Market Access

Highway

US Highways 84, 167
LA Highways 34, 124, 156, 499, 505, 1232

Freight Rail

Central Louisiana Gulf
Kansas City Southern
Midsouth Rail

Navigable Waterways/Ports (distance in miles)

Port of Lake Charles (deep)* - 150
Natchitoches Parish Port (shallow) - 35
*foreign trade zone

Airports (distance in miles)

Alexandria-Esler Regional (commercial) - 48
David G. Joyce Airport (local) - within parish

Motor Freight

5 major freight lines
Terminal facilities are not available

Distance to Major Cities, in miles from center of parish

Atlanta, GA - 570
Birmingham, AL - 450
Chicago, IL - 865
Cincinnati, OH - 790
Dallas, TX - 285
Denver, CO - 1,100
Houston, TX - 280
Kansas City, MO - 650
Memphis, TN - 320
Minneapolis, MN - 1,180
Nashville, TN - 520
New Orleans, LA - 260
St. Louis, MO - 565

Labor Market

Employment (August 2001)
Civilian Labor Force
Parish - 6,080 (100%)

Total Employment
Parish - 5,730 (94.3%)
State - 1,956,500 (95.2%)

Unemployment
Parish - 350 (5.7%)
Louisiana - 98,000 (4.8%)

Taxes

Sales Tax (2001)
State - 4%
Parish - 2.5%-4%
Winnfield - 1.5%
Total - 6.5%-8%
Parish Millage (1998)
Winnfield - 64.40
Ware 1,2,9 - 88.17
Ware 3, Sikes, Partial Ward 7 - 93.17
Ward 4, 7, Dodson - 108.17
Ward 5, 6, Atlanta - 118.17
Ward 8, Calvin, Ward 10 - 128.17

Property Taxes / Assessment Ratio

Only local and parish governments levy property taxes in Louisiana. There is no state tax.

Assessors are required by law to assess on improvements of industrial property at 15% of fair market value (land at 10%)

Private residences are assessed at 10% of fair market value. There is no property tax on the first $75,000.

Government

Parish - parish president / police jury
Municipal - mayor / council, mayor / alderman

Medical Services

Winn Parish Medical Center 60 beds
St. Francis Medical Center* 339 beds
E.A. Conway Medical Center* 247 beds
Glenwood Regional Medical Center* 259 beds
Rapides Regional Medical Center**
Cabrini Hospital**

*Located in nearby Ouachita Parish
** Located in Alexandria, in nearby Rapides Parish

Educational Institutions

Banking