Demographics
The combined population for the nine parishes that make up the Cenla region reached an estimated 346,000 people in 2008. This represents a very modest population gain of 0.2% since 2000. As exhibited in the table below, four out of the nine parishes lost population. Both Vernon and Winn lost portions of their populations to other areas around the country.
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Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Cenla
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2008
Population
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Population Change,
2000-2008
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Percent Change, 2000-2008
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Louisiana
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4,487,830
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-58,172
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-1.3%
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Cenla
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346,307
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641
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0.2%
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Allen
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25,635
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195
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0.8%
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Avoyelles
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42,360
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875
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2.1%
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Catahoula
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10,522
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(398)
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-3.6%
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Grant
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19,974
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1,278
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6.8%
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La Salle
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14,062
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(220)
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-1.5%
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Natchitoches
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39,576
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490
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1.3%
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Rapides
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133,131
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6,792
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5.4%
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Vernon
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45,639
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(6,885)
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-13.1%
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Winn
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15,408
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(1,486)
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-8.8%
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Source: Population Division, U.S. Census Bureau
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In addition to domestic migration, many of the residents of Vernon also moved to foreign lands. Migration to other areas was the primary reason for change in population among most of the Cenla parishes. Allen, Avoyelles, Natchitoches, and Rapides had population changes increased or decreased as a result of natural effects (births and deaths)(1) 
A little less than a third of the Cenla population is nonwhite. Greater representations of diversity appear in Avoyelles, Natchitoches, Rapides, and Winn. These parish populations have a greater share of other ethnicities than the region as a whole. Forty-three percent of Natchitoches Parish is estimated to be nonwhite, predominantly African American.
(1) Components of population change (i.e. migration and natural increase) are from the Population Division, U.S. Census Bureau.