Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Home to 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
71% of residents live below the poverty line in Waterproof, above both Louisiana’s towns (20%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Of the 160 Louisiana towns we compare, none has a lower median rent than Waterproof. Waterproof’s density of trails is 1.9 miles per square mile, against 0.2 in Louisiana’s towns and 0.4 across U.S. towns. Its National Register listings include Myrtle Grove Plantation and Moro Plantation House. Waterproof has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Waterproof beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 316 in 1880, a peak of 1,438 in 1970, 541 in 2020. The archive holds 11 old photos and papers going back to 1972 and 4 maps from 1939 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Waterproof, 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 Waterproof.
Waterproof’s average trip to work is 32 minutes. Half commute less than 42 miles. The top destinations are St. Joseph (18%), Tallulah (7%) and Natchez (7%).
| Waterproof | Louisiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $22,000 | $56,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 32 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
July afternoons reach 92°, January nights drop to 37° and snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
21% never finished high school. Waterproof has lost 12% of its people since 2020, down to 489 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. Adults 35 to 64 are 30% of residents (37% statewide); children under 18 are 29% of residents (24% statewide).
Somewhere between 59% and 91% women
The Census survey reached too few of Waterproof’s residents to say more: its margin here is ±16.2 points. Across Louisiana, 51.1% of residents are women.
| Waterproof | LA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 14.2% | 12.6% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 15.1% | 10.9% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 17.7% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 0.9% | 13.3% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 16.5% | 13.3% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 6.4% | 11.5% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 7.3% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 14.9% | 10.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 6.9% | 6.5% | 7% |
| No diploma | 20.7% | 12.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 32.8% | 32.5% | 26% |
| Some college | 23.6% | 20.4% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 2.3% | 7.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 20.7% | 17% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 0% | 10.1% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 500, single groups can be off by several points
The FEMA hazard score for Waterproof comes to 37 of 100. Expected losses in Waterproof break down as 25% from tornadoes and 21% from inland flooding. Paid flood insurance claims here since 1983: one.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Waterproof does better than the Louisiana average on 4 of 32 CDC measures and worse on 22. No town among the 162 in Louisiana we compare has a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Waterproof, and on top of that 55% of adults have obesity here. Only 3 of the 162 Louisiana towns we compare have a lower share of adults who have been diagnosed with depression than Waterproof.
| Waterproof | Louisiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 27% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 19% | 14% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 55% | 43% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 16% | 12% |
| What stands out | Waterproof | LA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 10.1% | 16.9% |
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5.8% | 7.5% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 29.8% | 12.4% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Waterproof. Close and well known come first.
13 mi ParkwayNatchez Trace Parkway8.0M visitors a year
23 mi National Military ParkVicksburg National Military Park410K visitors a year
17 mi MuseumStanton Hall
17 mi MuseumRosalie Mansion
17 mi National Historical ParkNatchez National Historical Park41K visitors a yearNatchez Trace Parkway: Carol M. Highsmith (1946–), Public domain · Vicksburg National Military Park: Eoghanacht at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Stanton Hall: Infrogmation of New Orleans, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Rosalie Mansion: Elisa Rolle, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Natchez National Historical Park: Calstanhope, CC BY-SA 4.0
None within 15 miles of Waterproof; the nearest are
About 1 of every 100 Waterproof residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Louisiana.
Where Waterproof’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
4 notable people were born in Waterproof.
Village in Louisiana, United States
Waterproof is a village in Tensas Parish in northeastern Louisiana, United States with a population of 541 as of the 2020 census. In 2010, 91.7 percent of the village population was African American. Some 24 percent of Waterproof residents in 2010 were aged sixty or above. Waterproof is approximately 17 mi (27 km) north of Ferriday, one of the two principal communities of Concordia Parish. The village is named for its relative safety from flooding prior to construction of the Mississippi River levee system. With a population dependent on agriculture, the rural village struggles with poverty. Mechanization has decreased the need for farm labor. Industrial-scale cotton is the major commodity.…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Waterproof has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real. Home to 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
4 notable people were born here, including John Henry Johnson and Sharon Brown.
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