Metairie, Louisiana
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Metairie is a census-designated place and an unincorporated area located in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. As of the 2000 census, it had a total population of 146,136. Metairie is the largest suburb of the Greater New Orleans Metropolitan area.
The name comes from a French language term for a tenant farm which paid the landlord with a share of the produce (sharecropping), as this was the main activity of the area in the early 19th century. The name is prononced locally "MET-uh-ree" or "Met'ree".
It should be noted that Metairie Cemetery is not located in the town of Metairie, but rather within the city of New Orleans on Metairie Road.
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History
The first development of the area was along Metairie Ridge, a winding bit of naturally higher land formed by an old bayou levee. This became "Metairie Road". An electric streetcar was installed running along Metairie Road in the late 1910s, opening the area to greater development. Upscale suburban housing tracts were constructed off the Road in the 1920s; this area is now known as "Old Metairie".
Most of the rest of Metairie was not developed until after World War II.
The wide straight avenue "Veterans Boulevard" was laid out along side a drainage canal, and became a commercial center of the region. Some of the Greater New Orleans area's leading shopping malls are located in Metairie.
In the 1970s and early 1980s an area of bars and nightclubs opened in a section of Metairie that for a time was popular and known as "Fat City".
Geography
LAMap-doton-Metairie.png
Location of Metairie, Louisiana
Metairie is located at 29°59'52" North, 90°10'39" West (29.997797, -90.177473)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 60.2 km² (23.3 mi²). 60.1 km² (23.2 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.1 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.22% water.
Transportation
The most common method of transportation within Metairie is the automobile; there is relatively little mass transit. Interstate 10 runs east-west through Metairie. Major east-west roads (starting from north to south) include West Esplanade Avenue, Veterans Boulevard, West Metairie Avenue, and Airline Drive (which is part of U.S. Highway 61). Major north-south roads (starting from west to east) include David Drive, Transcontinental Drive, Clearview Parkway, Causeway Boulevard, and Bonnabel Boulevard.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 146,136 people, 63,741 households, and 39,073 families residing in Metairie. The population density is 2,431.0/km² (6,296.7/mi²). There are 67,225 housing units at an average density of 1,118.3/km² (2,896.6/mi²). The racial makeup of Metairie is 86.53% White, 6.83% African American, 0.27% Native American, 2.77% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.91% from other races, and 1.68% from two or more races. 7.25% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 63,741 households out of which 25.3% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.1% are married couples living together, 11.4% have a female householder with no husband present, and 38.7% are non-families. 32.9% of all households are made up of individuals and 11.3% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.28 and the average family size is 2.93.
In Metairie the population is spread out with 20.6% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 40 years. For every 100 females there are 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 88.1 males.
The median income for a household in Metairie is $41,265, and the median income for a family is $52,555. Males have a median income of $37,371 versus $27,057 for females. The per capita income for Metairie is $24,771. 8.9% of the population and 6.2% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 11.2% of those under the age of 18 and 7.2% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
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