Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US metro and micro areas.

Safety9#841/924
Economy8#854/925
Housing12#811/925
Health1#914/925
Healthcare51#452/923
Environment9#833/917
Education5#881/925
Infrastructure0#924/925
Community30#652/925
Leisure & amenities17#764/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Minden, LA micropolitan area ranks highest and lowest among US metro and micro areas (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Effective property tax rate · low0.29%
98/100Louisiana 0.55%United States 0.94%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25090
Public libraries · high2.0 /10k
96/100Louisiana 0.8 /10kUnited States 0.5 /10k2024Institute of Museum and Library ServicesAggregated from counties
Pharmacies · high2.6 /10k
93/100Louisiana 2.7 /10kUnited States 1.8 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties
Uninsured residents (under 65) · low6.5%
79/100Louisiana 9.2%United States 9.8%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B27010
Social associations · high13.6 /10k
77/100Louisiana 9.4 /10kUnited States 9.1 /10k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Income adjusted for local prices · high$69,565
73/100Louisiana $70,172United States $73,2042024U.S. Bureau of Economic AnalysisEstimated from related areas or data (see the source notes)Aggregated from counties

Weaknesses

Rent-burdened households · high66.3%
0/100Louisiana 54.8%United States 51.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25070
Broadband subscriptions · low66.1%
0/100Louisiana 86.6%United States 91.0%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B28002
Rent as share of income · high40.9%
0/100Louisiana 32.8%United States 30.6%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25071
Frequent mental distress · high22.9%
1/100Louisiana 21.3%United States 18.6%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Adult smoking · high23.4%
1/100Louisiana 20.0%United States 16.1%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Median household income · low$41,182
1/100Louisiana $61,038United States $81,6042020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B19013

Trends

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

PopulationFalling
36,884 (2020) → 34,948 (2025)
−5.2%5 yearsUS 331,578,104 → 341,784,857
Drought exposureWorsening
15% (2021) → 75% (Oct 2025–Sep 2026)
+60 pts5 yearsUS 40% → 43%
Arts, entertainment and recreationImproving
2.2 /10k (2020) → 4.0 /10k (2025)
+85%5 yearsUS 4.8 /10k → 5.5 /10k
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
49.4% (2015-2019) → 66.1% (2020-2024)
+17 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Child poverty rateImproving
43.5% (2015-2019) → 29.3% (2020-2024)
−14 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%
Mammography screeningImproving
39.0% (2019) → 50.0% (2023)
+11 pts4 yearsUS 43.0% → 46.0%

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, Minden, LA micropolitan area improved on 12 of 28 measures with a comparison and declined on 4. 8 moved within the margin of error and 4 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among metro and micro areas: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2015-2019 with 2020-2024); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved12

Arts & recreation+85%2.2 /10k → 4.0 /10k
Restaurants+43%4.6 /10k → 6.6 /10k
Poverty−6.7 points29.8% → 23.1%
Child poverty−14 points43.5% → 29.3%
Pharmacies+36%1.9 /10k → 2.6 /10k

Declined4

Homicides+46%8.3 /100k → 12.1 /100k
Gyms−47%0.5 /10k → 0.3 /10k
Overdose deaths+16%14.4 /100k → 16.7 /100k
Grocery stores−16%1.4 /10k → 1.1 /10k

