Vermilion Parish, Louisiana

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Vermilion Parish
Parish
Parish of Vermilion
Paroisse de Vermillion (French)
ChrisLitherlandGueydan.jpg
Museum at Gueydan, Louisiana
Map of Louisiana highlighting Vermilion Parish.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Louisiana
Coordinates: 29°49′N92°19′W / 29.81°N 92.31°W / 29.81; -92.31
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Louisiana.svg Louisiana
Founded1844
Named after Vermilion River and Bay
Seat Abbeville
Largest cityAbbeville
Area
 • Total
1,542 sq mi (3,990 km2)
 • Land1,173 sq mi (3,040 km2)
 • Water369 sq mi (960 km2)  24%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
57,359
 • Density48.90/sq mi (18.88/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 3rd
Website https://vppj.org/

Vermilion Parish (French : Paroisse de Vermillion) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana, created in 1844. [1] The parish seat is Abbeville. [2] Vermilion Parish is part of the Lafayette metropolitan statistical area, and located in southern Acadiana. At the 2020 U.S. census, the population was 57,359. [3]

Contents

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.

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 due to outreach efforts from the state via the Louisiana Immigration Society. [4] They tended to settle in towns and become merchants. [5]

Geography

Timelapse of six years in southern Vermilion Parish, Louisiana (1973, 1980, 1986, 1992, 2003, 2011) 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. [6] 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

Communities

Cities

Towns

Census-designated place

Unincorporated communities

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1850 3,409—
1860 4,32426.8%
1870 4,5284.7%
1880 8,72892.8%
1890 14,23463.1%
1900 20,70545.5%
1910 26,39027.5%
1920 26,4820.3%
1930 33,68427.2%
1940 37,75012.1%
1950 36,929−2.2%
1960 38,8555.2%
1970 43,07110.9%
1980 48,45812.5%
1990 50,0553.3%
2000 53,8077.5%
2010 57,9997.8%
2020 57,359−1.1%
U.S. Decennial Census [8]
1790–1960 [9] 1900–1990 [10]
1990–2000 [11] 2010 [12]

Racial and ethnic composition

Vermilion Parish, Louisiana – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980 [13] Pop 1990 [14] Pop 2000 [15] Pop 2010 [16] Pop 2020 [17] % 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020
White alone (NH)41,00541,76544,02646,30544,02084.62%83.44%81.82%79.84%76.74%
Black or African American alone (NH)6,3656,9307,5278,2467,85913.14%13.84%13.99%14.22%13.70%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)35771531951710.07%0.15%0.28%0.34%0.30%
Asian alone (NH)2166719711,1481,2530.45%1.34%1.80%1.98%2.18%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x [18] x [19] 449xx0.01%0.01%0.02%
Other race alone (NH)112018531700.02%0.04%0.03%0.09%0.30%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x [20] x [21] 3666671,581xx0.68%1.15%2.76%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)8265927421,3812,2961.70%1.18%1.38%2.38%4.00%
Total48,45850,05553,80757,99957,359 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the parish had a population of 57,359. The median age was 39.3 years. 25.0% of residents were under the age of 18 and 16.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 92.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 89.8 males age 18 and over. [22]

The racial makeup of the parish was 77.5% White, 13.8% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.2% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.7% from some other race, and 4.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 4.0% of the population. [23]

44.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 55.9% lived in rural areas. [24]

The 2020 census recorded 22,195 households and 15,143 families residing in the parish, of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 47.1% were married-couple households, 17.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 27.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. [22]

There were 25,741 housing units, of which 13.8% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 74.3% were owner-occupied and 25.7% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.4% and the rental vacancy rate was 11.4%. [22]

2019 American Community Survey

In 2019, the median income for a household in the parish was $51,945; males had a median income of $53,658 versus $33,327 for females. About 21.3% of the children under 18 lived at or below the poverty line, and 17.6% of the total population was below the poverty line. The median housing value was $122,200, and the median gross rent from 2015 to 2019 was $685. [25]

2010 census

At the 2010 U.S. census, there were 57,999 people living in the parish. [25]

2000 census

Home to a number of Cajun peoples, at the 2000 U.S. census, 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 people/km2). [26]

In 2000, there were 22,461 housing units at an average density of 19 per square mile (7.3/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 Latin American of any race; 24.89% reported speaking French or Cajun French at home, while 1.64% speak Vietnamese and 1.02% Spanish. [26]

At the 2000 U.S. census, 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. [26]

The median income for a household in the parish was $29,500, and the median income for a family was $36,093 in 2000. 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. [26]

Education

Vermilion Parish School Board has an official territory covering the entire parish. [27] It operates most public schools in the parish. Schools serving Delcambre are located in Vermilion Parish but are operated by the Iberia Parish School System. [28] The Vermilion Parish district pays money to the Iberia parish district to educate Delcambre students in Vermilion Parish. [29]

