St. James Parish, Louisiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
St. James Parish
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| Parish of St. James | ||
Oak Alley Plantation Mansion.
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Location within the U.S. state of Louisiana
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 Louisiana's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Louisiana |
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| Founded | March 31, 1807 | |
| Named for | St. James | |
| Seat | Convent | |
| Largest town | Lutcher | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 258 sq mi (670 km2) | |
| • Land | 242 sq mi (630 km2) | |
| • Water | 16 sq mi (40 km2) 6.4% | |
| Population | ||
| • Total | 20,192 | |
| • Density | 78.26/sq mi (30.22/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) | |
| Congressional district | 2nd | |
St. James Parish (French: Paroisse de Saint-Jacques) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Convent. The parish was created in 1807. St. James Parish is a part of the New Orleans–Metairie, Louisiana metropolitan statistical area, sitting between New Orleans and Baton Rouge on the Mississippi River. According to the 2020 United States census, the population was 20,192.
It is perhaps best known for being located within Cancer Alley, and as the home base of Goldman Environmental Prize-winning environmental activist Sharon Lavigne.
Contents
Economy
Approximately 85% percent of reported air pollution in the parish is produced by industries located in primarily black census districts, Convent and Uncle Sam and the town of St James. These include the Shell Convent Refinery, an Occidental Chemical Factory, American Styrenics, and Mosaic Fertilizer.
Formosa Plastic Group plans to build a $9.4 billion petrochemical plant in the parish. The plant's property includes a grave of enslaved people, and is being built on the site of a plantation. The site has become a site of environmental justice protest for both the lack of addressing the historical relationship to the land and due to the expected rise in pollution due to the plant.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1820 | 5,660 | — | |
| 1830 | 7,146 | 26.3% | |
| 1840 | 8,548 | 19.6% | |
| 1850 | 11,098 | 29.8% | |
| 1860 | 11,499 | 3.6% | |
| 1870 | 10,152 | −11.7% | |
| 1880 | 14,714 | 44.9% | |
| 1890 | 15,715 | 6.8% | |
| 1900 | 20,197 | 28.5% | |
| 1910 | 23,009 | 13.9% | |
| 1920 | 21,228 | −7.7% | |
| 1930 | 15,338 | −27.7% | |
| 1940 | 16,596 | 8.2% | |
| 1950 | 15,334 | −7.6% | |
| 1960 | 18,369 | 19.8% | |
| 1970 | 19,733 | 7.4% | |
| 1980 | 21,495 | 8.9% | |
| 1990 | 20,879 | −2.9% | |
| 2000 | 21,216 | 1.6% | |
| 2010 | 22,102 | 4.2% | |
| 2020 | 20,192 | −8.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2013 |
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| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 9,917 | 49.11% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 9,486 | 46.98% |
| Native American | 28 | 0.14% |
| Asian | 28 | 0.14% |
| Other/Mixed | 390 | 1.93% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 343 | 1.7% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 20,192 people, 7,719 households, and 5,732 families residing in the parish. Its racial and ethnic makeup in 2020 was 49.11% non-Hispanic white, 46.98% Black and African American, 0.145 Native American, 0.14% Asian, 1.93% other or mixed race, and 1.7% Hispanic or Latin American of any race. In 2019, the racial and ethnic makeup was 48.2% non-Hispanic white, 49.6% Black and African American, 0.2% Asian, 0.4% two or more races, and 1.7% Hispanic or Latin American of any race. At the 2010 census, the racial and ethnic composition of the parish was 50.6% Black or African American, 48.0% White, 0.2% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.4% of some other race and 0.7% of two or more races. 1.2% were Hispanic or Latin American (of any race). An estimated 15.2% of the parish were of French ancestry at the 2019 census estimates. In 2000, 93.78% of the population spoke only English at home, while 4.97% spoke French or Cajun French .
There were 7,719 households and 8,919 housing units in 2019, and the median household income was $51,603; the median housing value was $158,500 and the median rent was $644. From 2015 to 2019, the parish had a poverty rate of 17.0%. In 2000, the median income for a household in the parish was $35,277, and the median income for a family was $41,751. Males had a median income of $37,487 versus $21,712 for females. The per capita income for the parish was $14,381. 20.70% of the population and 18.00% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 27.70% are under the age of 18 and 15.10% are 65 or older.
Education
St. James Parish Public Schools serves all of St. James Parish.
Images for kids
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Map of St. James Parish, Louisiana With Municipal Labels
See also
In Spanish: Parroquia de St. James para niños
