Area code(s) 225 Founded 1807 Population 22,499 (2013) Unemployment rate 6.5% (Apr 2015) | Demonym(s) Pointe Coupean Area 1,531 km² | |
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ZIP code(s) 70715, 70729, 70732, 70736, 70747, 70749, 70752, 70753, 70755, 70756, 70759, 70760, 70762, 70773, 70783 Rivers Atchafalaya River, Raccourci Old River, Lower Old River | ||
Pointe Coupee Parish, (/'pɔɪnt kə'pi:/; French: Paroisse de la Pointe-Coupée), is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2010 census, the population was 22,802. The parish seat is New Roads.
Contents
- Map of Pointe Coupee Parish LA USA
- History
- Geography
- Major highways
- Major waterways
- Adjacent parishes
- National protected area
- Demographics
- Economy
- Schools
- Private
- National Guard
- City
- Towns
- Village
- Census designated place
- Notable residents
- References
Map of Pointe Coupee Parish, LA, USA
Pointe Coupee Parish is part of the Baton Rouge, LA Metropolitan Statistical Area.
In 2010, the center of population of Louisiana was located in Pointe Coupee Parish, in the city of New Roads.
History
Pointe Coupee Parish (originally pronounced pwant coo-pay) was organized by European Americans in 1805 as part of the Territory of Orleans (statehood for Louisiana followed in 1812). There were minor boundary adjustments with neighboring parishes up through 1852, when its boundaries stabilized.
In 2008, Pointe Coupee was one of the communities that suffered the most damage by Hurricane Gustav.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of 591 square miles (1,530 km2), of which 557 square miles (1,440 km2) is land and 33 square miles (85 km2) (5.6%) is water. The land consists mainly of prairies and backswamp.
Major highways
Pointe Coupee Parish has 498.98 miles of highways within its borders. U.S. Highway 190 is the only four-lane roadway in the parish
Major waterways
Adjacent parishes
National protected area
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 22,763 people, 8,397 households, and 6,171 families residing in the parish. The population density was 41 people per square mile (16/km²). There were 10,297 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile (7/km²). The racial makeup of the parish was 68.91% White, 29.61% Black or African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.32% from other races, and 0.56% from two or more races. 1.08% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 93.61% of the population spoke only English at home, while 4.89% spoke French or Cajun French, 0.96% spoke Spanish, and 0.73% spoke Louisiana Creole French.[1]
There were 8,397 households out of which 35.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.70% were married couples living together, 15.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.50% were non-families. 23.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.10% 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 3.17.
In the parish the population was spread out with 27.30% under the age of 18, 8.80% from 18 to 24, 27.00% from 25 to 44, 23.10% from 45 to 64, and 13.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 94.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.70 males.
The median income for a household in the parish was $30,618, and the median income for a family was $36,625. Males had a median income of $35,022 versus $20,759 for females. The per capita income for the parish was $15,387, ranking 23rd out of 64 parishes. About 18.70% of families and 23.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.20% of those under age 18 and 23.90% are the age of 65 and older.
Economy
Nan Ya Plastics Corporation America has a large plant near Batchelor, Louisiana. Another large employer is NRG / Big Cajun 1 & 2 power plants near New Roads, LA. The parish's economy is heavily reliant upon agriculture, with sugar cane being one of the main cash crops.
Schools
The Pointe Coupee Parish School Board serves the parish.
As of 2014 the sole secondary school operated by the parish school board is Livonia High School, serving grades 7 through 12. Pointe Coupee Central High School was closed down in 2014.
Private
National Guard
A Co of the 769th BEB (Brigade Engineer Battalion) is an Engineer Company (Combat) that resides in New Roads, Louisiana. This unit is part of the 256TH IBCT and deployed to Iraq in 2004-5 and 2010.