Ferguson, Missouri
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Ferguson is a city in St. Louis County,
Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...
, United States. It is part of the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area. Per the 2020 census, the population was 18,527, and is predominantly Black.


History

What is now the city of Ferguson was founded in 1855, when William B. Ferguson deeded of land to the
Wabash Railroad The Wabash Railroad was a Class I railroad that operated in the mid-central United States. It served a large area, including track in the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, and Missouri and the province of Ontario. Its primary con ...
in exchange for a new depot and naming rights. The settlement that sprang up around the depot was called Ferguson Station. Ferguson was the first railroad station connected directly to St. Louis. The station is a focal point of the city's history and is depicted on the city flag, designed in 1994. Ferguson's first schoolhouse was built in 1878. Ferguson was incorporated as a city in 1894. Emerson Electric moved its headquarters to Ferguson during the 20th century. Ferguson made frequent worldwide headlines for months following the 2014 killing of Michael Brown Jr. by a police officer and the ensuing
civil unrest Civil disorder, also known as civil disturbance, civil unrest, civil strife, or turmoil, are situations when law enforcement and security forces struggle to maintain public order or tranquility. Causes Any number of things may cause civil di ...
. The
United States Department of Justice The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), also known as the Justice Department, is a United States federal executive departments, federal executive department of the U.S. government that oversees the domestic enforcement of Law of the Unite ...
investigation which followed resulted in large legal fees for the town, in excess of $300,000 a year. The investigation determined that the shooting was justified. Ferguson elected its first Black and first female mayor, Ella Jones, on June 2, 2020.


Demographics

The population of Ferguson grew rapidly during the late nineteenth century. In 1880 the population of the then Ferguson Station was 185 people. By 1890 the population was recorded as being 750 and only four years later it had increased to 1200. The population of Ferguson continued to grow rapidly during the first six decades of the twentieth century, from 1,015 people in 1900 to 22,149 people in 1960, an average growth rate of 5% per year. The ethnic composition of Ferguson has shifted, however. In 1970, 99% of the population of Ferguson was white and 1%
Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...
. In 1980, the proportion of white residents went down to 85%, whereas the proportion of Black residents rose to 14%. In 1990, residents of Ferguson who were identified in the U.S. Census as white comprised 73.8% of the total, while those identified as Black made up 25.1%. The remainder, 1.1%, identified with other racial categories. In the 2000 U.S. Census, the city shifted to majority African American at 52.4% of the population (52.30% non-Hispanic African American).


2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 18,527 people, 8,844 households, and 5,272 families in Ferguson. The population density was 3,002.8 per square mile (1,159.4/km). There were 10,079 housing units at an average density of 1,633.5 per square mile (630.7/km). The racial makeup was 21.4% (3,965)
white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 72.15% (13,367) Black or African-American, 0.24% (45) Native American, 0.53% (99) Asian, 0.05% (9)
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 1.31% (243) from other races, and 4.31% (799) from two or more races.
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race was 1.5% (316) of the population. Of the 8,844 households, 25.7% had children under the age of 18; 23.9% were married couples living together; 50.2% had a female householder with no husband present. Of all households, 36.4% consisted of individuals and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.3 and the average family size was 3.0. 29.4% of the population was under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 31.7% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.3 years. For every 100 females, the population had 76.0 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 68.6 males. The 2016-2020 5-year
American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...
estimates show that the median household income was $37,376 (with a margin of error of +/- $5,435) and the median family income was $44,123 (+/- $8,219). Males had a median income of $29,652 (+/- $2,440) versus $27,351 (+/- $3,102) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $28,414 (+/- $2,545). Approximately, 21.4% of families and 23.6% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 41.2% of those under the age of 18 and 8.1% of those ages 65 or over.


2010 census

As of the 2010 U.S. Census, there were 21,203 people, 8,192 households, and 5,500 families residing in the city. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...
was . There were 9,105 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 67.4%
Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...
, 29.3%
white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 0.5% Asian, 0.4% Native American, 0.4% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races.
Hispanic and Latino Hispanic and Latino Americans are Americans who have a Spanish or Latin American background, culture, or family origin. This demographic group includes all Americans who identify as Hispanic or Latino, regardless of race. According to th ...
of any race were 1.2% of the population. There were 8,192 households, of which 39.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 29.6% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 31.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 32.9% were non-families. 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.12. The median age in the city was 33.1 years. 28.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.2% were from 25 to 44; 25.3% were from 45 to 64; and 10.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 44.8% male and 55.2% female.


