Vermilion Parish, Louisiana

Vermilion Parish, Louisiana
Map of Louisiana highlighting Vermilion Parish
Location in the U.S. state of Louisiana
Map of the United States highlighting Louisiana
Louisiana's location in the U.S.
Founded 1844
Named for Vermilion River and Bay
Seat Abbeville
Largest city Abbeville
Area
 • Total 1,542 sq mi (3,994 km2)
 • Land 1,173 sq mi (3,038 km2)
 • Water 369 sq mi (956 km2), 24%
Population
 • (2010) 57,999
 • Density 49/sq mi (19/km²)
Congressional district 3rd
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5
Website vermilionparishpolicejury.com

Vermilion Parish (Paroisse de Vermillon) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2010 census, the population was 57,999.[1] The parish seat is Abbeville.[2] The parish was created in 1844.[3]

Vermilion Parish is part of the Lafayette, LA Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Vermilion and neighboring Cameron parishes are represented in the Louisiana State Senate by the Republican Jonathan W. Perry of Kaplan.

In the past several decades, much of the southern portion of the parish has been swept away by water erosion, especially after Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita in 2005.

History

Indigenous peoples lived in the area for thousands of years, from different cultures. By historic times, the Chitimacha and Atakapa inhabited the area and were the American Indians encountered by Spanish and French explorers and settlers. The tribes' numbers were drastically reduced as a result of exposure to European diseases to which they had no immunity.

French, Spanish, enslaved Africans, and French-Canadians from Acadia expelled after the Seven Years' War won by Great Britain, had all entered the area by the end of the 18th century. As the population became mostly Cajun, the primary language was French for years. In the mid- to late 19th century, they were joined by European Americans; immigrants from Italy, recruited to work on the plantations, as well as Jewish immigrants from Germany and eastern Europe, who tended to settle in towns and become merchants.

Geography

Timelapse of six years in southern Vermilion Parish, Louisiana (1973, 1980, 1986, 1992, 2003, 2010) land being overtaken by water.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of 1,542 square miles (3,990 km2), of which 1,173 square miles (3,040 km2) is land and 369 square miles (960 km2) (24%) is water.[4] It is the fifth-largest parish in Louisiana by total area. The Gulf of Mexico is located to the south of the parish.

Major highways

Adjacent parishes

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
18503,409—
18604,32426.8%
18704,5284.7%
18808,72892.8%
189014,23463.1%
190020,70545.5%
191026,39027.5%
192026,4820.3%
193033,68427.2%
194037,75012.1%
195036,929−2.2%
196038,8555.2%
197043,07110.9%
198048,45812.5%
199050,0553.3%
200053,8077.5%
201057,9997.8%
Est. 201559,875[5]3.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8]
1990-2000[9] 2010-2013[1]

Home to a number of Cajun peoples, as of the census[10] of 2000, there were 53,807 people, 19,832 households, and 14,457 families residing in the parish. The population density was 46 people per square mile (18/km²). There were 22,461 housing units at an average density of 19 per square mile (7/km²). The racial makeup of the parish was 82.68% White, 14.17% Black or African American, 0.30% Native American, 1.82% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.26% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races. 1.38% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 24.89% reported speaking French or Cajun French at home, while 1.64% speak Vietnamese and 1.02% Spanish.

There were 19,832 households out of which 37.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.50% were married couples living together, 13.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.10% were non-families. 23.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.16.

In the parish the population was spread out with 28.10% under the age of 18, 9.40% from 18 to 24, 28.20% from 25 to 44, 20.80% from 45 to 64, and 13.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 93.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.80 males.

The median income for a household in the parish was $29,500, and the median income for a family was $36,093. Males had a median income of $31,044 versus $18,710 for females. The per capita income for the parish was $14,201. About 17.40% of families and 22.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.00% of those under age 18 and 21.40% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Vermilion Parish School Board operates public schools in the parish.

The schools serving Delcambre are located in Vermilion Parish and are operated by Iberia Parish School System.

Communities

Map of Vermilion Parish, Louisiana With Municipal Labels

Cities

Towns

Village

Unincorporated communities

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vermilion Parish, Louisiana.

References

  1. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. ↑ "Vermilion Parish". Center for Cultural and Eco-Tourism. Retrieved September 5, 2014.
  4. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  5. ↑ "County Totals Dataset: Population, Population Change and Estimated Components of Population Change: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015". Retrieved July 2, 2016.
  6. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on May 11, 2015. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  10. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on September 11, 2013. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
 Jefferson Davis Parish Acadia Parish Lafayette Parish
Cameron Parish Iberia Parish
   Vermilion Parish, Louisiana  
Gulf of Mexico

Coordinates: 29°49′N 92°19′W / 29.81°N 92.31°W / 29.81; -92.31

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