East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana

East Baton Rouge Parish (Paroisse de Bâton-Rouge Est; Parroquia del Este de Bastón Rojo) is the most populous parish in the U.S. state of Louisiana. Its population was 456,781 at the 2020 census. The parish seat is Baton Rouge, Louisiana's state capital. East Baton Rouge Parish is located within the Greater Baton Rouge area.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of 470 sqmi, of which 15 sqmi (3.2%) are covered by water.

Bodies of water

 * Amite River
 * Bayou Manchac
 * Comite River
 * Mississippi River
 * Thompson Creek

Major highways

 * I-10.svg Interstate 10
 * * I-110.svg Interstate 110
 * I-12.svg Interstate 12
 * US 61.svg U.S. Highway 61
 * US 190.svg U.S. Highway 190
 * Louisiana 19 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 19
 * Louisiana 30 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 30
 * Louisiana 37 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 37
 * Louisiana 42 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 42
 * Louisiana 64 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 64
 * Louisiana 67 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 67
 * Louisiana 73 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 73
 * Louisiana 327 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 327
 * Louisiana 408 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 408
 * Louisiana 409 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 409
 * Louisiana 410 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 410
 * Louisiana 415 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 415
 * Louisiana 423 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 423
 * Louisiana 426 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 426
 * Louisiana 427 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 427
 * Louisiana 946 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 946
 * Louisiana 948 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 948
 * Louisiana 958 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 958
 * Louisiana 964 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 964
 * Louisiana 1209 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 1209
 * Louisiana 1248 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 1248
 * Louisiana 3006 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 3006
 * Louisiana 3034 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 3034
 * Louisiana 3064 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 3064
 * Louisiana 3164 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 3164
 * Louisiana 3246 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 3246

Adjacent parishes

 * East Feliciana Parish (north)
 * West Feliciana Parish (northwest)
 * West Baton Rouge Parish (west)
 * Iberville Parish (south)
 * Ascension Parish (southeast)
 * Livingston Parish (east)
 * St. Helena Parish (northeast)

Cities

 * Baker
 * Baton Rouge (parish seat and largest municipality)
 * Central
 * St. George
 * Zachary

Census-designated places

 * Brownfields
 * Gardere
 * Inniswold
 * Merrydale
 * Monticello
 * Oak Hills Place
 * Old Jefferson
 * Shenandoah
 * Village St. George
 * Westminster

Unincorporated communities

 * Baywood
 * Greenwell Springs
 * Port Hudson
 * Pride

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 456,781 people, 161,536 households, and 95,243 families residing in the parish. The 2019 American Community Survey estimated 443,763 people lived in East Baton Rouge, up from 440,171 at the 2010 United States census. Of the population, 5.7% were foreign-born, and 8.3% spoke a language other than English at home. There were 164,346 households and 45,760 businesses operating in the parish.

At the 2019 census estimates, the racial and ethnic makeup of East Baton Rouge Parish was 46.8% non-Hispanic white, 46.1% Black and African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 3.2% Asian alone, 1.8% some other race, and 1.9% two or more races; Hispanic and Latin Americans of any race made up 4.2% of the total population. In 2010, the racial and ethnic makeup of the parish was 45.9% Black and African American, 49.5% White American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 3.0% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 1.02% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. About 3.8% of the population were Hispanic or Latin American of any race.

Of the 164,346 households at the 2019 American Community Survey, there were 6.6% of people aged 5 and under; 77.2% were aged 18 and older, and 13.7% were 65 and older. The median age of East Baton Rouge was 34, up from 32 at the 2010 U.S. census. In 2010, for every 100 females, there were 91.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.50 males.

In the parish, the median household income was $54,948 and there were 194,326 housing units. East Baton Rouge Parish had a home-ownership rate of 59.8%, and the median value of an owner-occupied housing unit was $194,000. The median gross rent for residents was $933. Males had a median income of $55,862 versus $38,817 for females.

An estimated 61.2% of the parish was employed, and of the 45,760 businesses, 19,537 were minority-owned. Veteran-owned businesses numbered approximately 4,637.

