kids encyclopedia robot

Baker, Louisiana facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Baker, Louisiana
City of Baker
Location of Baker in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana
Location of Baker in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana
Baker, Louisiana is located in Louisiana
Baker, Louisiana
Baker, Louisiana
Location in Louisiana
Baker, Louisiana is located in the United States
Baker, Louisiana
Baker, Louisiana
Location in the United States
Country  United States
State  Louisiana
Parish East Baton Rouge
Area
 • Total 8.40 sq mi (21.75 km2)
 • Land 8.40 sq mi (21.75 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 12,455
 • Density 1,482.91/sq mi (572.53/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
FIPS code 22-03985

Baker is a city in the U.S. state of Louisiana, in East Baton Rouge Parish. It is part of the Baton Rouge metropolitan statistical area, and had a population of 12,455 at the 2020 census, down from 13,895 at the 2010 U.S. census.

History

Baker was named in 1888 for an early settler.

Geography

Baker is located north of the center of East Baton Rouge Parish at 30°35′8″N 91°9′26″W / 30.58556°N 91.15722°W / 30.58556; -91.15722 (30.585637, -91.157096). It is bordered to the north by Zachary and to the south by Baton Rouge. According to the United States Census Bureau, Baker has a total area of 8.3 square miles (21.5 km2), all land.

Louisiana Highway 19 runs through the center of Baker, leading north 4 miles (6 km) to the center of Zachary and south 5 miles (8 km) to U.S. Route 61 in the northern part of Baton Rouge. Downtown Baton Rouge is 11 miles (18 km) south of Baker. Louisiana Highway 67 passes through the eastern part of Baker, leading north 22 miles (35 km) to Clinton and south 9 miles (14 km) into the center of Baton Rouge.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1950 762
1960 4,823 532.9%
1970 8,281 71.7%
1980 12,865 55.4%
1990 13,233 2.9%
2000 13,793 4.2%
2010 13,895 0.7%
2020 12,455 −10.4%
U.S. Decennial Census

2020 census

Baker racial composition
Race Number Percentage
White (non-Hispanic) 1,672 13.42%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 10,212 81.99%
Native American 10 0.08%
Asian 24 0.19%
Pacific Islander 1 0.01%
Other/Mixed 244 1.96%
Hispanic or Latino 292 2.34%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 12,455 people, 4,693 households, and 3,097 families residing in the city.

2019 ACS

At the 2019 American Community Survey, there were 13,437 people, 4,693 households, and 3,097 families residing in the city. As of 2010, the population density was 1,674.3 people per square mile. In 2019, there were 5,276 housing units.

The racial and ethnic makeup of the city was 84.6% Black and African American, 13.6% non-Hispanic white, 0.1% American Indian or Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, 0.4% Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, 0.1% some other race, 0.4% two or more races, and 0.5% Hispanic and Latin American of any race. At the 2000 United States census, the racial makeup of the city was 45.97% White, 52.36% African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.17% from other races, and 0.99% from two or more races; Hispanic or Latin American people of any race were 0.86% of the population.

Of the 4,693 households in 2019, there were 88 males per 100 females, and the median age was 34.8 years. The average household size was 2.83, and the average family size was 3.63. An estimated 30.2% of households had one or more people under 18 years of age, and 34.7% with one or more people aged 65 and older; 28.8% of householders lived alone. There was an ownership rate of 67.4%, and 32.6% had renter-occupied housing units. The median household income was $53,082 and males had a median income of $40,926 versus $30,872 for females. Approximately 12.9% of the population lived at or below the poverty line.

Baker received an influx of New Orleans residents during the immediate aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Renaissance Village (established by the Federal Emergency Management Agency) was the home to more than 3,000 evacuees, of whom more than 500 were school-age children. The large majority of the residents came from the poorest parts of New Orleans.

Baker Buffalo Festival

The Baker Buffalo Festival is held every year in Baker on the last full weekend in September. The festival was started in 1993 as a fundraiser for the schools in Baker. The schools and their organizations are able to use the festival to raise money for their activities. Besides what they raise on their own, the Festival Committee also makes donations to all the schools that participate. It includes a festival, parade, Queen's pageant, and a car show.

National Guard

Baker is home to the 926th MAC (mobility augmentation company) which is part of the 769th Engineer Battalion (combat) headquartered in Baton Rouge. These units belong to the 225th Engineer Brigade which is headquartered at Pineville on Camp Beauregard. As of 2011 this unit has been activated for overseas deployment to a combat theater.

Twin cities

Flag City Country
Senegal Joal-Fadiouth Senegal


Education

Baker residents are zoned to the City of Baker School System. Baker High School is the city's high school.

Unincorporated areas with Baker addresses are within the East Baton Rouge Parish Public Schools.

East Baton Rouge Parish Library operates the Baker Branch, located across from Baker High School. The library opened in Miss Angie Williams' Tea Room on June 19, 1941 and subsequently moved to a school building in 1955, a third building, and then the Baker Masonic Lodge on July 20, 1959. The current library, with 17,900 square feet (1,660 m2) of space, opened in April 2001; it was designed by Cockfield-Jackson Architects.

Notable people

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Baker (Luisiana) para niños

kids search engine
Baker, Louisiana Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.