Livingston Parish, Louisiana

Livingston Parish (Louisiana French: La Paroisse Livingston) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. Livingston Parish is known as one of the eight Florida Parishes, a region of Louisiana that was bought from Spanish Florida, and created the modern day state borders.

Livingston Parish
Parish
Livingston Parish Courthouse in Livingston
Nickname(s): 
The L.P.
Location within the U.S. state of Louisiana
Louisiana's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 30°26′N 90°44′W
Country United States
State Louisiana
FoundedFebruary 10, 1832
Named forEdward Livingston
SeatLivingston
Largest cityDenham Springs
Area
 • Total703 sq mi (1,820 km2)
 • Land648 sq mi (1,680 km2)
 • Water55 sq mi (140 km2)  7.8%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total142,282
 • Density200/sq mi (78/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district6th
Websitewww.livingstonparishla.gov

It is widely accepted that the name Livingston is an eponym honoring Edward Livingston, a prominent American and Louisianan, a jurist and statesman who assisted in the drafting of the Louisiana Civil Code of 1825.[1]

Livingston Parish is part of the Baton Rouge metropolitan statistical area. At the 2010 census, the population was 128,026;[2] the 2019 American Community Survey estimated its population was 138,928.[3] The 2020 census tabulated an increase at 142,282.[4]

Its parish seat is located in the town of Livingston.[5] Livingston Parish is also part of Louisiana's 6th Congressional District.

History

Livingston Parish was created by the state legislature in 1832 from part of St. Helena Parish. The historical parish seats were Van Buren (1832–1835), Springfield (1835–1872), Port Vincent (1872–1881), and Centerville (1881–1941). Livingston became the seat of government in 1941.[6]

During the 2016 Louisiana floods, Livingston Parish was one of the hardest hit areas. An official estimated that 75 percent of the homes in the parish were a total loss.[7]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of 703 square miles (1,820 km2), of which 648 square miles (1,680 km2) is land and 55 square miles (140 km2) (7.8%) is water.[8]

Major highways

State park

Adjacent parishes

Communities

Cities

Towns

Villages

Census-designated place

Unincorporated communities

Historic communities

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18402,315—
18503,38546.2%
18604,43130.9%
18704,026−9.1%
18805,25830.6%
18905,7699.7%
19008,10040.4%
191010,62731.2%
192011,6439.6%
193018,20656.4%
194017,790−2.3%
195020,05412.7%
196026,97434.5%
197036,51135.4%
198058,80661.1%
199070,52619.9%
200091,81430.2%
2010128,02639.4%
2020142,28211.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]

2000 census

At the 2000 United States census,[10] there were 91,814 people, 32,630 households, and 25,549 families residing in the parish. The population density was 142 people per square mile (55/km2). There were 36,212 housing units at an average density of 56 per square mile (22/km2). The racial makeup of the parish was 94.35% White, 4.22% Black or African American, 0.36% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races, and 0.68% from two or more races; 1.11% of the population were Hispanic or Latin American of any race.

There were 32,630 households, out of which 41.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.10% were married couples living together, 10.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.70% were non-families. 18.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.17.

In the parish the population was spread out, with 29.50% under the age of 18, 9.10% from 18 to 24, 31.50% from 25 to 44, 21.40% from 45 to 64, and 8.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.50 males.

The median income for a household in the parish was $38,887, and the median income for a family was $44,071. Males had a median income of $36,508 versus $22,325 for females. The per capita income for the parish was $16,282. As of August 2001, about 43,800 people were employed in the parish. The unemployment rate was 4.8%. About 9.10% of families and 11.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.70% of those under age 18 and 15.80% of those age 65 or over.

Hurricane Katrina had a dramatic effect on the population in Livingston Parish. Many displaced families of the affected parishes have moved into the area and as a result, the population of the parish has increased significantly. On June 6, 2007, the U.S. Census Bureau published a report "Special Population Estimates for Impacted Counties in the Gulf Coast Area" which showed a population increase for Livingston Parish to 111,863 as of January 1, 2006.[11]

2019 ACS

The 2019 American Community Survey estimated 138,928 people and 48,410 households lived in the parish, up from 128,026 at the 2010 United States census.[3] Its racial and ethnic makeup was 90.3% non-Hispanic white, 6.0% Black and African American, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% Asian alone, 0.8% some other race, 1.8% two or more races, and 3.7% Hispanic or Latin American of any race.

Among the population in 2019, 74.1% were aged 18 and older, 6.6% aged 5 and under, and 12.9% aged 65 and older. The median age was 36.6, and 2.2% of the population were foreign born.

An estimated 10,280 businesses were established in the parish, and 1,105 were minority-owned firms. Of the population, 59.3% were employed in the parish and 81.8% owned housing units. The median house value was $167,100, and the median gross rent from 2015 to 2019 was $934. The median household income was $63,389 and 15.2% of the parish lived at or below the poverty line.

2020 census
Livingston Parish racial composition[12]
Race Number Percentage
White (non-Hispanic) 114,876 80.74%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 11,178 7.86%
Native American 365 0.26%
Asian 1,116 0.78%
Pacific Islander 36 0.03%
Other/Mixed 5,920 4.16%
Hispanic or Latino 8,791 6.18%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 142,282 people, 47,014 households, and 32,840 families residing in the parish.

