Sterlington, Louisiana

Sterlington, Louisiana
Town
Town of Sterlington
Motto:  You've Made It Home
Location of Sterlington in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana.
Location of Louisiana in the United States
Coordinates: 32°41′36″N92°03′34″W / 32.69333°N 92.05944°W / 32.69333; -92.05944
Country	United States
State	Louisiana
Parish	Ouachita
Incorporated	1961
Government
• Mayor	Matt Talbert (Republican)
Area [1]
• Total	2.83 sq mi (7.34 km2)
• Land	2.83 sq mi (7.34 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	56 ft (17 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,980
• Density	699.15/sq mi (269.90/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	71280
Area code	318
FIPS code	22-73255
Website	www.townofsterlington.com

Sterlington is a town in northern Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, United States, near the boundary with Union Parish. At the 2010 census, the population was 1,594. In the 2018 census estimates, the population rose to 2,724. In 2014, Sterlington was the fastest-growing community in Northeast Louisiana. ^[2]

History

Former Mayor Vern Breland was subsequently arrested for malfeasance in office in April 2020. ^[3]

In 2022, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission charged the town of Sterlington, its former mayor, and the town's advise with misleading investors in the sale of $5.8 million in municipal bonds in 2017 and 2018.^{[ citation needed ]}

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.3 square miles (6.0 km²), of which 2.3 square miles (5.9 km²) is land and 0.43% is water.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1970	1,118		—
1980	1,400		25.2%
1990	1,140		−18.6%
2000	1,276		11.9%
2010	1,594		24.9%
2020	1,980		24.2%
U.S. Decennial Census [4]

Sterlington racial composition as of 2020 ^[5]

Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	1,381	69.75%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	402	20.3%
Asian	18	0.91%
Other/Mixed	98	4.95%
Hispanic or Latino	81	4.09%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,980 people, 926 households, and 726 families residing in the town.

Economy

Since 1930, Sterlington has been home to ANGUS Chemical Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Dow Chemical Company, provides approximately 204 full-time and contract jobs to the area. ANGUS has a $20 million annual impact on the local economy, as well as "Contributes more than $50,000 annually to the United Way and other community outreach programs." ^[6]

Education

Sterlington High School

Sterlington is part of the Ouachita Parish School System, ^[7] and has one elementary school, Sterlington Elementary School. Sterlington Middle School and High School are also part of the school district. ^[8] Sterlington Elementary feeds into Sterlington Middle and Sterlington High. ^[9]

Notable people

Actor Ed Nelson relocated with his family to Sterlington from New Orleans in 2005 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. ^[10]

U.S. Ambassador Edward J. Perkins was born in Sterlington in 1928.

References

1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
2. "Sterlington sees 13.7 percent population increase, May 23, 2014". The Washington Times . Retrieved May 24, 2014.
3. "Breland booked at prison, says attorneys directed him".
4. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
5. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
6. Sterlington – ANGUS
7. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Ouachita Parish, LA" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. pp. 1–2, 8 (PDF pp. 2-3, 9/31). Retrieved January 4, 2025. - Text list
8. OPSB.net. "OPSB.net". OPSB.net. Retrieved April 19, 2013.
9. "Feeder Schools Correlation" (PDF). Ouachita Parish School Board . Retrieved January 4, 2024. - Linked from here. Sterlington ES boundary map.
10. William McDonald. "Ed Nelson, a Star of 'Peyton Place,' Dies at 85" . Retrieved August 12, 2014.

External links

• Town of Sterlington
• Sterlington Progress Community Progress Site for Sterlington, LA