As of the census of 2000, there were 227,818 people, 88,973 households, and 52,672 families residing in the city of Baton Rouge. The population density was 1,144.7/km² (2,964.7/mi²). There were 97,388 housing units at an average density of 489.4/km² (1,267.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 50.02% African American, 45.70% White, 0.18% Native American, 2.62% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.49% from other races, and 0.96% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.72% of the population.

There were 88,973 households out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.8% were married couples living together, 19.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.8% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.12.

In the city the population was spread out with 24.4% under the age of 18, 17.5% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 90.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $30,368, and the median income for a family was $40,266. Males had a median income of $34,893 versus $23,115 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,512. About 18.0% of families and 24.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.4% of those under age 18 and 13.6% of those age 65 or over.

These figures shifted dramatically in September 2005, in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, as reported in The (Baton Rouge) Advocate of October 5, 2005. The mayor's office estimated that the population of the parish just before the hurricane was about 415,000. Two weeks later, it had reached between 800,000 and 1,000,000 based on careful estimates extrapolated from traffic counts. The Baton Rouge Area Chamber of Commerce guessed, based on its own study, that the area had absorbed about 235,000 evacuees from the New Orleans area, of whom about 160,000 stayed in private homes with family and friends, 41,000 in leased apartments or houses, 32,000 in hotels and motels, 20,000 in shelters, and 10,000 in unsold new homes, college dormitories, and other facilities.

Both the mayor's office and the chamber are expecting permanent growth in the Baton Rouge area, after most New Orleanians return to their homes, to be between 25,000 and 50,000.

A related figure is the total enrollment in the parish's public schools, which was 46,580 on the day before the hurricane and 52,518 on October 1st. The sudden increase in enrollment has placed great strain on the public school system, with night classes being scheduled for many evacuee students. These figures also do not take into account those private (mostly Catholic) school students from New Orleans who enrolled in the Baton Rouge counterparts of their own schools -- often being taught by evacuated instructors, many of them members of Catholic teaching orders.

The Advocate of February 28, 2006 published newly determined official population estimates from several state agencies. David Bowman, assistant director of the Louisiana Workforce Commission, who was appointed to coordinate a group of experts working on these estimates, noted that these numbers will play a major role in government funding, both in those parishes that have suffered major losses in population and in those that have gained it. Louisiana Tech University, which has regular responsibility for providing parish population estimates to the State Treasurer’s office, estimated the population of East Baton Rouge Parish in July 2005 at 417,218. Their estimate for the Metro Area (consisting of East Baton Rouge, Ascension, Iberville, Livingston, and West Baton Rouge Parishes) at that time was 662,991. Bowman and Karen Patterson, the Louisiana State Demographer, consider the best current estimates for January 2006 to be those produced by the Office of Primary Care and Rural Health of the Department of Health and Hospitals: 527,709 for East Baton Rouge Parish and 807,754 for the Metro Area. These represent increases of 26.5% and 21.8%, respectively. (They also estimate that the total population of Louisiana declined during the same period from 4,523,628 to 4,137,915, a loss of 8.5%, most of it due to post-hurricane out-migration.)

As new businesses migrate to the Baton Rouge area, office towers may soon be built in the downtown area. One project includes a proposal for a condominum tower on the river, to become a new highrise building in the city.

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