East Carroll Parish is a parish in Louisiana, United States, on the Mississippi River at the state’s northeastern corner. It had a population of 7,459 at the 2020 census and covers 421 square miles (1,090 km2) of land centred near 32°44′N 91°14′W.
Lake Providence is the parish seat and its postal code is 71254. The parish has one incorporated municipality and several unincorporated communities, and sits in the Central time zone (FIPS code 22035).
Towns & Villages in East Carroll Parish
East Carroll Parish has one incorporated town and a handful of small unincorporated communities scattered along the Mississippi River bluff and the surrounding farmland. Unincorp. = unincorporated community with no municipal government.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Providence | Town · seat | 3,199 | 71254 |
| Transylvania | Unincorp. | — | 71286 |
| Sondheimer | Unincorp. | — | 71276 |
| Alsatia | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Gassoway | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Millikin | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shelburn | Unincorp. | — | — |
Lake Providence is the only incorporated place; the rest of the parish is unincorporated farmland and river-bottom communities served by the parish government from Lake Providence.
ZIP Codes
- 71254 — Lake Providence (also serves Alsatia, Gassoway, Millikin and Shelburn)
- 71286 — Transylvania
- 71276 — Sondheimer
Most of the parish’s smaller communities have no post office of their own and use the Lake Providence ZIP for mail.
Geography
East Carroll Parish lies on the Mississippi River’s western bank at the top of Louisiana, part of the flat Delta cotton country known locally as the Tensas Basin. Lake Providence, the town, sits beside an oxbow lake of the same name left behind when the river shifted course. Roughly 4.9 percent of the parish is water. The parish borders Warren County, Mississippi to the southeast across the river, Chicot County, Arkansas to the north, Issaquena County, Mississippi to the east, Madison Parish to the south, Richland Parish to the southwest, and West Carroll Parish to the west.
Demographics
The parish had 7,459 residents at the 2020 census. Lake Providence is by far the largest community, holding roughly 90 percent of the parish’s population; Transylvania and Sondheimer are the next-largest named places, each with only a few hundred residents. East Carroll’s median household income runs well below the Louisiana median of $58,229 — it is consistently one of the poorest parishes in the state. Population density is about 17.7 people per square mile.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture dominates the local economy: about 74 percent of the parish’s land is farmed, mainly cotton, soybeans, corn and catfish aquaculture ponds. Lake Providence’s downtown and the oxbow lake waterfront are the parish’s civic center; East Carroll Parish Hospital and the East Carroll Parish School Board are among the largest local employers.
History
East Carroll Parish was created on March 26, 1877, when the old Carroll Parish was split into East and West Carroll. It is named for Charles Carroll of Carrollton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Before the Civil War the area was cotton-plantation country worked by enslaved labor; Lake Providence was a Union Army staging point during the 1863 Vicksburg campaign, when Grant’s engineers dug a canal there attempting to bypass Confederate river defenses.
Getting There
U.S. Highway 65 runs the length of the parish along the river, and Louisiana Highway 2 crosses it east-west.
- Vicksburg, Mississippi — 30 miles southeast
- Monroe, Louisiana — 65 miles southwest
- Greenville, Mississippi — 35 miles northeast
The nearest commercial air service is Monroe Regional Airport (MLU), about 65 miles southwest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is East Carroll Parish?
It is in the northeastern corner of Louisiana, on the Mississippi River across from Mississippi and just south of Arkansas.
What is the population of East Carroll Parish?
7,459 at the 2020 census.
How big is East Carroll Parish?
421 square miles (1,090 km2) of land.
What is the East Carroll Parish seat?
Lake Providence is the county seat.
How many towns are in East Carroll Parish?
One incorporated town, Lake Providence, plus several unincorporated communities including Transylvania, Sondheimer and Alsatia.
What ZIP codes are in East Carroll Parish?
71254 (Lake Providence), 71286 (Transylvania) and 71276 (Sondheimer).
Why is East Carroll Parish called that?
It is named for Charles Carroll of Carrollton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and was split from the original Carroll Parish in 1877.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Louisiana.