Primary and secondary education
Most sections of the parish are zoned to schools in East Baton Rouge Parish School System. Baker residents attend the City of Baker School System. Zachary residents and residents of unincorporated areas around Zachary attend the Zachary Community School Board. Central residents, and those of a section of Brownfields, as well as some other unincorporated areas, attend the Central Community School System schools.

The State of Louisiana also operates the Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired and Louisiana School for the Deaf.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge operates Catholic parochial schools.

Other education
East Baton Rouge Parish Library is the public library system. The parish is in the service area of Baton Rouge Community College.

Government
The city of Baton Rouge and the Parish of East Baton Rouge have been run by a consolidated government since 1947, which combined the city of Baton Rouge government with the rural areas of the parish. The city and parish are served by the metropolitan council and the mayor-president.

The parish courthouse in Baton Rouge is one of 26 public buildings constructed by contractor George A. Caldwell in the 1930s.

In 2010, the 19th Judicial District Court moved into the new courthouse on North Blvd.

The Jetson Center for Youth, a former juvenile prison operated by the Louisiana Office of Juvenile Justice, is located near Baker in an unincorporated area.

Politics
Since 1980, East Baton Rouge Parish has been a bellwether in presidential elections, voting for the winner of the presidency in all but two elections (it voted for George H. W. Bush in 1992 and Hillary Clinton in 2016), but not necessarily the winner of Louisiana. In the 2008 presidential election, the parish voted for Democrat Barack Obama, who won 51% of the vote and 99,652 votes. Republican John McCain won 48% of the votes and 95,390 votes. In the 2008 Senate election, Democrat Mary Landrieu, who kept her seat as a U.S. Senator, won 57% of the vote and 110,694 votes in East Baton Rouge Parish. Republican John Neely Kennedy won 41% of the vote and 80,222 votes. In the 2004 presidential election, East Baton Rouge Parish cast the majority of its votes for Republican George W. Bush, who won 54% of the votes and 99,943 votes. Democrat John F. Kerry won 45% of the votes and 82,298 votes.

In 2016, John Kennedy lost East Baton Rouge Parish in his otherwise highly successful U.S. Senate race against Democratic Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell, who prevailed 52-48%. By a nearly identical margin, Democrat Sharon Weston Broome defeated Republican Bodi White to claim the Baton Rouge mayor-president position to succeed Democrat Kip Holden.

Law enforcement
The East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office employs approximately 850 deputies, making it one of the largest law enforcement agencies in the state of Louisiana. Notable past sheriffs include politician Philemon Thomas; baseball player Terry Felton became a captain in the department after retiring from sports.

Other law enforcement agencies in the parish include:
 * Baton Rouge Police Department
 * Baton Rouge City Constable (Ward 1)
 * Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport Police Department
 * Baker Police Department
 * Baker City Marshall
 * Zachary Police Department
 * City of Central Police Department
 * Louisiana State University Police Department
 * Baton Rouge Community College Police Department
 * Southern University Police Department
 * East Baton Rouge Parish Constable - Ward 2, District 1
 * East Baton Rouge Parish Constable - Ward 2, District 2
 * East Baton Rouge Parish Constable - Ward 2, District 3
 * East Baton Rouge Parish Constable - Ward 3, District 1
 * East Baton Rouge Parish Constable - Ward 3, District 2
 * East Baton Rouge Parish Constable - Ward 3, District 3

National Guard
The 769th Engineer Battalion (Combat) a unit of the 225th Engineer Brigade is located in East Baton Rouge Parish. Two companies of this battalion deployed to Iraq in 2007–2008. Another company-sized unit, the 927TH Sapper Company, deployed to Afghanistan in 2008–2009. As of 2011, yet another company, the 926TH Mobility Augmentation Company located in Baker has been alerted for overseas deployment. The 769th Engineers have two other companies, the 922nd Horizontal Engineer Company located in Gonzales, Louisiana, and the 928th Sapper Company located in Napoleonville, Louisiana.

Healthcare and Emergency Medical Services
Major Hospitals include


 * Baton Rouge General Bluebonnet
 * Baton Rouge General Mid-City
 * Ochsner Medical Center - Baton Rouge
 * Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center
 * Our Lady of the Lake Children's Hospital
 * Woman's Hospital

Emergency Medical Services in EBR Parish are provided by East Baton Rouge EMS and Acadian Ambulance.