Economy

Livingston Parish is home of one of two installations for the gravitational wave observatory (LIGO) which is a facility dedicated to the detection of cosmic gravitational waves for scientific research.[13] As of January 2015, Livingston Parish was Louisiana's fastest-growing parish.[14]

Education

The Livingston Parish Public Schools operates all public schools in the parish. The parish in the service area of Baton Rouge Community College.[15]

Law and government
Scott M. Perrilloux is the district attorney for the 21st judicial district of Louisiana, comprising the parishes of Livingston, St. Helena, and Tangipahoa.

Livingston Parish is a Council-President parish governed by a Home Rule Charter and enforced by a Parish Council and Parish President. The Parish President is the head of the executive branch of government, and the Parish Council comprises the legislative branch.[16]

Livingston Parish is divided into nine council districts. The borders of each district are drawn to even out the population in each district.

At the end of 2014, the construction of a new Livingston Parish Courthouse was completed, with the ribbon-cutting scheduled for mid-February 2015. The new facility contains over 100,000 square feet of governmental office space; it replaces an antiquated complex dating back more than seventy years.[14]

Together with the parishes of St. Helena and Tangipahoa, Livingston Parish forms Louisiana's 21st judicial district.

Politics

In its early history, Livingston Parish was “Solid South” Democratic, although it demonstrated Piney Woods voting behavior in 1928 when it was Herbert Hoover’s best parish in Louisiana. Like other parishes in the Baton Rouge metropolitan area, Livingston remained loyal to Harry S. Truman in 1948 and to Adlai Stevenson II in 1956 when Louisiana’s electoral votes went to Strom Thurmond and Dwight D. Eisenhower respectively. Barry Goldwater became the first Republican to win the parish in 1964, and in recent years, Livingston Parish has been one of the most Republican parishes in Louisiana, and one of the most Republican county-equivalents in the nation. It has gone Republican in every presidential election since 1984. In the 2004 election, George W. Bush received 33,976 votes, or 77% of the parish’s total, more than three times the 9,895 votes (22%) his opponent, John Kerry, received.[17] The Republicans fared better still in the 2008 election, in which John McCain received 43,269 votes (85% of the total) to just 6,681 votes (13%) for Democrat Barack Obama.

Presidential elections results
Presidential elections results[17]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2020 84.1% 54,877 14.2% 9,249 1.7% 1,104
2016 84.6% 48,824 12.0% 6,950 3.4% 1,956
2012 84.2% 45,513 13.8% 7,451 2.0% 1,098
2008 85.0% 43,269 13.1% 6,681 1.9% 942
2004 76.8% 33,976 22.4% 9,895 0.9% 382
2000 67.5% 24,889 29.9% 11,008 2.6% 968
1996 47.4% 16,159 38.9% 13,276 13.7% 4,660
1992 47.1% 14,808 36.6% 11,499 16.3% 5,114
1988 61.3% 15,779 37.5% 9,659 1.2% 305
1984 65.7% 17,465 33.5% 8,913 0.8% 198
1980 47.2% 10,666 50.1% 11,319 2.8% 624
1976 35.0% 5,555 62.1% 9,875 2.9% 465
1972 73.0% 7,481 18.5% 1,898 8.5% 874
1968 7.7% 947 11.4% 1,400 80.9% 9,907
1964 61.1% 5,508 38.9% 3,509
1960 14.4% 954 43.5% 2,881 42.1% 2,793
1956 37.2% 1,628 58.8% 2,571 4.0% 173
1952 28.6% 1,436 71.4% 3,578
1948 7.6% 264 53.0% 1,841 39.4% 1,366
1944 12.2% 343 87.8% 2,460
1940 7.8% 252 92.2% 2,971
1936 17.0% 496 83.0% 2,414
1932 4.4% 89 95.6% 1,953
1928 48.2% 975 51.8% 1,047
1924 14.3% 110 85.7% 657
1920 24.4% 218 75.5% 674 0.1% 1
1916 6.3% 35 90.5% 503 3.2% 18
1912 0.6% 3 80.1% 379 19.2% 91

See also

References
  1. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 188.
  2. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
  3. "Geography Profile: Livingston Parish, Louisiana". data.census.gov. Retrieved August 3, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. "QuickFacts: Livingston Parish, Louisiana". United States Census Bureau.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  6. StoppingPoints.com. "Livingston Parish Historical Marker".
  7. Michael Kunzelman (August 16, 2016). "Louisiana governor: 40K homes damaged by historic flooding". Yahoo! News. AP. Retrieved August 16, 2016.
  8. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
  9. "U.S. Decennial Census". Census.gov. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
  10. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  11. United States Census Bureau. "Special Population Estimates for Impacted Counties in the Gulf Coast Area". Archived from the original on February 25, 2007. Retrieved April 29, 2007.
  12. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
  13. https://www.ligo.caltech.edu/LA/page/about
  14. Livingston Business Journal, Jan. 2015, p. 26.
  15. "Our Colleges". Louisiana's Technical and Community Colleges. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  16. Louisiana Parish Government Structure Archived 2012-05-14 at the Wayback Machine, Louisiana Police Jury
  17. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 9, 2018.

Geology

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