Harvey is a

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counte ...

(CDP) in

Jefferson Parish, Louisiana Jefferson Parish () is a List of parishes in Louisiana, parish in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 440,781. Its parish seat is Gretna, Louisiana, Gretna, its largest community is ...

, United States. Harvey is on the south side (referred to as the "West Bank") of the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...

, within the

New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...

– Metairie– Kenner metropolitan statistical area. The 2020 census determined 22,236 people live in Harvey.

History

During the French colonial era, the first owner of this land was Jean-Baptiste d'Estrehan de Beaupre, royal treasurer and comptroller for the

French Louisiana The term French Louisiana ( ; ) refers to two distinct regions: * First, to Louisiana (New France), historic French Louisiana, comprising the massive, middle section of North America claimed by Early Modern France, France during the 17th and 18th ...

colony. He established a plantation here. He used his

slaves Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...

to dig the ditch that would become the Harvey Canal, cutting south from the banks of the

to the back of Bayou Barataria, to provide better access. Years later, d'Estrehan paid German settlers in the area to work on widening the ditch; they used wooden shovels. He paid them with small parcels of land located downriver in Mechanicsham, now the city of Gretna. D'Estrehan built his home where the ditch met the river banks, naming the settlement "Cosmopolite City".Reeves, William D. (William Dale), ''Harvey: The Canal, the Family, the Community''; ''The Times-Picayune''; date: April 17, 1949; page 97; location: New Orleans, Louisiana. Harvey was founded as a company town at its founding, developed by Joseph Hale Harvey (born March 7, 1816). During this time, Joseph Harvey would rename Cosmopolite City after his family surname. Harvey's wife, ''née'' Louise Destrehan, was a great-granddaughter of Jean Baptiste d'Estrehan. She was the daughter of Nicolas Noel d'Estrehan and granddaughter of Jean Noel Destréhan. Harvey and Destrehan initiated construction of the canal locks leading to the Mississippi. Their son, Horace Harvey (c. 1860-1938), carried on development of the canal and its surroundings.

Geography

Harvey is located east of the Intracoastal Canal on the Mississippi River, at coordinates . It is bordered to the east by Gretna, to the west by Marrero, to the southwest by Woodmere, and to the north, across the Mississippi, by

. The closest highway crossing of the river is the

Crescent City Connection The Crescent City Connection (CCC), formerly the Greater New Orleans (GNO) Bridge, is a pair of cantilever bridges that carry U.S. Highway 90 Business (US 90 Bus.) over the Mississippi River in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. The ...

northeast of Harvey. 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 Harvey CDP has a total area of , of which are land and , or 7.16%, are water.

Demographics

According to the 2020 United States census, there were 22,236 people, 8,119 households, and 4,756 families residing in the CDP. At the 2019

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 ...

, there were 21,054 people living in the CDP. According to the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 20,348 people, 7,544 households, and 5,160 families residing in the CDP. In 2020, the racial and ethnic makeup of Harvey was 43.65% Black or African American, 29.18% non-Hispanic white, 0.29% Native American, 6.53% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 3.62% two or more races, and 16.72% Hispanic and Latino American of any race. The racial and ethnic makeup was 34.2%

non-Hispanic white Non-Hispanic Whites, also referred to as White Anglo Americans or Non-Latino Whites, are White Americans who are classified by the United States census as "White" and not of Hispanic or Latino origin. According to annual estimates from the Unit ...

, 51.6% African American, 0.2% Native American, 4.9% Asian, 4.1% some other race, 1.3% two or more races, and 9.5% Hispanic or Latino American of any race in 2019. In 2010, the racial makeup of the CDP was 43.5%

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 ...

, 41.1%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.4% Native American, 6.8% Asian, 0.1%

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 ...

, 5.6% some other race, and 2.5% 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 were 13.4% of the population. From 2010 to 2020, the population and diversification of the CDP has reflected state and nationwide demographic trends of African American, Asian, and Hispanic and Latino growth. For the period 2012-2016, the median annual income for a household in the CDP was $37,058, and the median income for a family was $52,173. Male full-time workers had a median income of $40,205 versus $32,500 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the CDP was $22,344. About 17.4% of families and 21.5% 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 29.4% of those under age 18 and 19.4% of those age 65 or over. By 2019, the median household income was $41,559 and 16.6% of the population lived at or below the poverty line.

Government and infrastructure

The Louisiana Office of Juvenile Justice operates the New Orleans Metro Office in Harvey. The

United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or simply the Postal Service, is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the executive branch of the federal governmen ...

operates the Harvey Post Office.

Education

Harvey is within the Jefferson Parish Public School System, which has its headquarters in Harvey.2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP (INDEX): Harvey CDP, LA

Archive
. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on May 18, 2014. West Jefferson High School is the sole zoned public high school in the Harvey CDP. A portion of Harvey in the south is zoned to John Ehret High School, and a portion to the northwest is zoned to L. W. Higgins High School. Some residents are zoned to Gretna Middle School in Gretna, and some are zoned to Marrero Middle School in Marrero. Woodland West Elementary School is in Harvey.Elementary School Districts 2012-2013 West Bank of Jefferson Parish Louisiana
"
Archive
. Jefferson Parish Public Schools. Retrieved on May 18, 2014. Ella C. Pittman Elementary School is in Marrero, adjacent to Harvey and serving portions of Harvey. Other schools outside of Harvey serving portions: Gretna Park and McDonogh #26 in Gretna, Cox Elementary in Timberlane, Collins Elementary (formerly Ames) in Marrero. Woodmere Elementary in Woodmere is nearby, but its attendance zone does not cover the Harvey CDP. Public kindergartens: *Harvey Kindergarten Center In regards to advanced studies academies, residents are zoned to the Gretna Academy. Helen Cox High School was in Harvey until 2023. Previously Homedale Elementary in Harvey served portions of the city. In 2012 Homedale Elementary closed. A plan called for Homedale students to be rezoned to McDonogh 26 Elementary in Gretna. Private schools *St. Ville Academy for High School Preparation *Homedale School *St Rosalie Elementary School Jefferson Parish Library operates the Jane O'Brien Chatelain West Bank Regional Library in Harvey.Jane O'Brien Chatelain West Bank Regional Library
." Jefferson Parish Library. Retrieved on September 29, 2010. The facility opened in 1990 and is the largest public library in the West Bank of Jefferson Parish.

Notable people

* Zaila Avant-garde, winner of the 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee * Ja'Marr Chase, wide receiver in the NFL. Currently playing for the

Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its h ...

. * Patrick Connick, the District 84 Republican state representative, practices law in Marrero and resides in Harvey. *

Fats Domino Antoine Caliste Domino Jr. (February 26, 1928 – October 24, 2017), known as Fats Domino, was an American singer-songwriter and pianist. One of the pioneers of rock and roll music, Domino sold more than 65 million records. Born in New Orl ...

, rock and roll singer and pianist * Girod Jackson III, former state representative for District 87 in Jefferson Parish; contractor in Harvey * Patrick O'Neal Kennedy (plaintiff in '' Kennedy v. Louisiana'') *

Greg Monroe Gregory Keith Monroe Jr. (born June 4, 1990) is an American former professional basketball player who is a player development coach for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was drafted by the Detroit Pistons i ...

, NBA player * Laremy Tunsil, NFL player, currently playing for the

Houston Texans The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. The team plays its home games at N ...

. * Ebony Woodruff, Democratic member since 2013 of the Louisiana House of Representatives for District 87, resides in Harvey.