Baton Rouge, Louisiana

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1810= 469
|1840= 2269
|1850= 3905
|1860= 5428
|1870= 6498
|1880= 7197
|1890= 10478
|1900= 11269
|1910= 14897
|1920= 21782
|1930= 30729
|1940= 34719
|1950= 125629
|1960= 152419
|1970= 165921
|1980= 220394
|1990= 219531
|2000= 227818
|2010= 229493
|2020= 227470
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|author=United States Census Bureau|access-date=October 23, 2013|df=mdy|author-link=United States Census Bureau}}</ref><br />2018 Estimate<ref name="2018 Pop Estimate">{{cite web|title=Population Estimates|url=https://census.gov/data/tables/2018/demo/popest/total-cities-and-towns.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=June 8, 2018}}</ref>
}}

Prior to colonization, [[Native Americans in the United States|American Indians]] were once the primary residents of present-day Baton Rouge. With the coming of [[European colonization of the Americas|European colonization]], and the migration of American settlers after the [[Louisiana Purchase]], European and African-descended peoples became the predominant groups in the area by birth rates and immigration to a 1860 population of 5,428. Since reaching its first historic high of 220,394 residents at the [[1980 United States census|1980 U.S. census]], the city's population has expanded and contracted twice: from 219,531 in 1990, to 227,818 in 2000—the second historic high—and 229,493, the city-proper's third historic high in 2010,<ref name=":5">{{cite web |title=Baton Rouge city, Louisiana 2019 Population Estimates |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/batonrougecitylouisiana/PST040219 |access-date=2020-07-31 |website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> to 227,470 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=QuickFacts: Baton Rouge, Louisiana |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/batonrougecitylouisiana/POP010220 |access-date=August 12, 2021 |website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref>

Including the consolidated city–parish of Baton Rouge in 2019 ([[East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana|East Baton Rouge Parish]]), the [[American Community Survey]] estimated 443,763 people lived in the area.<ref name=":8" /> In 2020, the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]] determined 456,781 people lived in the consolidated city–parish.<ref>{{Cite web |title=QuickFacts: East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/eastbatonrougeparishlouisiana/POP010220 |website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> The metropolitan population of Baton Rouge increased to 3.6% as a result of [[suburbanization]] in 2019, to an estimated 854,884.<ref>{{cite web|date=2019-05-23|title=Baton Rouge population declines since 2010, though metro area up 3.6%|url=https://www.businessreport.com/newsletters/baton-rouge-population-declines-since-2010-though-metro-area-up-3-6|access-date=2020-07-31|website=Baton Rouge Business Report|language=en-US}}</ref> In 2020, the metropolitan statistical area's population increased to 870,569 residents,<ref name=":7" /> reflecting southern Louisiana's population growth in contrast with northern Louisiana's stagnation and decline.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Adelson |first=Jeff |title=Census 2020: South Louisiana parishes grew, while northern and rural parishes decline |url=https://www.nola.com/news/politics/census-2020-south-louisiana-parishes-grew-while-northern-and-rural-parishes-decline/article_4e00a05a-fb96-11eb-947e-9f738c7b98c2.html |access-date=2022-12-12 |website=NOLA.com |date=August 12, 2021 |language=en}}</ref>

In 2019, the city of Baton Rouge had a population density of 2,982.5 people per square mile.<ref name=":5" />

=== Racial and ethnic composition ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Baton Rouge city, Louisiana  – Racial and ethnic composition'''<br><small>{{nobold|''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.''}}</small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(''NH = Non-Hispanic'')</small>
!Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Baton Rouge city, Arkansas|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=p004&g=160XX00US2205000&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Baton Rouge city, Arkansas|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US2205000&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!{{partial|Pop 2020}}<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Baton Rouge city, Arkansas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US2205000&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!% 2000
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|101,867
|86,679
|style='background: #ffffe6; |77,829
|44.71%
|37.77%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |34.22%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|113,478
|124,542
|style='background: #ffffe6; |121,799
|49.81%
|54.27%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |53.55%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|376
|397
|style='background: #ffffe6; |382
|0.17%
|0.17%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.17%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|5,940
|7,469
|style='background: #ffffe6; |7,294
|2.61%
|3.25%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.21%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|68
|39
|style='background: #ffffe6; |67
|0.03%
|0.02%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.03%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Some Other Race]] alone (NH)
|253
|332
|style='background: #ffffe6; |784
|0.11%
|0.14%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.34%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed Race or Multi-Racial]] (NH)
|1,918
|2,382
|style='background: #ffffe6; |5,797
|0.84%
|1.04%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.55%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|3,918
|7,653
|style='background: #ffffe6; |13,518
|1.72%
|3.33%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |5.94%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''227,818'''
|'''229,493'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''227,470'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}

With the population growth of European and African-descended peoples in present-day Baton Rouge, the American Indian population declined to one of the smallest minority groups in the area. With the increase among [[people of color]] during the 20th century, Baton Rouge has also declined as a predominantly non-Hispanic white city, hastened by suburbanization, aging out, and [[white flight]]. In 1970, non-Hispanic whites represented 70.5% of the population;<ref>{{cite web|title=Louisiana—Race and Hispanic Origin for Selected Cities and Other Places: Earliest Census to 1990 |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0076/twps0076.html |access-date=April 21, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120812191959/http://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0076/twps0076.html |archive-date=August 12, 2012 }}</ref> by 2020, they represented 34.2% of the total population.

[[File:Race and ethnicity 2020 Baton Rouge, LA.png|thumb|Map of racial distribution in Baton Rouge (2020 U.S. census). Each dot is one person: {{legend inline|outline=white|white|text=⬤|textcolor=rgb(115, 178, 255)|White}} {{legend inline|outline=white|white|text=⬤|textcolor=rgb(159, 212, 0)|Black}} {{legend inline|outline=white|white|text=⬤|textcolor=rgb(255, 0, 0)|Asian}} {{legend inline|outline=white|white|text=⬤|textcolor=rgb(255, 170, 0)|Hispanic}} {{legend inline|outline=white|white|text=⬤|textcolor=rgb(140, 81, 181)|Multiracial}} {{legend inline|outline=white|white|text=⬤|textcolor=rgb(153, 102, 51)|Native American/Other}}]]

According to the 2020 United States census, [[African Americans|Black or African Americans]] made up 53.55% of the city-proper's population; according to census estimates in 2021, Black or African Americans made up the largest share of youths.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Demographic Statistical Atlas of the United States |url=https://statisticalatlas.com/place/Louisiana/Baton-Rouge/Race-and-Ethnicity#figure/ethno-racial-composition-by-age-cohort |access-date=2022-12-12 |website=Statistical Atlas}}</ref> The remaining racial and ethnic makeup for the city in 2020 was 34.22% [[Non-Hispanic whites|non-Hispanic white]], 0.17% [[Native Americans in the United States|American Indian and Alaska Native]], 3.21% [[Asian Americans|Asian]], 0.03% [[Native Hawaiians|Native Hawaiian]] or other [[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]], 2.55% [[Multiracial Americans|two or more races]], and 5.94% [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic and Latino American]] of any race;<ref name=2020CensusP2/> the growing Hispanic and Latino population reflected increasing trends of nationwide diversification.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Passel |first1=Jeffrey S. |last2=Lopez |first2=Mark Hugo |last3=Cohn |first3=D'Vera |title=U.S. Hispanic population continued its geographic spread in the 2010s |url=https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2022/02/03/u-s-hispanic-population-continued-its-geographic-spread-in-the-2010s/ |access-date=2022-05-11 |website=Pew Research Center |language=en-US}}</ref> Among the population of the city and metropolitan area, a substantial number also identify as [[Cajuns|Cajun]] or [[Louisiana Creole people|Louisiana Creole]].

=== Sexual orientation and identity ===
During the middle of the 20th century, ''[[The Advocate (Louisiana)|The Advocate]]'' and other region-wide newspapers discriminated against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.<ref name=":13" /> In 1969, the Krewe of Apollo—an LGBT social club originating from nearby New Orleans—developed a sister branch for Baton Rouge; its annual drag balls were targets of further discrimination.<ref name=":13">{{Cite web |title=LGBTQ+ Rights Movement in Louisiana |url=https://64parishes.org/entry/lgbtq-rights-movement-in-louisiana |access-date=2022-12-12 |website=64 Parishes |language=en}}</ref> Since then, other organizations have been established such as Capital City Alliance,<ref>{{Cite web |title=History |url=http://www.ccabatonrouge.org/about/history/ |access-date=2022-12-12 |website=Capital City Alliance |language=en-US}}</ref> and the area has grown a sizeable LGBT community, holding festivals such as Baton Rouge Pride.<ref name=":11" />

=== Religion and spirituality ===
[[File:Towers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.JPG|thumb|Steeple of [[St. Joseph Cathedral (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)|St. Joseph Cathedral]], cathedral see of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge]]
[[Native American religions]] and [[African diaspora religions|Afrodiasporic religions]] were commonplace alongside [[Christianity]] in Baton Rouge's early history. Due to French, [[Spanish missions in Louisiana|Spanish]], and [[British colonization of the Americas|British colonialism]] and missionary work, however, in addition to American settlement, Baton Rouge became a predominantly Christian city and metropolitan area. According to a study by the [[Association of Religion Data Archives]] in 2020, Christianity has remained the most-practiced religion for the Baton Rouge area, being influenced by [[Catholicism]] and [[Protestantism]].

