The first part of this story about Louisiana’s parishes was focused on their origins through a governmental and political sense. But at the core, parishes are fundamentally defined by the physical land.

The second part of the story was a deep dive breakdowns of Louisiana’s regions and parishes by total area.

As of 2025, Louisiana’s physical footprint comprises approximately 52,380 square miles of total area.

Largest Three Regions

Three of Louisiana’s regions account for an oversized share of the state’s total area. The Northwest, Central and Northeast regions constitute much of what can be described as North Louisiana and account for 22,196 square miles (42%) of the state’s total area. But the three regions’ geographic profiles, in terms of water share, vary drastically from those in South Louisiana.

Northwest

The Northwest regions is made up of 13 parishes, with a collective area of 7,616 square miles. Only 355 square miles of that overall footprint consists of water.

Sabine parish, which hugs the Louisiana-Texas border and is southernmost parish in the Northwest regions contains the most water. It’s the second largest overall, with a 1,012 square mile footprint. Fourteen percent of that area is water and the parish accounts for 41% of the Northwest’s overall water area.
Caddo parish is the Northwest’s region second largest jurisdiction, with 937 square miles of total area. Six percent of the parish is water and Caddo’s water represents 16% of all of the region’s water area. The parish sits in the state’s furthest northwest corner and hugs both the Arkansas and Texas borders.
Natchitoches parish immediately borders Sabine parish to the east and is the Northwest’s largest jurisdiction with 1,299 square miles of total area. Approximately 4% of the parish is made up of water and it accounts for 13% of the region’s total water area.
Bossier parish immediately borders Caddo parish to the east and has a total area footprint of 867 square miles. Three percent of Bossier parish’s overall area is made up of water and that represents 8% of all water in the Northwest region.
The Northwest region’s remaining five parishes account for 22% of overall water area.

Central

Louisiana’s Central region is made up of eight parishes. It’s the second largest region in the state with 7,339 square miles of total area but only 239 square miles of that is water.

Rapides parish sits almost in the dead center of Louisiana. It’s the Central region’s largest jurisdiction with 1,362 square miles of total area. Approximately 3% of the parish’s total area is made up of water but that portion accounts for 18% of the Central region’s total water footprint.
Vernon parish occupies the Central region’s most southern and western corner. It is bordered by Sabine parish (14% water) to the north, Rapides parish (3% water to the east and Louisiana’s Southwest region to the south. It’s the second largest jurisdiction in the region, with 1,342 square miles of total area. Approximately 1% of that total area is water.

The Central region’s smaller parishes are where the bulk of the water can be found.

Concordia parish’s total area footprint is 747 square miles. Seven percent of that is water and the parish accounts for 21% of the region’s overall water area.
LaSalle parish’s total area footprint is 663 square miles. Six percent of that is water and the parish accounts for 16% of the region’s overall water area.
Avoyelles parish’s total area footprint is 865 square miles. Four percent of that is water and the parish acocunts for 14% of the region’s overall water area.

The Central regions remaining three parishes represent 31% of all water area.

Northeast

Louisiana’s Northeast region is made up of 7,241 square miles of total area. It’s the third largest region in the state, accounting for 13% of Louisiana’s overall area. Twelve parishes fall within the region’s footprint and collectively, they contain 190 square miles of water area.

Tensas parish is the jurisdiction with the largest share of water. Six percent of Tensas’ 641 square miles of total are consists of water. That 6% translates to 20% of the region’s overall water footprint.
Only 3% of Union parish’s 905 square mile area is water. But that small sliver represents 15% of the Northeast region’s total water area. The jurisdiction is an outlier, int terms of its geographic position in the region. It’s one of the state’s northernmost parish shares a long northern border with Arkansas. The other three parishes that stand out in terms of water share are all located along the region and state’s eastern border.
Madison parish’s water area accounts for 14% of the region’s gross water area. The parish has a total area of 650 square miles and 4% of that is water.
East Carroll parish is one of the smallest jurisdictions in the Northeast region, with only 443 square miles of total area. Five percent of the parish’s area is water and that share represents 12% of the region’s overall water footprint.

Middle Four Regions

Four of Louisiana’s regions account for 44% of the state’s total area. The River Parishes, Acadiana, New Orleans Core and Southwest regions constitute much of what can be described as South Louisiana. They account for much of the state’s water share.

River Parishes

The River Parishes regions is made up of seven parishes and a total area of 6.055 square miles. Thirty-five percent, 2,129 square miles, of that overall footprint is water.

