Editing Lafayette, Louisiana (section)

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1860= 498
|1870= 777
|1880= 815
|1890= 2106
|1900= 3314
|1910= 6392
|1920= 7855
|1930= 14635
|1940= 19210
|1950= 33541
|1960= 40400
|1970= 68908
|1980= 80584
|1990= 94440
|2000= 110257
|2010= 120623
|2020= 121374
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|website=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

[[File:Race and ethnicity 2020 Lafayette, LA.png|thumb|Map of racial distribution in Lafayette, 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}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Lafayette, 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 – Lafayette city, Louisiana|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=p004&g=160XX00US2240735&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) – Lafayette city, Louisiana|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US2240735&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) – Lafayette city, Louisiana|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US2240735&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!% 2000
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|74,020
|74,424
|style='background: #ffffe6; |69,117
|67.13%
|61.70%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |56.95%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|31,292
|37,255
|style='background: #ffffe6; |37,025
|28.38%
|30.89%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |30.50%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|250
|350
|style='background: #ffffe6; |344
|0.23%
|0.29%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.28%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|1,573
|2,162
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3,136
|1.43%
|1.79%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.58%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|24
|29
|style='background: #ffffe6; |33
|0.02%
|0.02%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.03%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Some Other Race]] alone (NH)
|135
|227
|style='background: #ffffe6; |457
|0.12%
|0.19%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.38%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed Race or Multi-Racial]] (NH)
|892
|1,645
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3,731
|0.81%
|1.36%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.07%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|2,071
|4,531
|style='background: #ffffe6; |7,531
|1.88%
|3.76%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |6.20%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''110,257'''
|'''120,623'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''121,374'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}

[[Atakapa|Attakapa]] Native Americans were originally the primary residents of the Lafayette area before [[French colonization of the Americas|French colonization]], concentrated along the Vermilion River.<ref name=":0" /> After the [[Louisiana Purchase]], American settlers began moving into the area and intermarrying among the French, [[enslaved Africans]], and [[free people of color]]. Since 1860, Lafayette has grown from 498 to 121,374 residents at the [[2020 United States census|2020 U.S. census]].<ref name=":7" /><ref>{{Cite web|last=Daigle|first=Adam|title=Lafayette Parish population up 26.9%; Youngsville fastest-growing municipality in the state|url=https://www.theadvocate.com/acadiana/news/business/article_3b3f3390-fba1-11eb-bbb7-7b07620429a6.html|access-date=2021-10-16|website=The Acadiana Advocate|date=12 August 2021 |publisher=The Advocate|language=en}}</ref> Following the American Community Survey's 5 year estimates program, the city has continued population growth with an additional 2020 estimate at 126,674 residents.<ref name=":22">{{Cite web |title=2020 Demographic and Housing Estimates |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=Lafayette%20city,%20Louisiana&tid=ACSDP5Y2020.DP05 |access-date=2022-07-15 |website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref>

With the migration and population growth of [[European Americans|European]], [[African Americans|African]], and [[multiracial Americans]] since early settlement, the racial and ethnic makeup of the city has been predominantly [[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|non-Hispanic or Latino white]], Black or African American, multiracial, and [[Asian Americans|Asian]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=2020 U.S. Census: Hispanic or Latino, and not Hispanic or Latino by race|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US2240735&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2&hidePreview=true|access-date=2021-10-16|publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=2020 U.S. Census: Race|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US2240735&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P1&hidePreview=true|access-date=2021-10-16|publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> [[French Americans|French]], [[German Americans|German]], [[English Americans|English]], [[American ancestry|American]], [[Irish Americans|Irish]], and [[Italian Americans|Italian]] were the largest European ancestry groups among the non-Hispanic or Latino white population.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=2019 Selected Social Characteristics|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US2240735&tid=ACSDP1Y2019.DP02&hidePreview=true|access-date=2021-10-16|publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> Asian settlers arrived during the establishment of [[Filipino Americans|Filipino]] communities along the coast of Louisiana (primarily in the [[New Orleans metropolitan area|Greater New Orleans]] area)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ramirez |first=Rachel |date=2021-10-17 |title=This site is an important piece of Filipino American history. Climate change is destroying it. |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/17/us/filipino-american-history-louisiana-climate/index.html |access-date=2023-02-08 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The First Asian American Settlement Was Established by Filipino Fishermen |url=https://www.history.com/news/first-asian-american-settlement-filipino-st-malo |access-date=February 8, 2023 |website=History|date=12 May 2021 }}</ref> up to established communities in the Acadiana region as of 2013.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wartelle |first=Kris |title=Acadiana's Filipino community waiting for news following Typhoon Haiyan |url=https://www.theadvertiser.com/story/news/local/2013/11/12/acadianas-filipino-community-waiting-for-news-following-typhoon-haiyan/3502985/ |access-date=2023-02-08 |website=The Daily Advertiser |publisher=Gannett |language=en-US}}</ref> The city and area's [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic and Latino American]] population have existed since [[Louisiana (New Spain)|Spanish colonization of Louisiana]].