All 28 measures

Change of every measure of Minden, LA micropolitan area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	2.2 /10k2020	4.0 /10k2025	+85%	Improved	99%
Average commute time	27.7 min2015-2019	27.3 min2020-2024	−0.4 min	Within the margin of error	76%
Bachelor's degree or higher	15.4%2015-2019	13.3%2020-2024	−2.1 points	Within the margin of error	2%
Broadband subscriptions	49.4%2015-2019	66.1%2020-2024	+17 points	Improved	94%
Child poverty rate	43.5%2015-2019	29.3%2020-2024	−14 points	Improved	99%
Distance to an airport	154 mi2020	154 mi2025	0 mi	Little change	50%
Drug overdose deaths	14.4 /100k2020	16.7 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	+16%	Declined	19%
Effective property tax rate	0.31%2015-2019	0.29%2020-2024	−0 points	Within the margin of error	14%
Firearm deaths	32.5 /100k2020	22.2 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−32%	Improved	93%
Grocery stores	1.4 /10k2020	1.1 /10k2025	−16%	Declined	15%
Gyms and fitness centers	0.5 /10k2020	0.3 /10k2025	−47%	Declined	6%
High school diploma or higher	83.9%2015-2019	86.0%2020-2024	+2.1 points	Within the margin of error	62%
Home price to income ratio	2.8×2015-2019	2.8×2020-2024	−0.0×	Within the margin of error	96%
Homicide rate	8.3 /100k2020	12.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+46%	Declined	6%
Income adjusted for local prices	$48,8722019	$69,5652024	+42%	Improved	93%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4852015-2019	0.4972020-2024	+0.012	Within the margin of error	25%
Median household income	$28,9512015-2019	$41,1822020-2024	+42%	Improved	97%
New business applications	12.5 /1k2020	12.8 /1k2025	+1.9%	Little change	6%
Pharmacies	1.9 /10k2020	2.6 /10k2025	+36%	Improved	98%
Poverty rate	29.8%2015-2019	23.1%2020-2024	−6.7 points	Improved	99%
Public libraries	1.8 /10k2019	2.0 /10k2024	+8.9%	Improved	91%
Rent as share of income	44.6%2015-2019	40.9%2020-2024	−3.7 points	Within the margin of error	95%
Rent-burdened households	70.6%2015-2019	66.3%2020-2024	−4.4 points	Within the margin of error	86%
Restaurants and bars	4.6 /10k2020	6.6 /10k2025	+43%	Improved	99%
Suicide rate	18.6 /100k2020	17.7 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−4.8%	Little change	71%
Traffic deaths	22.4 /100k2015-2019	23.4 /100k2020-2024	+4.5%	Little change	54%
Unemployment rate	8.4%2020	5.0%2025	−3.4 points	Improved	63%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	11.3%2015-2019	6.5%2020-2024	−4.9 points	Improved	98%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 786 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Public Libraries Survey; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. 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 925 metro and micro areas 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.

Metro and micro areas like Minden, LA micropolitan area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Minden, LA micropolitan area 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, Minden, LA micropolitan area itself moved +3.1 points in standing on average over the same 28 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

35,820 residents

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

14,334 households (±379)

Minden, LA micropolitan area
United States share

Under $25k30%4,249
$25k–50k30%4,320
$50k–75k14%2,012

Homes

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

Owners and renters

14,334 households (±379)

Minden, LA micropolitan area
United States share

Own67%9,581
Rent33%4,753

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

Table view

Getting to work

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

How people get to work

13,279 workers (±664)

Minden, LA micropolitan area
United States share

Drive alone81%10,775
Carpool8.4%1,109
Public transit0.4%†47

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 no occupation wages for Minden, LA micropolitan area.

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.

Minden, LA has 772 employer establishments, 218 for every 10,000 residents (0.88× the US rate of 248), with 9,969 paid employees at an average annual pay of $48,781. The Census Bureau also counts 2,658 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 772; 2,658 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 218; US 248
Paid employees: 9,969
Average annual pay: $48,781; US $68,342

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

Ambulatory health care services	58	16.3	0.78×Fewer than typical	795	$58,250	129
Restaurants and other eating places	56	15.8	0.86×About typical	728	$16,815	23
Religious organizations	48	13.5	2.44×More than typical	265	$18,857	—
Specialty trade contractors	33	9.3	0.60×Fewer than typical	185	$55,703	201
Gasoline stations	30	8.5	2.61×More than typical	293	$24,010	3
Limited-service restaurants	30	8.5	1.05×About typical	477	$15,688	7
Truck transportation	23	6.5	1.28×More than typical	269	$61,483	97
Full-service restaurants	22	6.2	0.81×About typical	233	$18,914	8
Automotive repair and maintenance	21	5.9	1.18×About typical	121	$36,835	75
Management, scientific and technical consulting	19	5.4	0.80×Fewer than typical	48	$50,896	50
Offices of physicians	19	5.4	0.83×About typical	264	$77,277	19
Lessors of real estate	17	4.8	0.39×Fewer than typical	54	$48,056	171

Rank places for an industry

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

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 35,479 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.
A metro area's figures are the exact sums of its counties.
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 contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $8.9M on contracts performed in Minden, LA micropolitan area: $254 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $8.9M; −14% vs FY2025
Per resident: $254; US $1,994
Sole-source: 95%; US 30%
Single offer: 0.0%; US 8.8%

