US 8.7%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

-22.4KFY2017
99.9FY2018
4.2KFY2021
835.9FY2022
0FY2023
-0.2FY2024

What was bought

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 9, 2026, loaded Oct 9, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Lake Providence, Louisiana, so they do not add up across cities.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Lake Providence is mostly in East Carroll Parish.

See federal money in East Carroll 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.

Lake Providence, Louisiana is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Julia LetlowR-LA-5 · 100% of residentsWith party 100%Missed 5.9%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

East Carroll Parish5100% of residents

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/2241400

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends