ASHLAND, LOUISIANA

'Ashland' is a village in the northernmost portion of Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 291 at the 2000 census. State Highways 153 and 155 intersect as they pass through Ashland. Highway 153 extends northward to Castor and southward to Campti, and Highway 155 proceeds westward toward Martin and Coushatta, the seat of neighboring Red River Parish.
There are no businesses in Ashland. There is a convenience store just north of the Natchitoches Parish line inside Bienville Parish.
The former Ashland High School closed in 1981 as a result of parish school consolidation. Graduates of Ashland High School still hold class reunions. The private Ashland Community School operated for another decade before it too closed. Children in Ashland attend public schools in Campti. The former school building has been dismantled and replaced with a fire station.
There is an Ashland Baptist Church and a Masonic lodge hall in the village.
The village has two cemeteries. The larger Ramah Cemetery is south on Highway 153. The Hathorn Cemetery is west on Highway 155.

Contents

Geography

Demographics

Geography

Ashland is located at (32.116429, -93.114751).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 70.2 km² (27.1 mi²). 70.2 km² (27.1 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it (0.07%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 291 people, 121 households, and 87 families residing in the village. The population density was 4.1/km² (10.7/mi²). There were 149 housing units at an average density of 2.1/km² (5.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the village was 86.60% White, 10.31% African American, 2.41% Native American and 0.69% Asian. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.72% of the population.
There were 121 households out of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.0% were married couples living together, 14.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.3% were non-families. 25.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the village the population was spread out with 21.3% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 98.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.2 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $23,438, and the median income for a family was $31,875. Males had a median income of $27,083 versus $23,750 for females. The per capita income for the village was $12,652. About 33.7% of families and 32.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 38.1% of those under the age of eighteen and 30.4% of those sixty five or over.