Schools

Public Schools that are run by the Vermilion Parish School Board include:

Vermilion Parish is also served by the Diocese of Lafayette with three schools:

Additionally, Vermilion Parish is served by two unaffiliated private schools:

Vermilion Parish is served by one institution of higher education:

Politics

United States presidential election results for Vermilion Parish, Louisiana [31]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
№ %№ %№ %
1912 12413.93%53159.66%23526.40%
1916 783.47%1,34059.56%83236.98%
1920 1,42072.08%54927.87%10.05%
1924 41641.03%59858.97%00.00%
1928 45114.88%2,58085.12%00.00%
1932 2698.37%2,94591.63%00.00%
1936 49610.66%4,14189.02%150.32%
1940 2,62134.53%4,96965.47%00.00%
1944 67612.61%4,68487.39%00.00%
1948 1,21219.36%1,80628.85%3,24351.80%
1952 3,86842.37%5,26157.63%00.00%
1956 3,87744.59%4,56452.49%2542.92%
1960 2,17014.87%11,25777.13%1,1688.00%
1964 4,98435.13%9,20464.87%00.00%
1968 3,27821.55%3,80625.03%8,12453.42%
1972 8,90966.39%3,87628.88%6354.73%
1976 6,13334.36%11,24663.00%4712.64%
1980 10,48148.96%9,74345.51%1,1855.54%
1984 12,72156.85%9,03340.37%6242.79%
1988 9,22441.99%12,18055.45%5622.56%
1992 7,06230.12%12,32452.57%4,05817.31%
1996 7,65333.77%12,60955.64%2,39910.59%
2000 12,49556.20%8,70439.15%1,0364.66%
2004 15,06961.38%9,08537.00%3981.62%
2008 18,06972.76%6,26625.23%4982.01%
2012 18,91075.68%5,72022.89%3571.43%
2016 20,06378.27%4,85718.95%7122.78%
2020 21,93080.26%5,00918.33%3851.41%
2024 21,51081.39%4,63717.55%2821.07%

For most of the 20th Century, Vermillion was a Democratic-leaning parish, voting Republican only in landslide elections such as 1972, 1980, and 1984. However, like other Acadian parishes with large Cajun populations, the county has turned sharply right in the 21st century based on cultural issues and Democrats' discomfort with the oil and gas industry. [32]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Vermilion Parish". Center for Cultural and Eco-Tourism. Retrieved September 5, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ↑ "Census - Geography Profile: Vermillion Parish, Louisiana". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 22, 2023.
  4. ↑ Williams, E. Russ (1974). "Louisiana's Public and Private Immigration Endeavors: 1866-1893". Louisiana History: The Journal of the Louisiana Historical Association. 15 (2): 153–173. ISSN   0024-6816.
  5. ↑ Marler, Scott (2001). "Merchants in the Transition to a New South: Central Louisiana, 1840-1880". Louisiana History: The Journal of the Louisiana Historical Association. 42 (2): 165–192. ISSN   0024-6816.
  6. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Census confirms Maurice's growth". Vermilion Today. August 18, 2021. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  8. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  12. ↑ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
  13. ↑ "1980 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Louisiana - Table 14 - Persons by Race and Table 15 - Total Persons and Spanish Origin Persons by Type of Spanish Origin and Race (p. 20/12-20/20)" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
  14. ↑ "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Louisiana - Table 6 - Race and Hispanic Origin" (PDF). United States Census Bureau . p. 15-38.
  15. ↑ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Vermilion Parish, Louisiana". United States Census Bureau .
  16. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Vermilion Parish, Louisiana". United States Census Bureau .
  17. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Vermilion Parish, Louisiana". United States Census Bureau .
  18. ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
  19. ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
  20. ↑ not an option in the 1980 Census
  21. ↑ not an option in the 1990 Census
  22. 1 2 3 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved January 3, 2026.
  23. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved January 3, 2026.
  24. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved January 3, 2026.
  25. 1 2 "Geography Profile: Vermilion Parish, Louisiana". data.census.gov. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
  26. 1 2 3 4 "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  27. ↑ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Vermilion Parish, LA" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau . Retrieved September 5, 2024. - Text list
  28. ↑ "Iberia Parish schools for this district". National Center for Education Statistics . Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  29. ↑ "VERMILION PARISH SCHOOL BOARD Abbeville, Louisiana Financial Report Year Ended June 30, 2002" (PDF). Government of Louisiana. p. 31 (PDF p. 34/76).
  30. ↑ "Our Colleges". Louisiana's Technical and Community Colleges . Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  31. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". Uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved December 2, 2017.
  32. ↑ Martin, Jonathan (November 16, 2019). "Why the Louisiana Governor's Race Is So Close". The New York Times.

29°49′N92°19′W / 29.81°N 92.31°W / 29.81; -92.31

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