Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 450, settled in 1886. A regional job hub with 367 jobs.
Mer Rouge’s median age is 58.4 years, above both Louisiana’s towns (37.8 years) and U.S. towns (40.5 years). Only 5 of the 128 Louisiana towns we compare have a lower typical home value than Mer Rouge. Mer Rouge has 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Mer Rouge High School and Walnut Grove. Mer Rouge has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Mer Rouge beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 465 in 1900, a peak of 853 in 1960, 491 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 4 maps from 1935 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Mer Rouge, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Mer Rouge.
Most working residents leave Mer Rouge for work: only 7% work in town. 24% of residents live below the poverty line in Mer Rouge, above both the Louisiana town median (20%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). The top destinations are Bastrop (14%), Monroe (14%) and Rayville (3%).
| Mer Rouge | Louisiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 24% | 20% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $57,000 | $56,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 7.2% | 9.8% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The typical Mer Rouge home is worth about $96,000, up 1.5% in a year, 55% below the Louisiana typical home. 56% of Mer Rouge households own their home.
| Mer Rouge | Louisiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 56% | 68% | 73% |
| Median rent | $775 a month | $990 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 77% of U.S. communities. Since 1991, 3 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Mer Rouge.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Mer Rouge has mild winters and hot summers, with plenty of rain. Mer Rouge’s July high is 93°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
11% of adults binge drink in Mer Rouge. Mer Rouge beats the Louisiana average on 3 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 18. 45% of adults get no exercise outside work in Mer Rouge.
| Mer Rouge | Louisiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 27% | 19% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 16% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 16% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 45% | 34% | 25% |
| What stands out | Mer Rouge | LA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 11.4% | 16.9% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 85.9% | 78.8% |
| More adults with COPD | 17.4% | 8.5% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
None within 15 miles of Mer Rouge; the nearest are
About 5 of every 100 Mer Rouge residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Louisiana.
Where Mer Rouge’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Village in Louisiana, United States
Mer Rouge (lit. 'Red Sea') is a village in Morehouse Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 491 at the 2020 census, down from 628 in 2010.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Mer Rouge has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
2 notable people were born here, including Samuel W. Mitcham and Horace Logan.