Baton Rouge Area Chamber

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East Baton Rouge Parish (EBR) is the capital of Louisiana, and home to Louisiana State University and Southern University. The City of Baton Rouge, one of the fastest growing cities in the South, lies along the eastern banks of the Mississippi River. It’s the site of the governor’s mansion, the state capitol building, the Louisiana Arts & Science Museum, and the River Center, a venue for large events such as concerts, theater performances, trade shows and conferences. Also downtown is the recently completed Shaw Center for the Arts, featuring art exhibits, performances, and rooftop dining with spectacular views.

In addition to the downtown area, the City of Baton Rouge includes many established neighborhoods, such as mid-city, with its eclectic mix of local shops and restaurants, the Garden District, with its beautiful older homes, and Spanish Town, known for its flamboyant Mardi Gras parades. Outside the city limits, the parish is booming with both residential and commercial development. Subdivisions, planned communities, upscale shopping areas, restaurants, and new movie theaters are springing up throughout the parish.

EBR also includes the newly incorporated City of Central, and the City of Zachary. Zachary public schools rank first in the state in school district performance scores. The City of Baker, located just north of Baton Rouge, boasts plenty of green space, with more than 1,000 acres of parks, over ten miles of hiking and nature trails, and the ever-popular Baton Rouge Zoo.

Parish Statistics
Land Area in Square Miles	471
Population (2005 Estimate)	412,245
Population Growth % (2000 – 2005)	-0.1%
Median Age	33
Business Establishments	19,698
Employees (Daytime Population)	238,347
Average Annual Pay	$20,832

Top Employers
Name	Employees	NAICS Code
OUR LADY OF THE LAKE MEDICAL CENTER	1,000-4,999	622110
WEST TELEMARKETING	1,000-4,999	56142
EXXON MOBIL REFINING & SUPPLY	1,000-4,999	32511
SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY	1,000-4,999	611310
EXXON MOBIL CHEMICAL CO.	1,000-4,999	3251
BATON ROUGE GENERAL MEDICAL CENTER	1,000-4,999	622110
RECREATION & PARK COMMISSSION	1,000-4,999
PERFORMANCE CONTRACTORS INC.	1,000-4,999	236210, 238110
PORT HUDSON PULP MILL	1,000-4,999	322110
LA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE	1,000-4,999
US VETERANS MEDICAL CENTER	1,000-4,999	622110
CASINO ROUGE	1,000-4,999	713210
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HOSPITALS	1,000-4,999
LSU MEDICAL CENTER	1,000-4,999	622110

Contacts

ED Contact:
Dave Wood
Executive Director
Baton Rouge Area Chamber
564 Laurel Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70801
225-381-7125
dwood@brac.org

Web
www.brac.org

Major Cities/Towns

Baker
Land Area in Square Miles	7.9
Population (2005 Estimate)	13,869
Population Growth % (2000 – 2005)	0.5%
Median Age	33
Business Establishments	387
Employees (Daytime Population)	3,675
Average Annual Pay	$16,002

City of Baton Rouge
Land Area in Square Miles	79.1
Population (2005 Estimate)	221,614
Population Growth % (2000 – 2005)	-2.7%
Median Age	32
Average Commute in Minutes	20.9
Business Establishments	12,865
Employees (Daytime Population)	157,346
Average Annual Pay	$18,921

Zachary
Land Area in Square Miles	23.8
Population (2005 Estimate)	11,146
Population Growth % (2000 2005)	-1.0%
Median Age	36
Business Establishments	409
Employees (Daytime Population)	4,474
Average Annual Pay	$17,742