Bossier Parish (;) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2010 census, the population was 116,979. The parish seat is Benton. The principal city is Bossier City, which is located east of the Red River from Shreveport, the seat of Caddo Parish. The parish was formed in 1843 from the western portion of Claiborne Parish.