Mer Rouge, LA · standard
ZIP Code 71261
Morehouse Parish, Louisiana - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 1,684
- 5/sq mi Low-density area
- $92,500
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 8.0%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Mer Rouge pairs among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, mixed-tenure area.
- 7th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 5
- people per sq mi
- 57%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 71261 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 71261 covers 330.2 square miles in Mer Rouge, Morehouse Parish, Louisiana (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 1,684 residents on file, a density of 5 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
Median household income is not on file for ZIP 71261, but per-capita income is $27,418. Economic pressure is pronounced: 38.3% of residents are below the poverty line and unemployment is 11.1%. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $92,500 (48% below the average Louisiana ZIP), and median rent is $585; owner occupancy is 57.1%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 8.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 63.6, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 1 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 4 more in Morehouse Parish, so 71261 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →
Top industries in ZIP 71261
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Mer Rouge, LA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 71261.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
7 establishments
- Wholesale trade
Wholesale trade
6 establishments
- Real estate and rental and leasing
Real estate and rental and leasing
6 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
5 establishments
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
3 establishments
What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 71261, Mer Rouge, LA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
1,684
Population
330.2
Area (sq mi)
5
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 71261?
63.6
Median Age
47.6%
Male
52.4%
Female
0.0%
Foreign-Born
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How much do residents earn?
$27,418
Per Capita Income
38.3%
Poverty Rate
11.1%
Unemployment Rate
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
1,006housing units
1,006
Total Housing Units
672
Occupied Units
334
Vacant Units
1.64
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$92,500
Median Home Value
-48% vs state ZIP avg
$585
Median Rent
1979
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 43 business establishments in ZIP 71261, employing approximately 469 people with a combined annual payroll of $20,431,000.
43
Businesses
469
Employees
$20.4M
Annual Payroll
7
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 7 | 16.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 6 | 13.9% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 6 | 13.9% |
| Health care and social assistance | 5 | 11.6% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 3 | 7.0% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 3 | 7.0% |
| Accommodation and food services | 3 | 7.0% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 71261 vs 71223 →
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 71223 | Bonita, LA | 523 | 8.6 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 71261, both outside LA so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (1,684 here; floor ≥1,000).
More ZIP Codes in Morehouse Parish
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What parish is ZIP code 71261 in?
ZIP code 71261 (Mer Rouge) is located in Morehouse Parish, Louisiana. Morehouse Parish contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/morehouse-la.
What is the population of ZIP code 71261?
ZIP code 71261 in Mer Rouge, LA has a population of 1,684 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the average home value in ZIP 71261?
The median home value in ZIP 71261 is $92,500, which is 67% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 71261?
The largest racial group in ZIP 71261 is White at 61.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 0.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 71261?
ZIP code 71261 has 43 business establishments employing approximately 469 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 71261?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 71261 are: Retail trade (7), Wholesale trade (6), Real estate and rental and leasing (6). There are 7 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 71261?
In ZIP code 71261, 58.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 8.0% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 71261?
In ZIP code 71261, approximately 57.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 42.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 71261?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 71261 is 38.3% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
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- See how ZIP 71261 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.