Who lives in downtown Baton Rouge?


Many different kinds of people live in downtown BR including myself.. There are families, some with children ( but only those who don't think downtown is dangerous and don't mind being far away from a school.) College students are abundant, especially grad students. Plenty of crazy, but harmless old ( and young) people run the streets.

Who works in downtown Baton Rouge?
lawyers

the following information is taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baton_Rouge,_Louisiana#Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there are 227,818 people, 88,973 households, and 52,672 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,144.7/km² (2,964.7/mi²). There are 97,388 housing units at an average density of 489.4/km² (1,267.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 45.70% White, 50.02% African American, 0.18% Native American, 2.62% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.49% from other races, and 0.96% from two or more races. 1.72% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 88,973 households out of which 28.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.8% are married couples living together, 19.0% have a female householder with no husband present, and 40.8% are non-families. 31.7% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.6% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.42 and the average family size is 3.12.

In the city the population is spread out with 24.4% under the age of 18, 17.5% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 30 years. For every 100 females there are 90.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 86.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $30,368, and the median income for a family is $40,266. Males have a median income of $34,893 versus $23,115 for females. The per capita income for the city is $18,512. 24.0% of the population and 18.0% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 31.4% of those under the age of 18 and 13.6% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

These figures shifted dramatically in September 2005, in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, as reported in the Baton Rouge Advocate of October 5, 2005. The Mayor's office estimated that the population of the parish just before the hurricane was about 415,000. Two weeks later, it had reached between 800,000 and 1,000,000 based on careful estimates extrapolated from traffic counts. The Baton Rouge Area Chamber of Commerce guessed, based on its own study, that the area had absorbed about 235,000 evacuees from the New Orleans area, of whom about 160,000 stayed in private homes with family and friends, 41,000 in leased apartments or houses, 32,000 in hotels and motels, 20,000 in shelters, and 10,000 in unsod new homes, college dormitories, and other facilities.

Both the Mayor's office and the Chamber are expecting permanent growth in the Baton Rouge area, after most New Orleanians return to their homes, to be between 25,000 and 50,000.

A related figure is the total enrollment in the parish's public schools, which was 46,580 on the day before the hurricane and 52,518 on October 1st. The sudden increase in enrollment has placed great strain on the school system, with night classes being scheduled for many evacuee students. These figures also do not take into account those private (mostly Catholic) school students from New Orleans who enrolled in the Baton Rouge counterparts of their own schools -- often being taught by evacuated instructors, many of them members of Catholic teaching orders.

During the day Baton Rouge appears to have a normal downtown with business people (bankers, lawyers, food service, designers, ect.) running around. But when nightfall comes, the business district is desolate. There are only a handful of places to eat that stay open after 2 pm, and no decent convenience store or drug store. Unless a person comes downtown for a special event at the River Center or Shaw Center, or to gamble or drink, there are not many options of activities to travel downtown for. For example, on this local website, there was not a single item unders events for today: http://www.batonrouge.com/downtown.cfm

There seems to be a mad dash for loft apartments in the CBD, but the Spanish Town and Beuregard Town communities have long been thriving places to live. They were and still are like islands, surrounded by impoverished areas, interstate, and the CBD. I live in spanish town, and have never felt more surrounded by life. There are quite the characters living around me.

Traffic is only backed up in the mornings and around 5. Driving in downtown is always a pleasure. Plus most of the residents of downtown ride bikes and walk. Rock on!

If only everyday was the Spanish Town Mardi Gras parade..........................