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

Top buying agencies

Department of the Army$8.9M100%

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

1.8MFY2017
1.1MFY2018
5MFY2019
1.7MFY2020
1.1MFY2021
1.8MFY2022
2.2MFY2023
8.6M

Top industries (NAICS)

Other chemical product and preparation manufacturing · 3259$8.5M95%
Building equipment contractors · 2382$425.2K4.8%

Largest awards

REPAIR AND IMPROVEMENTS TO THE CAMP MINDEN BLACK POWDER FACILITY.$25.7M
GOEX INDUSTRIES LLC· Webster Parish, LA· Weapons, aircraft, ships & vehicles· Aug 12, 2024 – May 4, 2026· W519TC24C0030
DATA GAPS, CAMP MINDEN, LA$1.8M
FPM REMEDIATIONS, INC.· Webster Parish, LA· Facilities & utilities· Sep 28, 2023 – Jun 10, 2026· W9126G23C0033
ADVANCED CONTRACT INITIATIVE TEMPORARY EMERGENCY POWER QUADRANT III FOR GENERATOR SET ACTIVITIES IN SUPPORT OF WINTER STORM FERN IN MINDEN, LOUISIANA.$425.2K
WSP USA SOLUTIONS INC· Webster Parish, LA· Equipment maintenance· Jan 25, 2026 – Mar 3, 2026· W911WN26FA049

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $286.3M in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Minden, LA micropolitan area: $8,191 per resident (US $12,955).

Assistance · FY2026: $286.3M; +8.6% vs FY2025
Per resident: $8,191; US $12,955
Loan face value: $9.4M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 0.2%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$141.5M49%
96.001 · Social Security Disability Insurance$28.6M10.0%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$26.9M9.4%
96.004 · Social Security Survivors Insurance$22.9M8.0%
20.263 · Bridge Formula Program$21.9M7.7%
96.006 · Supplemental Security Income$13.1M4.6%
20.205 · Highway Planning and Construction$5.1M1.8%
84.063 · Federal Pell Grant Program$4M1.4%

Top recipients (organizations)

TRANSPORTATION & DEVELOPMENT LOUISIANA D$33.4M12%
BATON ROUGE, LA
NORTHWEST LOUISIANA TECHNICAL COLLEGE$4M1.4%
MINDEN, LA
WEBSTER PARISH COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY$2.5M0.9%
MINDEN, LA
MINDEN HOUSING AUTHORITY$2.2M0.8%
MINDEN, LA
B & S REALTY INC$534.2K

Organizations only: awards to individuals and county aggregate records count in the totals but are never listed. Grants to state governments recorded at the agency's own address are counted statewide, not in the capital's county.

Top agencies

Social Security Administration$206.1M72%
Federal Highway Administration$33.4M12%
Department of Transportation
Under Secretary for Benefits/Veterans Benefits Administration$30.7M11%
Department of Veterans Affairs
Department of Education$4M1.4%
Railroad Retirement Board$3.6M1.2%

Assistance by fiscal year

233MFY2021
255.4MFY2022
248.3MFY2023
237.2MFY2024
263.6MFY2025
286.3MFY2026

County aggregates

84%

Share of obligations reported only as county totals of many small awards (for example Social Security or Medicare payments), with no recipient named.

Source: Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026 · FY2021–FY2026.

Counties in Minden, LA

Whole counties, as the U.S. Office of Management and Budget delineates the area. Federal spending below is the exact sum of these counties.

Webster ParishCentral county334,948

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

MindenPrincipal city11,455

Largest cities and towns

By population, for places with most of their residents in the area.

Other metro and micro areas in Louisiana

Areas based in Louisiana, best score first.

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Places that share a border, best score first.

Similar metro and micro areas

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.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-09-29
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
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
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/M33380

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved12

Declined4

Metro and micro areas like Minden, LA micropolitan area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Getting to work

How people get to work

Jobs and pay

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

Counties in Minden, LA

Principal cities

Largest cities and towns

Other metro and micro areas in Louisiana

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Similar metro and micro areas

Data and sources

Improved12

Declined4

Age and sex

Household income

Owners and renters

How people get to work

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Time to get to work

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

What was bought

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

By type