Port Sulphur, Louisiana

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Port Sulphur is a census-designated place and town located on the West Bank of the Mississippi River in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana. The population was 3,115 at the 2000 census. The town was mostly destroyed from Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

[edit] Geography

Port Sulphur is located at 29°29′40″N, 89°42′45″W (29.494496, -89.712383)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 22.0 km² (8.5 mi²). 15.7 km² (6.1 mi²) of it is land and 6.3 km² (2.4 mi²) of it (28.54%) is water.

Port Sulphur got its name from the Freeport Sulfur Company in the early 1900's, when it set up drilling, refinery and shipping operations there. The site is a valuable one because of its proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, its docking site along the Mississippi River and the surrounding natural resources. Port Sulphur was a company town in every sense of the word. Today, the same buildings are present, although in the 1990's Freeport shut down operations, as the price of sulfur dropped too low due mainly to the by-product of sulfur obtained in petroleum production. With the closing of Freeport (McMoran) Sulfur, the town has been seeking another economic identity.

The town is 8 feet above sea level and had not flooded during Hurricanes Betsy and Camille. Nevertheless, in Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the federal levees failed and around 22' of water engulfed the town. In the months following Katrina, many residents moved back to Port Sulphur to begin rebuilding.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 3,115 people, 1,055 households, and 796 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 198.5/km² (514.1/mi²). There were 1,222 housing units at an average density of 77.9/km² (201.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 45.33% White, 44.43% African American, 7.03% Native American, 0.61% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.90% from other races, and 1.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.96% of the population.

There were 1,055 households out of which 37.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.8% were married couples living together, 20.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.5% were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.93 and the average family size was 3.43.

In the CDP the population was spread out with 30.8% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 93.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.1 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $30,188, and the median income for a family was $33,021. Males had a median income of $29,609 versus $23,194 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $13,553. About 20.5% of families and 22.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.7% of those under age 18 and 22.4% of those age 65 or over.

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