Geography

According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.


Climate

Ferguson has a borderline humid subtropical-
continental climate Continental climates often have a significant annual variation in temperature (warm to hot summers and cold winters). They tend to occur in central and eastern parts of the three northern-tier continents (North America, Europe, and Asia), typi ...
. Winters are cold, while summers are hot and humid. The record high is 115 °F, and the record low is −19 °F.


Economy

The City of Ferguson was home to the headquarters of Fortune 500 Company Emerson Electric up until early February 2025, when the Company unveiled "Emerson Tower" as the new Global Headquarters in Clayton, MO.


Government

The
Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...
of Ferguson is directly elected for a three-year term. The Ferguson
city council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, borough counc ...
is composed of six members.
James Knowles III James Wallace Knowles III (born July 20, 1979) is an American politician who served as the 11th Mayor of the city of Ferguson, Missouri, from April 2011 to June 2020. Early life and education Knowles received bachelor's degrees in political scie ...
was elected mayor for a three-year term in April 2011 and ran unopposed in April 2014.
Voter turnout In political science, voter turnout is the participation rate (often defined as those who cast a ballot) of a given election. This is typically either the percentage of Voter registration, registered voters, Suffrage, eligible voters, or all Voti ...
in the April 2014 mayoral election was approximately 12%. In June 2020, Ella Jones (D) became the first African American and first woman to be elected mayor of Ferguson. The Ferguson Police Department is involved with the following public programs: Business Watch, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), D.A.R.E. Program,
Neighborhood Watch A neighborhood watch or neighbourhood watch (see American and British English spelling differences#-our, -or, spelling differences), also called a crime watch or neighbourhood crime watch, is an organized group of civilians devoted to crime a ...
, School Resource Officers, and Riot Patrol. Ferguson also operates a two-station fire department with a complement of 18 full-time firefighters as well as nine senior management officials. The fire stations operate 24 hours a day.


Ferguson Police Department

On March 4, 2015, the Ferguson Police Department was criticized by the
United States Department of Justice The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), also known as the Justice Department, is a United States federal executive departments, federal executive department of the U.S. government that oversees the domestic enforcement of Law of the Unite ...
for civil rights violations. The Department of Justice argued that the Ferguson Police Department and the City of Ferguson relied on unconstitutional practices in order to balance the city's budget through racially motivated excessive fines and punishments. On March 11, 2015, Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson stated he was willing to resign, likely later that day (though no timeframe was confirmed) if he could get assurances that the Ferguson Police Department would be left in place and would not be dissolved;
Fox News The Fox News Channel (FNC), commonly known as Fox News, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Conservatism in the United States, conservative List of news television channels, news and political commentary Television stati ...
said he was not pushed out or fired. His resignation followed City Manager John Shaw who resigned March 10, and Municipal Judge Ronald Brockmeyer, who resigned March 9. Shaw had ultimate oversight over the Police Department and other city departments and was the most powerful civic official in Ferguson. He faced criticism for not doing enough to ameliorate the situation. The week before, three Ferguson Police Department employees were fired for offensive emails mentioned in the Justice Department report.


Ferguson Fire Department

The Ferguson Fire Department is a Career fire department and provides 24/7 fire and emergency medical services to the City of Ferguson. The Department hosts one frontline Rescue Pumpers and one Turntable Ladder across two stations, one in the Northeast of the City (Station No. 2) and one in the City Center (Station No. 1) neighboring the Police Department and Municipal Courts building. The current Station No. 1 was built in 2015, prior the Department's Station No. 1 was housed out of an extension of the City Hall on Church Street, during this time the Department's Ladder was too large to fit into the station bay and was usually kept outside in the rear parking lot, this extension is now home to FYI Backbay, a Youth Organization. The Department also served the City of Kinloch when the Kinloch Fire Protection District's sole Pumper was unavailable up until 2021 when the District added a second Pumper into their fleet.