According to 2021 estimates from the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]], its non-Hispanic or Latino white population have been prevalent throughout the city proper's geographic foothold with exception to its northern neighborhoods.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Demographic Statistical Atlas of the United States|url=https://statisticalatlas.com/place/Louisiana/Lafayette/Race-and-Ethnicity|access-date=2021-11-13|website=Statistical Atlas}}</ref> More than 34% of its Hispanic and Latino American population lived in the central-west portion of the city, and Black and African Americans primarily dominated the northern half of Lafayette city proper. Its Asian American community was dispersed throughout the whole city alongside multiracial Americans, and people of other races and ethnicities primarily lived near downtown or the city's border with [[Carencro, Louisiana|Carencro]].

Having historic growth from the 20th and 21st centuries attributed primarily to the oil and gas industry, the [[University of Louisiana at Lafayette]], and Acadiana tourism,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Larino|first=Jennifer|date=October 25, 2017|title=These are Louisiana's 20 fastest-growing cities and towns|url=https://www.nola.com/news/business/article_e492d6ac-7a97-5633-88b7-62605a5828d5.html|access-date=2021-03-01|website=NOLA.com|language=en}}</ref> an estimated 3.8 percent of the city's population was foreign-born from 2014 to 2019; of the foreign-born population, 33.6 percent were naturalized U.S. citizens.<ref name=":2" /> Altogether [[English language|English]], [[French language|French]], and [[Spanish language|Spanish]] were the most spoken languages at home among the native and foreign-born populations.<ref>{{Cite web|title=2019 Language Statistics|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US2240735&tid=ACSST1Y2019.S1601&hidePreview=true|access-date=2021-10-16|publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> In 2022, the city's foreign-born population grew to 5.8%.<ref name=":7" />

Poverty remains an issue in the city with an estimated 18.6 percent at or below the national [[Poverty thresholds (United States Census Bureau)|poverty threshold]] in 2019,<ref>{{Cite web|title=2019 Poverty Statistics|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US2240735&tid=ACSST1Y2019.S1701&hidePreview=true|access-date=2021-10-16|website=|publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> the [[median income]] for a family was $54,139 in 2020 and Lafayettiens had a [[mean household income]] of $79,216;<ref>{{Cite web |title=2020 Selected Economic Characteristics |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US2240735&tid=ACSDP5Y2020.DP03 |access-date=2022-05-04 |website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> among non-family households, the median income stood at $34,588. The city had an employment rate of 60.4 percent, up from the state's 55.4 percent from 2014 to 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|title=2019 Selected Economic Characteristics|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US2240735&tid=ACSDP1Y2019.DP03&hidePreview=true|access-date=2021-10-16|website=|publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref>

=== Sexual orientation and gender identity ===
 
While in the predominantly conservative [[Southern United States|southern U.S.]], Lafayette has maintained a substantial [[Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender|lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender]] community since at least 1969, when some members of the Mystic Krewe of Apollo, a gay cultural, social, and service organization in New Orleans, arrived in the city.<ref>{{Cite web|title=LGBTQ+ Rights Movement in Louisiana|url=https://64parishes.org/entry/lgbtq-rights-movement-in-louisiana|access-date=2021-11-13|website=64 Parishes|language=en}}</ref> The area's LGBT population have described [[Acadiana]] as "welcoming," though some members of the community in the 1970s declined to be photographed at public and private LGBT events.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-12-01|title=Glitter and Be Gay|url=https://64parishes.org/glitter-and-be-gay|access-date=2021-11-13|website=64 Parishes|language=en}}</ref> While regarded as welcoming, Lafayette's government was once under the [[Human Rights Campaign|Human Rights Campaign Foundation]]'s focus regarding non-discrimination in city employment; a local government spokesperson responded with reports of no complaints from the local LGBT community.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Stickney|first=Ken|title=Study: Lafayette doesn't do enough to support LGBTQ community|url=https://www.theadvertiser.com/story/news/2017/10/20/does-lafayette-fail-lgbtq-community-study-says-we-trail/785177001/|access-date=2021-11-13|website=The Daily Advertiser|publisher=Gannett|language=en-US}}</ref> In 2023, the community celebrated the second annual Pride Acadiana.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-24 |title=Downtown Lafayette celebrates 2nd annual Pride Acadiana |url=https://www.klfy.com/local/lafayette-parish/downtown-lafayette-celebrates-2nd-annual-pride-acadiana/ |access-date=2023-06-28 |website=KLFY.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Religion ===
[[File:The Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist 2.jpg|thumb|[[St. John's Cathedral (Lafayette, Louisiana)|St. John's Cathedral]], see of the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana|Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana]]|253x253px]]
In common with Louisiana's religious demographic, Lafayette and its [[Lafayette metropolitan area, Louisiana|metropolitan area]] are predominantly religious, dominated by [[Christianity]].<ref name=":18">{{Cite web |title=Maps and data files for 2020 |url=https://www.usreligioncensus.org/index.php/node/1639 |access-date=2022-12-10 |website=U.S. Religion Census |publisher=Association of Religious Data Archives}}</ref> According to the [[Association of Religion Data Archives]] in 2020, the [[Catholic Church]] was the single largest Christian denomination with a reported 212,013 adherents, and [[Protestantism|Protestants]] were the largest collective Christian group. Among Protestant Christians, the largest were [[Nondenominational Christianity|non-denominational Christians]] with 26,860 adherents; [[Southern Baptist Convention|Southern Baptists]] with 22,324; [[Progressive National Baptist Convention|Progressive National Baptists]] with 19,324; [[United Methodist Church|United Methodists]] with 8,401; and [[Assemblies of God USA]] with 6,704 adherents.<ref name=":18" />

