St. Mary Parish, Louisiana


St. Mary Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 49,406. The parish seat is Franklin. The parish was created in 1811.
St. Mary Parish comprises the Morgan City, LA Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Lafayette–Opelousas–Morgan City combined statistical area.
WWW stmaryparishla.gov

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of, of which is land and is water. Cypremort Point State Park is located in the parish on Vermilion Bay.

Major highways

Adjacent parishes

Protected areas

The parish has both national and state protected areas within its borders.

National protected area

State protected areas

Part of the Attakapas Wildlife Management Area is located within St. Mary Parish as well as in St. Martin and Iberia Parishes.

Communities

Cities

Towns

Census-designated places

Other unincorporated areas

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the parish had a population of 49,406 and 11,354 families. The median age was 40.2 years, 24.1% of residents were under the age of 18, and 17.3% of residents were 65 years of age or older, while there were 95.1 males for every 100 females and 92.9 males for every 100 females age 18 and over.
There were 19,321 households in the parish, of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 40.2% were married-couple households, 20.3% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 31.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 28.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
The racial makeup of the parish was 54.5% White, 30.5% Black or African American, 2.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 5.0% from some other race, and 6.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 9.2% of the population.
80.5% of residents lived in urban areas, while 19.5% lived in rural areas.
There were 22,407 housing units, of which 13.8% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 68.9% were owner-occupied and 31.1% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 13.4%.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 53,500 people, 19,317 households, and 14,082 families residing in the parish. The population density was. There were 21,650 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the parish was 62.79% White, 31.79% Black or African American, 1.39% Native American, 1.64% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.88% from other races, and 1.50% from two or more races. 2.15% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 5.43% reported speaking French or Cajun French at home, while 2.45% speak Spanish and 1.59% Vietnamese.
There were 19,317 households, out of which 36.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.00% were married couples living together, 16.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.10% were non-families. 23.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.23.
In the parish the population was spread out, with 29.70% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 28.70% from 25 to 44, 21.90% from 45 to 64, and 11.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 95.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.20 males.
The median income for a household in the parish was $28,072, and the median income for a family was $33,064. Males had a median income of $31,570 versus $18,341 for females. The per capita income for the parish was $13,399. About 20.60% of families and 23.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.30% of those under age 18 and 19.00% of those age 65 or over.

Education

St. Mary Parish School Board operates local public schools.
The, affiliated with the Bureau of Indian Education, is in the Charenton community of unincorporated St. Mary Parish.
It is in the service area of Fletcher Technical Community College.

Media

St. Mary Parish has two daily newspapers, the Morgan City Daily Review and the Franklin Banner-Tribune in Franklin.

National Guard

B Company 2-156TH Infantry Battalion of the 256TH IBCT resides in Franklin, Louisiana. This unit has deployed to Iraq twice, 2004-5 and 2010.

Politics

St. Mary Parish was a swing parish between 1932 and 2004, when it only voted for losing presidential candidates in 1948, 1968, and 1980, with none of these candidates receiving a majority. Since 2008, the parish has become more Republican leaning, with Donald Trump breaking 60% of the vote in all his runs.

Notable people