Michael Brown shooting

On August 9, 2014, an 18-year-old, Michael Brown, was fatally shot by Darren Wilson with the Ferguson Police Department after an encounter with the officer that led to an altercation and subsequent pursuit. The incident sparked riots and acts of vandalism in Ferguson as well as widespread calls for an investigation into the incident. On August 10, after a day of vigils, there were looting of businesses, arson, vandalism of vehicles, shots fired at firemen and violent clashes between rioters and police. On August 18, reservists from the
Missouri National Guard The Missouri National Guard (MONG), commonly known as the Missouri Guard, is a component of the Army National Guard and Missouri State Department of the National Guard. It is composed of Army National Guard, Army and Missouri Air National Guard, A ...
arrived in Ferguson at the request of the
Governor of Missouri A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...
Jay Nixon Jeremiah Wilson "Jay" Nixon (born February 13, 1956) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the List of governors of Missouri, 55th governor of Missouri from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic P ...
, who also ended midnight to 5:00 a.m. curfews that had been imposed. On November 24, a grand jury decided that it would not indict Wilson in the shooting death of Brown. Following the announcement of the grand jury's decision, there was more rioting.


Education

St. Louis Community College-Florissant Valley, which has about 8,000 students, is located in Ferguson. Much of the community is within the Ferguson-Florissant School District (FFSD).
Text list
br> see also: - Compare this map against school attendance maps.
Primary schools (grades K-2) serving sections of Ferguson include Central, Bermuda, Holman, and Walnut Grove. Intermediate schools (grade 3-5) serving sections of Ferguson include Lee-Hamilton, Griffith, and Berkeley. Zoned secondary schools with attendance boundaries that coincide with Ferguson include Johnson-Wabash 6th Grade Center, Ferguson Middle School, and McCluer High School. A portion of Ferguson is instead in the Riverview Gardens School District, and another is in the Hazelwood School District. The following FFSD public schools are located within the city of Ferguson: * STEAM Academy at McCluer South-Berkeley (a
magnet school In the U.S. education system, magnet schools are public schools with specialized courses or curricula. Normally, a student will attend an elementary school, and this also determines the middle school and high school they attend unless they mo ...
for grades 9-12), formerly McCluer South-Berkeley High School * Ferguson Middle School (7-8) * Johnson-Wabash 6th Grade Center (formerly Elementary School) * Griffith Elementary School (3-5) * Lee-Hamilton Elementary School (3-5) * Central Elementary School (K-2) Vogt Elementary School closed in 2019. The following private schools are located within the city of Ferguson: * Blessed Teresa of Calcutta School ( Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis) * Our Lady of Guadalupe School (Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis) * Zion Lutheran School Ferguson is also home to the Challenger Learning Center – St. Louis, which provides a space education program. The Ferguson Municipal Public Library is one of several independent community libraries in St. Louis County and is a member of the Municipal Library Consortium of St. Louis County.


Notable people

This list may include persons born in the community, past residents, and current residents. * General Ralph Eberhart, USAF, Commander of the
North American Aerospace Defense Command North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD ; , CDAAN), known until March 1981 as the North American Air Defense Command, is a Combined operations, combined organization of the United States and Canada that provides aerospace warning, air ...
during the
September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks, also known as 9/11, were four coordinated Islamist terrorist suicide attacks by al-Qaeda against the United States in 2001. Nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners, crashing the first two into ...
* Michael McDonald,
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
-winning singer * Henry Miller, also known as Sentoryu, mixed martial artist and former
sumo is a form of competitive full-contact wrestling where a ''rikishi'' (wrestler) attempts to force his opponent out of a circular ring (''dohyō'') or into touching the ground with any body part other than the soles of his feet (usually by th ...
wrestler * Delrish Moss, Miami law enforcement veteran sworn in on May 9, 2016, as the first permanent African-American Police Chief of Ferguson * Susan Notorangelo, long-distance cyclist *
Enos Slaughter Enos Bradsher Slaughter (April 27, 1916 – August 12, 2002), nicknamed "Country", was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) right fielder. He played for 19 seasons on four major league teams from 1938 to 1942 and 1946 to 1959. He is noted prim ...
, Hall of Fame-winning St. Louis Cardinals baseball player * Maury Travis, serial killer * Harry Tuthill, cartoonist of the syndicated comic strip, '' The Bungle Family'' * Tyron Woodley, American mixed martial artist, former UFC welterweight champion


See also


References


External links

* * *
Podcast: Ferguson’s Untold Tragedy of School Segregation
ProPublica ProPublica (), legally Pro Publica, Inc., is a nonprofit investigative journalism organization based in New York City. ProPublica's investigations are conducted by its staff of full-time reporters, and the resulting stories are distributed to ne ...
(December 22, 2014) {{Authority control Cities in St. Louis County, Missouri Populated places established in 1855 Cities in Missouri 1855 establishments in Missouri