St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

St. Bernard Parish

Parish

Parish of St. Bernard

St. Bernard Parish Courthouse

Flag

Seal

Location within the U.S. state of Louisiana

Louisiana's location within the U.S.

Country

United States

State

Louisiana

Founded

March 31, 1807

Largest community

Chalmette

Area

• Total

2,158 sq mi (5,590 km²)

• Land

378 sq mi (980 km²)

• Water

1,781 sq mi (4,610 km²) 83%

Population

(2020)

• Total

43,764

• Density

115.78/sq mi (44.70/km²)

Time zone

UTC−6 (Central)

• Summer (DST)

UTC−5 (CDT)

Congressional district

1st

St. Bernard Parish (French: Paroisse de Saint-Bernard; Spanish: Parroquia de San Bernardo) is a parish in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat and largest community is Chalmette. The parish was formed in 1807. St. Bernard Parish is part of the New Orleans–Metairie metropolitan statistical area; the parish is located southeast of the city of New Orleans and comprises the Chandeleur Islands and Chandeleur Sound in the east.

St. Bernard was the fastest growing parish in Louisiana from 2010 to 2020, increasing from a population of 35,897 in the 2010 census to 43,764 in 2020. It remains at less than two-thirds of its 2000 population of 67,229, prior to Hurricane Katrina.

Geography
- Bodies of water
- State park
Demographics
Education
Notable people
Images for kids
See also

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of 2,158 square miles (5,590 km²), of which 378 square miles (980 km²) is land and 1,781 square miles (4,610 km²) (83%) is water. It is the second largest parish in Louisiana by total area and has the largest percentage of area in water of any parish.

Bodies of water

Lake Borgne (north)
Mississippi River (southwest)
Gulf of Mexico (east)

State park

St. Bernard State Park

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1810	1,020	—
1820	2,635	158.3%
1830	3,356	27.4%
1840	3,237	−3.5%
1850	3,802	17.5%
1860	4,076	7.2%
1870	3,553	−12.8%
1880	4,405	24.0%
1890	4,326	−1.8%
1900	5,031	16.3%
1910	5,277	4.9%
1920	4,968	−5.9%
1930	6,512	31.1%
1940	7,280	11.8%
1950	11,087	52.3%
1960	32,186	190.3%
1970	51,185	59.0%
1980	64,097	25.2%
1990	66,631	4.0%
2000	67,229	0.9%
2010	35,897	−46.6%
2020	43,764	21.9%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2013

St. Bernard Parish racial composition as of 2020
Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	23,165	52.93%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	11,370	25.98%
Native American	215	0.49%
Asian	972	2.22%
Pacific Islander	6	0.01%
Other/Mixed	2,026	4.63%
Hispanic or Latino	6,010	13.73%

The 2019 American Community Survey determined 46,266 people and 15,005 households lived in the parish. At the 2020 census, there were 43,764 people, down from the prior census estimates yet up from 2010's 35,897 people. The racial and ethnic makeup of the parish was 69.4% non-Hispanic white, 23.3% Black and African American, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.5% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, 2.0% some other race, and 2.4% from two or more races in 2019; an estimated 10.1% of the population were Hispanic and Latino American of any race in 2019. In 2020, the racial and ethnic composition was 52.93% non-Hispanic white, 25.98% Black or African American, 0.49% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.22% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 4.63% two or more races, and 13.73% Hispanic and Latino American of any race, reflecting the trend of diversification in the U.S.

Of the population, 90.7% spoke English at home, 5.5% Spanish, 1.6% other Indo-European languages, 1.6% Asian and Pacific Islander languages, and 0.7% other languages in 2019.

Among the 15,005 households, the median age was 34.2. Approximately 73.2% of the population were aged 18 and older, 7.4% under 5 years of age, and 11.1% aged 65 and older. The parish population was spread out in 17,035 housing units and there was a home-ownership rate of 67.7% compared to 64.0% nationwide from 2015 to 2019. The median housing value was $151,300, and median gross rent was $951. There was a median household income of $44,661; males had a median income of $48,252 versus $33,302 for females. An estimated 26.2% of the parish lived at or below the poverty line.

Education

Public schools in the parish are operated by the St. Bernard Parish Public Schools agency.

Due to Hurricane Katrina, the parish's 20 plus public schools were consolidated as one school, the St. Bernard Unified School, or SBUS. St. Bernard Unified School broke up into several different schools in the 2006–2007 school year.

The parish is served by Nunez Community College.

Additionally Delgado Community College states that its Sidney Collier Campus in East New Orleans is in proximity to St. Bernard Parish.

St. Bernard Parish also has only one Catholic school, Our Lady of Prompt Succor of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans. There is also one private Montessori school, Classique Academy.

Notable people

Renato Beluche
P. G. T. Beauregard
Walter Boasso
A. G. Crowe
Chris Dier
Albert Estopinal
Ray Garofalo
Samuel B. Nunez Jr.
Kenneth L. Odinet Sr.
Leander Perez
François Marie, Chevalier de Reggio
Edward Ripoll
Mitchell Robinson
Junior Rodriguez
Jean Saint Malo
Elmer R. Tapper
Jacques Villeré
Norris Weese
Tommy Wiseau

Images for kids

Kenilworth Plantation House (originally Bienvenu) in St. Bernard's Terre aux Boeufs dates back to the 1750s.
An Army Corps Photo of the levee at Caernarvon being dynamited during the floods of 1927.
"Involuntary Demolition" notice, posted on buildings in St. Bernard Parish when there has been no significant effort to gut, secure, or repair the building over a year after Hurricane Katrina.
Map of St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana With Municipal Labels
Historic place names in St. Bernard Parish

St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana facts for kids

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