Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Natchitoches
No data center or power plant project is on record in Natchitoches Parish, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Natchitoches Parish is home to Natchitoches, Campti and Provencal. Construction employs 502, up 21.3% since 2019. Unemployment was 5.1% in August 2026, against 6.8% in 2019. Next door, Sabine Parish has 220 MW of planned generation. Employers here counted 14,060 jobs in 2025, up 5.7% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Natchitoches Parish
Natchitoches Parish is home to Natchitoches, Campti and Provencal.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Marthaville, Point Place, Vienna Bend.
Residents are 2025 Census estimates for the part of each city, town or township inside this county. Census publishes no annual estimate for unincorporated communities.
What changed in Natchitoches Parish
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Louisiana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 37,400 | 36,089 | ▼ 3.5% | 30th of 64 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 13,297 | 14,060 | ▲ 5.7% | 16th of 64 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,483 | $47,173 | ▲ 29.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 414 | 502 | ▲ 21.3% | 18th of 43 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.8% | 5.1% | ▼ 1.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 79 MW of capacity, 100% of it other technologies. Entergy Louisiana LLC is the largest utility serving Natchitoches Parish, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.05¢/kWh in 2024, below the 11.88¢ median for Louisiana utilities. 36,089 people live here, down 3.5% since 2020.
Who powers Natchitoches Parish
Utilities with service territory in Natchitoches Parish
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entergy Louisiana LLC | Investor Owned | Bundled | 957,522 | 11.05¢ | 20% |
| Cleco Power LLC | Investor Owned | Bundled | 251,927 | 12.33¢ | 32% |
| Southwestern Electric Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 207,011 | 13.46¢ | 36% |
| City of Natchitoches | Municipal | Bundled | 7,234 | 9.25¢ | 40% |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
Operating power plants 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Other technologies | 79 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| International Paper Red River Mill | Red River Mill Intl Paper Company | Other technologies | 79 MW | 2008 |
The Natchitoches Parish labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 14,060 | $47,173 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 502 | $52,036 | 0.67 |
Concentration is the BLS location quotient: 1.0 means the industry holds the same share of local jobs as it does nationally. Industry rows count private employers; cells BLS suppresses are left out.
Data centers and local rules in Natchitoches Parish
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Natchitoches Parish. Louisiana has 3 local measures on record statewide.
Natchitoches Parish and its neighbors
Of the 8 counties that border Natchitoches Parish, Rapides Parish carries the most build-out activity: data centers, planned generation and operating plants combined.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natchitoches Parish | 36,089 | ▲ 5.7% | 79 MW | — | — | — |
| Bienville Parish | 12,269 | ▼ 6.0% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| De Soto Parish | 27,381 | ▲ 23.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Grant Parish | 22,075 | ▼ 0.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Rapides Parish | 125,877 | ▲ 0.4% | 1,772 MW | 49 MW | — | — |
| Red River Parish | 7,165 | ● 0.0% | 21 MW | — | — | — |
| Sabine Parish | 21,834 | ▼ 0.4% | — | 220 MW | — | — |
| Vernon Parish | 45,091 | ▼ 1.3% | 10 MW | — | — | — |
| Winn Parish | 14,961 | ▼ 1.6% | — | — | — | — |
More of Louisiana
Natchitoches Parish, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana?
4 utilities have service territory in Natchitoches Parish in the EIA-861 2024 report: Entergy Louisiana LLC, Cleco Power LLC, Southwestern Electric Power Co, City of Natchitoches. The largest, Entergy Louisiana LLC, charged residential customers 11.05¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Natchitoches, LA in?
Natchitoches is in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana. About 17,146 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Natchitoches Parish?
1 operating plant with 79 MW of capacity. The largest is International Paper Red River Mill (79 MW, other technologies).
Are there data centers in Natchitoches Parish?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Natchitoches Parish. The nearest activity on record is next door in Sabine Parish.
Is Natchitoches Parish adding jobs?
Employers counted 14,060 jobs in 2025 against 13,297 in 2019 (+5.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 414 to 502.
Does Natchitoches Parish have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Natchitoches Parish. Louisiana has 3 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.