U.S. Census Bureau Says 2.1 Million People in
Coastal Counties Affected by Hurricane Gustav

September 2, 2008 — The U.S. Census Bureau calculated that some 2.1 million people in the coastal counties of Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi were affected by Hurricane Gustav as it made landfall on the Gulf Coast. Map [PDF-201K]

     Several census products provide a picture of the impacted counties, including Terrebonne Parish, La., where Hurricane Gustav made landfall.

• A summary table of the total employment for the Louisiana coastal counties, as well as the number of older workers and their average monthly salaries is provided here as an example of the potential economic impact on an area. Data [Excel – 19K]. More of these data can be found on the Census Bureau’s Quarterly Workforce Indicators, a system that merges data from a variety of sources to paint a picture of where people live and work.
  
  
• The following map [PDF-106K] shows measures of potential economic impact within the storm’s path based upon both where jobs [Excel - 34K] are located and where workers are living [Excel – 29K]. Users of OnTheMap, an online data tool, can readily produce maps and reports about the potential economic impact to businesses and communities in hurricane- and flood-affected areas.
  
  
• According to the Census Bureau’s 2006 American Community Survey (ACS), the median housing value in Terrebonne Parish was $98,600. More than 75 percent of the homes were built before 1990. The median household income was about $45,000, and nearly 18 percent of the population lived in poverty. Additionally, about 9 percent of the 37,000 occupied homes were without access to a vehicle. More data profiles for counties can be found on American FactFinder.
  
  
• According to the Census Bureau’s 2006 County Business Patterns, there are 2,841 businesses in Terrebonne Parish with paid employees, employing 48,035 workers, with about $1.9 billion in total annual payroll. The sector with the most businesses in Terrebonne Parish is retail trade, representing 492 businesses, and employing some 7,704 people with a total annual payroll of $177 million. More business data for counties can be found at County Business Patterns.