Farmerville is located at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of, of which is land and is water.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,808 people, 1,366 households, and 932 families residing in the town. The population density was 691.7 people per square mile. There were 1,554 housing units at an average density of 282.3 per square mile. The racial makeup of the town was 34.03% White, 63.52% African American, 0.03% Native American, 0.68% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.23% from other races, and 0.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.71% of the population. There were 1,366 households out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.8% were married couples living together, 28.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.7% were non-families. 28.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.11. In the town, the population was spread out with 28.8% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 24.9% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.7 males. The median income for a household in the town was $23,598, and the median income for a family was $26,756. Males had a median income of $26,798 versus $19,250 for females. The per capita income for the town was $12,258. About 23.3% of families and 30.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 44.3% of those under age 18 and 27.5% of those age 65 or over.
As of 2013, Farmerville High School was renamed Union Parish High School.
Economy
The Pilgrim's Pridepoultry processing and protein conversion plant in Farmerville was slated for closure early in 2009, along with other company operations in nearby Arcadia in Bienville Parish, Athens in Claiborne Parish, and Choudrant in Union Parish. The closures impacted some 1,300 jobs in North Louisiana. Several weeks later, however, Pilgrim's Pride accepted an $80 million offer from Foster Farms of California to purchase the operations. In addition to the 1,300 direct jobs, the purchase spared the small farms of some three hundred independent growers. Foster Farms put up $40 million and the State of Louisiana a matching $40 million. Foster Farms will further invest $10 million in capital improvements at the Farmerville plant, to be matched by the state, in an agreement announced by GovernorBobby Jindal.
W. L. "Jack" Howard, five-term mayor of Monroe and partner of Howard Brothers Discount Stores, was born in the Rocky Branch community in 1921.
V. E. Howard, Church of Christ clergyman who founded the International Gospel Hour on radio, based in Texarkana, Texas; interred at Rocky Branch Cemetery
Jay McCallum, state court judge since 2003; state representative for Lincoln and Union parishes from 1992 to 2003.
B. R. Patton, state senator from Lincoln and Union parishes from 1956 to 1964; worked to establish Lake D'Arbonne
Fred Preaus, automobile dealer and timber businessman in Farmerville, state highway director, gubernatorial candidate in 1956
Robert Roberts Jr., Union Parish native, mayor of Farmerville c. 1900, mayor of Minden 1905-1906, state representative for Webster Parish 1908-1914, and state district judge 1920 to 1925
Don Shows, championship football coach, formerly at Farmerville High School
James Peyton Smith, state representative from Union and Morehouse parishes from 1964 to 1972; namesake of bridge over Lake D'Arbonne in Farmerville