Owing in part to [[Religion in Latin America|Spanish]] and [[Religion in France|French colonialism]] and [[missionary work]], Christians have historically affiliated with the [[Latin Church]]'s [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana]]. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana was founded in 1918 and its see is the [[St. John's Cathedral (Lafayette, Louisiana)|Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=The History of the Diocese of Lafayette|url=https://diolaf.org/history|access-date=2021-03-01|website=Roman Catholic Diocese of Lafayette, Louisiana|language=en}}</ref> Within the local Protestant traditions, [[Baptists]] have been the primary historic Protestant body affiliated with; the [[National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.]] and Progressive National Baptist Convention have been the city and region's historically Black or African American Baptist denominations, though the [[Church of God in Christ]] has also been a historically prominent African American Protestant body.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lafayette bishop leads Easter service after losing mother, deacon to coronavirus|url=https://www.theadvocate.com/acadiana/news/coronavirus/article_01f44980-7ce6-11ea-bb2d-db22fbaa6516.html|access-date=2021-03-01|website=The Acadiana Advocate|date=12 April 2020 |publisher=The Advocate|language=en}}</ref>

[[Mormons]], [[Lutheranism|Lutherans]], and [[Presbyterianism|Presbyterians]] have also maintained minority presences within the Lafayette municipal and metropolitan communities. Christians of other traditions including the [[Jehovah's Witnesses]] and [[united and uniting churches]] have been present in the city's metropolitan area since the 20th century.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Church Finder|url=https://www.ucc.org/church-finder/|access-date=2021-03-01|website=United Church of Christ|language=en-US}}</ref> [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] is the oldest [[Nontrinitarianism|nontrinitarian]] Christian denomination in Lafayette, and has one church in the city limits; the closest LDS churches outside of Lafayette are in [[New Iberia, Louisiana|New Iberia]] and [[Opelousas, Louisiana|Opelousas]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Lafayette, LA|url=https://local.churchofjesuschrist.org/la/lafayette/116-east-bluebird-drive|access-date=2021-10-16|website=|publisher=The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints|language=en}}</ref> There has been one [[Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America|Antiochian Orthodox]] jurisdiction operating since 2004;<ref>{{Cite web|last=Young|first=Fr Stephen De|title=Parish History|url=https://stgabriellafayette.org/Parish-History/|access-date=2021-11-13|website=Archangel Gabriel Antiochian Orthodox Church|language=EN|archive-date=November 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211113043800/https://stgabriellafayette.org/Parish-History/|url-status=dead}}</ref> there is also a [[Coptic Orthodox Church|Coptic Orthodox]] mission under the [[Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=St. Mary of Egypt Coptic Orthodox Church – Lafayette, LA|url=http://www.suscopts.org/diocese/churches/lafayette/|access-date=2021-11-13|website=Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States}}</ref> Altogether, the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]], [[Oriental Orthodox Churches]], and non-mainstream Protestantism have constituted a significant minority in contrast to Catholic and Baptist missionary work.

In a separate religious study by [[Sperling's BestPlaces]] in 2020,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Religion in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana |url=https://www.bestplaces.net/religion/county/louisiana/lafayette |access-date=March 1, 2021 |website=Sperling's BestPlaces}}</ref> [[Judaism]] and [[Islam]] were tied as the second largest non-Christian religions within Lafayette and its metropolitan area. Jews began immigrating to the area in the 1800s,<ref>{{Cite web|date=2014-10-02|title=Jewish Temples of Southwest Louisiana Records|url=https://library.louisiana.edu/collections/collection-207|access-date=2021-03-01|website=University Libraries|publisher=University of Louisiana at Lafayette|language=en}}</ref> and one of Louisiana's oldest continuously operated synagogues (Temple Shalom) has been present in the city since 1869. The historic synagogue of Temple Shalom originally functioned as an [[Orthodox Judaism|Orthodox Jewish]] congregation before joining the [[Reform Judaism]] movement.<ref>{{Cite web|title=History - Temple Shalom|url=https://www.templeshalomlala.org/history|access-date=2021-03-02|website=Temple Shalom}}</ref> Lafayette's Jewish community has assisted in economic and cultural development of the area since their arrival.<ref>{{Cite web|title=ISJL - Louisiana Lafayette Encyclopedia|url=https://www.isjl.org/louisiana-lafayette-encyclopedia.html|access-date=2021-03-01|website=|publisher=Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life|language=en}}</ref>