Terrebonne parish os one of the state’s most southernmost jurisdictions. From a big picture perspective, it is massive with 2,082 square miles of total area. Forty-one percent of that footprint consists of water and that translates to 40% of the River Parishes region’s overall water share.
St. Mary parish is the third largest parish in the River Parishes region. It has 1,119 square miles of total area and 50% of that is water. The jurisdiction represents 26% of the region’s total water area.
Lafourche parish is the second largest parish in the region, with 1,474 square miles of total area. Twenty-eight percent of the parish’s footprint is water and that portion accounts for 19% of the region’s total water footprint.
St. John the Baptist parish only has 348 square miles of total area. Thirty-nine percent of that footprint is made up of water and the parish’s water represents 6% of the region’s share. The jurisdiction stands out from Terrebonne, St. Mary and Lafourche as being one of the region’s northernmost parishes.

Acadiana

The Acadiana region is comprised of 5,934 square miles of total area and seven parishes. There are 938 square miles of water area.

Iberia parish is the second largest jurisdiction in the Acadiana region. It’s made up of 1,030 square miles of total are and 44% of that is water. Iberia’s water represents 49% of the region’s overall water footprint.
Vermillion parish is the largest jurisdiction in the Acadaiana region with an overall fottprint of 1,542 square miles. Twenty-four percent of that is water and the parish’s share represents 39% of all water in the Acadiana region. Both Iberia and Vermillion parishes sit in the southernmost portion of the region and state.
St. Martin parish is entirely inland and has a total area of 817 square miles. Ten percent of that area consists of water and the parish’s water accounts for 8% of Acadiana’s water.
Evangeline parish is the Acadiana region’s most northern jurisdiction. It’s total area is 679 square miles. Three percent of that is water and that small portion represents 1.8% of the region’s total water area.

St. Landry, Acadia and Lafayette parish account for the remaining 1.9% of the Acadiana region’s water area.

New Orleans Core

There are four parishes located in the New Orleans Core region. Those parishes are comprised of 5,739 square miles, in total area. Within that overall footprint, 72%, 4,118 square miles, is water.

Plaquemines parish is the largest jurisdiction in the New Orleans Core region, with 2,567 square miles of total area. Seventy percent of that is water and the parish’s water accounts for 43% of all water in the New Orleans Core region.
St. Bernard parish is the second largest jurisdiction in the region, with 2,159 square miles of total area. the vast majority of the parish’s overall footprint, 82%, is water. It is roughly equivalent to Plaquemine’s share of the New Orleans Core region’s water share.
Jefferson parish’s overall footprint is 666 square miles and 56% of that is water. The jurisdiction represents 9% of all water in the region.
Orleans’ parish accounts for approximately 4.4% of the region’s water footprint. Fifty-two percent of its total 349 square miles is water.

Southwest

Louisiana’s Southwest region is made up of five parishes and 5,622 square miles of total area. Twelve percent, or 703 square miles of that is water.

Cameron parish is the largest jurisdiction in the Southwest region with 1,937 square miles of total area. Thirty-four percent of that area is water and the parish’s water accounts for a drastic 93% of the region’s total water footprint. The parish makes up the region’s most southernmost tip and is border by teas to the west, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Calcasieu/Jefferson Davis parishes to the north and the Acadiana region’s Vermillion parish to the east.
Calcasieu parish is comprised of 1,095 square miles of total area and 3% of that is water.
Jefferson Davis, Beauregard and Allen parishes all have 1% or less of their total area accounted for by water.

Smallest Two Regions

Two of Louisiana’s regions account for only 13% of the state’s total area. The Baton Rouge Core and North Shore regions constitute much of the state’s historical Florida territory.

North Shore

Louisiana’s North Shore region is made up of five parishes and 3,735 square miles of total area. 373 square miles, (10%) of that area is water.

St. Tammany parish is the largest jurisdiction in the North Shore regions by a wide margin. Its total area is 1,125 square miles and 25% of that is water. The parish’s water represents 75% of the region’s overall share.
Eight percent of Livingston parish’s 703 square miles of total area is water. That portion translates to 15% of the region’s overall water footprint.
Approximately 4% of Tangipahoa’s 823 square mile footprint is water. That portion translates to 9% of the North Shore region’s overall water footprint.
One percent or less of Washington and St. Helena parishes’ total footprints are made up of water.

Baton Rouge Core

There are seven parishes and 3,103 square miles of total area in Louisiana’s Baton Rouge Core region. Of that, only 131 square miles, (4%), is water.

Iberville parish’s total footprint is 653 square miles and 5% of that is water. The parish’s water represents 26% of the region’s total water footprint.
Pointe Coupee parish’s total footprint is 590 square miles and 6% of that is water. The parish’s water represents 25% of the region’s total water footprint.
West Feliciana parish’s total footprint is 426 square miles and 5% of that is water. The parish’s water represents 18% of the region’s total water footprint.
East Baton Rouge parish’s total footprint is 470 square miles and 3% of that is water. The parish’s water represents 11% of the region’s total water footprint.
West Baton Rouge, Ascension and East Feliciana parish’s account for the Baton Rouge Core region’s remaining 20% of water area.

Louisiana Parishes: Land vs. Water