In 2020, ARDA reported there were 61 congregations and 174,410 Catholics within the metropolitan area; its Catholic population is primarily served by the [[Latin Church]]'s [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge]]—a [[suffragan diocese]] of the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans|Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of New Orleans]]. The [[Southern Baptist Convention]] was the second largest individual Christian denomination with 208 congregations and 91,293 members; following, the [[United Methodist Church|United Methodists]] had 28,924 members and the [[National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.|National Baptist Convention]] had 15,532 adherents in 25 churches. [[Nondenominational Christianity|Non-denominational Protestants]] were spread out in 270 churches numbering 102,500.<ref name=":12">{{Cite web |title=Maps and data files for 2020 {{!}} U.S. Religion Census {{!}} Religious Statistics & Demographics |url=https://www.usreligioncensus.org/index.php/node/1639 |access-date=2022-12-12 |website=U.S. Religion Census |publisher=Association of Religion Data Archives}}</ref>

According to a separate study by [[Sperling's BestPlaces]], other notable Christian bodies in the area have included [[Anglicanism|Anglicans or Episcopalians]], [[Pentecostalism|Pentecostals]], [[Presbyterianism|Presbyterians]], [[Latter Day Saint movement|Latter-Day Saints]], and [[Lutheranism|Lutherans]].<ref name=":4">{{cite web |title=Baton Rouge, Louisiana Religion |url=https://www.bestplaces.net/religion/city/louisiana/baton_rouge |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190321182729/https://www.bestplaces.net/religion/city/louisiana/baton_rouge |archive-date=March 21, 2019 |access-date=2019-03-21 |website=Sperling's BestPlaces}}</ref> Christians including [[Jehovah's Witnesses]], the [[Metropolitan Community Church]], [[Unitarianism|Christian Unitarians]], and the [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Eastern Orthodox]] among others collectively made up 14% of the Sperling's study other Christian demographic. Notable Anglican or Episcopalian jurisdictions operating throughout the Greater Baton Rouge area have included the [[Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana]] aligned with the [[Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States]];<ref>{{cite web |title=Church Directory (By City) |url=https://www.edola.org/church-directory-by-city/ |access-date=2020-07-31 |website=Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana |language=en-US}}</ref> and the [[Diocese of Mid-America|Reformed Episcopal Diocese of Mid-America]] and the [[Anglican Diocese of the Western Gulf Coast]] aligned with the [[Anglican Church in North America]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Find a Congregation|url=https://anglicanchurch.net/find-a-congregation/|access-date=2020-07-31|website=The Anglican Church in North America|language=en-US}}</ref> Baton Rouge's Pentecostal communities are mainly affiliated with the [[Assemblies of God USA]] and the [[Church of God in Christ]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Find a Church |url=https://ag.org/Resources/Directories/Find-a-Church |access-date=2020-07-31 |website=Assemblies of God}}</ref> and Presbyterians are mainly members of the [[Presbyterian Church (USA)]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Church (U.S.A.) |first=Presbyterian |date=2020-07-31 |title=Resources |url=https://www.pcusa.org/search/congregations/?criteria=baton+rouge,+louisiana&distance=15&by_location=Search&congregation=&presbytery= |access-date=2020-07-31 |website=Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)}}</ref> According to ARDA in 2020, the Church of God in Christ is the area's largest Pentecostal denomination by membership.<ref name=":12" />

Sperling's BestPlaces reported that the second-largest religion in Baton Rouge and its metropolitan area was [[Islam]].<ref name=":4" /> There are currently over six mosques in the Baton Rouge area, primarily affiliated with [[Sunni Islam]]. The [[Nation of Islam]] also has a presence in the area.<ref>{{cite web|last=Phelps|first=Earl|title=Nation of Islam calls for new boycotts in Baton Rouge|url=https://www.wbrz.com/news/nation-of-islam-calls-for-new-boycotts-in-baton-rouge/|access-date=2020-07-31|website=WBRZ}}</ref> The Muslim population has grown out of Middle Eastern immigration and [[African-American Muslims|African American Muslim]] missionary work.<ref>{{cite web|date=2016-06-13|title=INCREASING ISLAM: A Glimpse At Muslim Immigration And Its Massive Expansion Into Louisiana|url=https://thehayride.com/2016/06/increasing-islam-a-glimpse-at-muslim-immigration-and-its-massive-expansion-into-louisiana/|access-date=2020-07-31|website=The Hayride|language=en-US}}</ref> The first Islamic private school in Baton Rouge was established in 2019.<ref>{{cite web |title=Crews break ground on new building for Islamic school in Baton Rouge |url=https://www.wafb.com/2019/12/13/crews-break-ground-new-building-islamic-school-baton-rouge/ |access-date=2020-07-31 |website=WAFB |date=December 14, 2019 |language=en-US}}</ref>

As of 2019, [[Judaism|Orthodox Jews]] made up 0.2% of Baton Rouge's religious population, and 0.6% identified with eastern faiths including [[Buddhism]] and [[Hinduism]] according to Sperling's.<ref name=":4" /> [[New religious movement]]s including [[Modern Paganism|contemporary paganism]] have small communities in the area,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Parker|first=Trent|title=Local pagans seek religious rights|url=https://www.lsureveille.com/daily/local-pagans-seek-religious-rights/article_82a50d90-5698-11e5-b42b-1f22a09870ef.html|access-date=2020-07-31|website=The Reveille|date=September 8, 2015 }}</ref> and a minority practice [[Haitian Vodou]], [[Louisiana Voodoo]], and [[Hoodoo (spirituality)|Hoodoo]]. According to Sperling's 2019 study, 31.9% of the population identified as either [[spiritual but not religious]], [[Agnosticism|agnostic]], or [[Atheism|atheist]].