Based on the projected path of Tropical Storm Edouard, the U.S. Census Bureau today calculated that more than 5.4 million people could feel the storm’s effects as it makes landfall along the Gulf Coast.

     According to the National Hurricane Center, Tropical Storm Edouard could arrive near the border between Texas and Louisiana by early Tuesday morning. The storm, currently in the Gulf of Mexico, is on track to make landfall in Galveston County, Texas. Hurricane and tropical storm warnings and watches were in effect for the Gulf Coast from Jackson County, Texas, to Plaquemines Parish, La. A storm warning means that either tropical storm or hurricane conditions are expected within the warning area within the next 24 hours.

     According to the Census Bureau’s 2006 American Community Survey, the median housing value in Galveston County was $133,800. Nearly 73 percent of the homes were built before 1990. The median household income was about $53,000, and about 14 percent of the population lived in poverty. Additionally, about 6 percent of the 105,000 occupied homes were without access to a vehicle.

     According to the Census Bureau’s 2006 County Business Patterns, there are 5,114 businesses in Galveston County with paid employees, employing 71,735 workers, with about $2.3 billion in total annual payroll. The sector with the most businesses in Galveston County is retail trade, representing 881 businesses, and employing some 11,236 people with a total annual payroll of $262 million.

     As the 2008 hurricane season progresses, the Census Bureau will continue to post information on its Hurricane Data and Emergency Preparedness Web page at <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/emergencies/index.html>.