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Kentwood, Louisiana
Town of Kentwood
Kentwood residents observe a noontide Day of Prayer in front of the Town Hall in 2015
Kentwood residents observe a noontide Day of Prayer in front of the Town Hall in 2015
Motto(s): 
"The Foyer of Louisiana"
Location of Kentwood in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana.
Location of Kentwood in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana.
Location of Louisiana in the United States
Location of Louisiana in the United States
Country United States
State Louisiana
Parish Tangipahoa
Founded 1893
Area
 • Total 7.11 sq mi (18.42 km2)
 • Land 7.11 sq mi (18.42 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2)
Elevation
225 ft (69 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 2,145
 • Density 301.69/sq mi (116.48/km2)
Time zone UTC−06:00 (CST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−05:00 (CDT)
ZIP code
70444
Area code(s) 985
FIPS code 22-39545

Kentwood is a rural town in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, United States, near the Mississippi state line. The population was 2,198 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Hammond Micropolitan Statistical Area. Kentwood is best known as the hometown of singer Britney Spears.

History

Amos Kent assisted in laying out the town. The Postmaster named the town in honor of Kent on February 29, 1888.

On August 30, 2012, damage was caused by pressure on the 2,300 foot Percy Quin dam, a dam on the Tangipahoa River north of Kentwood, as a result of Hurricane Isaac, led to Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal calling for a mandatory evacuation of the town due to fears of large-scale flooding from Lake Tangipahoa. The evacuation order, which was amended twice, was later rescinded as the dam held. The lake was drawn down so repairs could be made.

The 490 acre Lake Tangipahoa, that opened in 1939 and located six miles south of McComb, Mississippi, was reopened in 2016. Repairs had been completed in 2014 and the lake restocked.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 6.9 square miles (18 km2), of which 6.9 square miles (18 km2) is land and 0.14% is water.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1900 1,313
1910 3,609 174.9%
1920 3,059 −15.2%
1930 1,726 −43.6%
1940 1,854 7.4%
1950 2,417 30.4%
1960 2,607 7.9%
1970 2,736 4.9%
1980 2,667 −2.5%
1990 2,468 −7.5%
2000 2,205 −10.7%
2010 2,198 −0.3%
2020 2,145 −2.4%
U.S. Decennial Census

2020 census

Kentwood racial composition
Race Number Percentage
White (non-Hispanic) 414 19.3%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 1,642 76.55%
Native American 1 0.05%
Asian 4 0.19%
Other/Mixed 60 2.8%
Hispanic or Latino 24 1.12%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,145 people, 771 households, and 421 families residing in the town.

Education

Tangipahoa Parish School Board operates public schools:

  • Kentwood High Magnet School (7-12)
  • O. W. Dillon Memorial Elementary School (K-6)
  • Chesbrough Elementary (K-5)
  • Spring Creek Elementary (K-5)
  • Jewel M. Sumner Middle and High School

Notable people

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Kentwood (Luisiana) para niños

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