Rayne, Louisiana


Rayne is a city in Acadia Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 7,953 at the 2010 census, down from 8,552 in 2000. It is nicknamed the "Frog Capital of the World", as well as the "Louisiana City of Murals".
Rayne is part of the Crowley Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

An EF2 tornado hit Rayne on March 5, 2011, injuring at least twelve people and killing one person, leveling homes and causing natural gas leaks that prompted evacuations.
In February 2016 a tornado struck through the town and killed at least 1 and left 12 others injured.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of, of which, or 0.18%, is water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 8,552 people, 3,183 households, and 2,228 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,476.1 people per square mile. There were 3,480 housing units at an average density of 1,007.6 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 65.55% White, 33.52% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.16% Asian, 0.19% from other races, and 0.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.81% of the population.
There were 3,183 households, out of which 35.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.1% were married couples living together, 20.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.0% were non-families. 26.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.22.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 29.6% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $22,369, and the median income for a family was $27,991. Males had a median income of $27,140 versus $14,980 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,588. About 24.5% of families and 29.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 38.2% of those under age 18 and 24.7% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

Rayne holds a yearly Frog Festival the second full weekend in November as of 2008. The festival, which used to be held on the first full weekend of September following Labor Day, attracts thousands of visitors. As of 2015, the festival is held Mother's Day weekend.

Education

The Acadia Parish School Board serves the city. Rayne High School, home of the Mighty Wolves, is located in Rayne.
Other schools in Rayne include: