{{about|the city|body of water with the same name on which the city is situated|Bay of St. Louis}} {{Use American English|date=June 2025}} {{More citations needed|date=May 2010}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}} {{Infobox settlement | official_name = Bay St. Louis, Mississippi | settlement_type = City | image_skyline = The_Bay_St._Louis_bridge_from_above.jpg | imagesize = | image_caption = The Bay of St. Louis, the new bay bridge, and the city of Bay St. Louis on the western shore (upper part of photo) | image_flag = Flag of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.png | image_seal = | image_blank_emblem = Logo of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.png | blank_emblem_type = Logo | image_map = Hancock_County_Mississippi_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Bay_St._Louis_Highlighted.svg | mapsize = 250x200px | map_caption = Location of Bay St. Louis, MS | image_map1 = | mapsize1 = | map_caption1 = | pushpin_map = USA | pushpin_map_caption = Location in the United States | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = United States | subdivision_type1 = State | subdivision_name1 = Mississippi | subdivision_type2 = County | subdivision_name2 = Hancock | government_footnotes = | government_type = | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = Mike Favre (R)<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lee |first=Anita, Sanchez, Martha, Perez, Mary, and John Buzbee |date=November 1, 2024 |title=Who's in, who's out in MS Coast mayors' races, with city elections just around the corner |url=https://www.sunherald.com/news/politics-government/election/article289619200.html |access-date=November 28, 2024 |work=Sun Herald}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-01-14 |title=Coastal officials join Mississippi Republican Party |url=https://www.wjtv.com/news/coastal-officials-join-mississippi-republican-party/ |access-date=2024-11-29 |website=WJTV |language=en-US}}</ref> | unit_pref = Imperial | area_footnotes = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_28.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=July 24, 2022}}</ref> | area_magnitude = | area_total_km2 = 68.95 | area_land_km2 = 38.05 | area_water_km2 = 30.90 | area_total_sq_mi = 26.62 | area_land_sq_mi = 14.69 | area_water_sq_mi = 11.93 <!-- Population -->| population_as_of = 2020 | population_footnotes = | population_total = 9284 | pop_est_as_of = | population_est = | pop_est_footnotes = | population_density_km2 = 243.99 | timezone = Central (CST) | utc_offset = −6 | timezone_DST = CDT | utc_offset_DST = −5 | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = 7 | elevation_ft = 23 | coordinates = {{coord|30|18|53|N|89|20|39|W|region:US-MS_type:city|display=inline,title}} | postal_code_type = ZIP Code | postal_code = 39520, 39521, 39522 | area_code = 228 | blank_name = FIPS code | blank_info = 28-03980 | blank1_name = GNIS feature ID | blank1_info = 0666588 | website = {{URL|www.baystlouis-ms.gov}} | footnotes = | population_density_sq_mi = 631.91 }}
'''Bay St. Louis''' is a city in and the county seat of Hancock County, Mississippi, in the United States.<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=2011-06-07 |title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120712220218/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=2012-07-12}}</ref> Located on the Gulf Coast on the west side of the Bay of St. Louis, it is part of the Gulfport-Biloxi metropolitan area. The population was 9,284 at the 2020 census, up from 9,260 at the 2010 census.
==History== thumb|right|Bay St. Louis seen in 1932 The first European settlers in this area were French colonists, whose culture still influences the small city. While developing a plantation culture in the area, they imported enslaved people, originally from Africa, to work the land. A Creole population developed of people of color as well as whites with significant French ancestry.
The county was organized by European Americans, who named it after John Hancock, who was a Founding Father of the United States. While more Protestant Americans migrated into this area after the statehood of Mississippi in 1817 and Indian Removal in the 1830s, there are still many Catholic families, some descendant from both African and French ancestors of the colonial era. Roman Catholic schools still draw area students.
==Geography== Bay St. Louis is located in southeastern Hancock County. It is situated on the west side of the Bay of St. Louis which empties into the Mississippi Sound, adjacent to Pass Christian to the east. The city is bordered to the north by the Jourdan River, the primary inlet of the bay and Diamondhead. The eastern border of the city is the Harrison County line in the middle of the bay.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of {{convert|69.0|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|38.1|sqkm|order=flip}} are land and {{convert|30.9|sqkm|order=flip}}, or 44,82%, are water.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web|url=https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US2803980|title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Bay St. Louis city, Mississippi|work=American Factfinder|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=August 14, 2017|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213100810/https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US2803980|archive-date=February 13, 2020|url-status=dead}}</ref>
===Hurricanes=== On August 17, 1969, Hurricane Camille brushed over the St. Bernard Parish in Louisiana before crossing over the Mississippi Sound and before making final landfall in the Mississippi gulf coast. The eye passed over Waveland directly to the West of Bay St. Louis.
On August 29, 2005, at 10:00 a.m. CDT, Hurricane Katrina made its final landfall just west of Bay St. Louis, at the mouth of the Pearl River, causing a {{convert|28|ft|m|adj=on}} storm surge. Hurricane Katrina came ashore during the high tide of 9:15AM, +2.3 feet more,<ref>"2005 NOAA Tide Predictions: St. Louis Bay entrance" (2005), tide on 29-Aug-2005, ''NOAA'', web: [http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/get_predictions.shtml?year=2005&stn=0551+South+Pass&secstn=St.+Louis+Bay+entrance&thh=%2b3&thm=17&tlh=%2b2&tlm=57&hh=*1.36&hl=*1.36 NOAA-tide-tables].</ref> causing a storm tide more than {{convert|30|ft|m}} high.
USGS topographic maps show a common {{convert|25|ft|adj=on}} elevation contour line running throughout a ridge along the former routing of Highway 90 (Old Spanish Trail) on the western edge of the city. As higher ground, this area was spared inundation from the storm surge of Hurricane Katrina.{{Citation needed|date=December 2016}}
Katrina damaged more than 40 Mississippi libraries, including severe roof and water damage to the Bay St. Louis Public Library. The library reopened to the public on October 12, 2005.<ref>"Hurricane Katrina Related Damages to Public Libraries in Mississippi" (September 2005), Mississippi Library Commission, [http://www.ala.org/ala/cro/katrina/MSPL_Katrina_Damage.pdf (ALA-Katrina)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071031143618/http://www.ala.org/ala/cro/katrina/MSPL_Katrina_Damage.pdf |date=2007-10-31 }}.</ref>
The Bay St. Louis Bridge on US Highway 90 was severely damaged, with many bridge sections down-dropped at the west edges. The destroyed bridge was replaced by a new Bay St. Louis Bridge, which received America's Transportation Award. It includes a pedestrian bridge with an art walk featuring the works of local artists.
The underground utility infrastructure in Bay St. Louis received a federally funded total overhaul and replacement.{{Citation needed|date=December 2016}}
===Climate=== The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Bay St. Louis has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=186747&cityname=Bay+St.+Louis,+Mississippi,+United+States+of+America&units=|title=Bay St. Louis, Mississippi Köppen Climate Classification (Weatherbase)|website=Weatherbase|access-date=2 May 2017}}</ref>
===Adjacent cities and towns=== * Diamondhead (north) * Gulfport (east) * Pass Christian (east) * Waveland (west)
==Demographics== {{US Census population |1880= 1978 |1890= 1974 |1900= 2872 |1910= 3388 |1920= 3033 |1930= 3724 |1940= 4138 |1950= 4621 |1960= 5073 |1970= 6752 |1980= 7850 |1990= 8063 |2000= 8209 |2010= 9260 |2020= 9284 |footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref> | align = right | align-fn = center }} thumb|Hancock County Courthouse in Bay St. Louis
===2020 census=== As of the 2020 census, Bay St. Louis had a population of 9,284. The median age was 48.6 years. 18.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 23.7% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 94.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 90.0 males age 18 and over.<ref name="Census2020DP">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dp?get=NAME,DP1_0021P,DP1_0024P,DP1_0025C,DP1_0049C,DP1_0045C,DP1_0069C,DP1_0073C,DP1_0125P,DP1_0126P,DP1_0129P,DP1_0133P,DP1_0137P,DP1_0138P,DP1_0139P,DP1_0141P,DP1_0142P,DP1_0143P,DP1_0145P,DP1_0146P,DP1_0147C,DP1_0148C,DP1_0149C,DP1_0156C,DP1_0157C,DP1_0158C,DP1_0159P,DP1_0160P&for=place%3A03980&in=state%3A28|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=April 28, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref><ref name="Census2020PL">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=NAME,P1_001N,P1_003N,P1_004N,P1_005N,P1_006N,P1_007N,P1_008N,P1_009N,P2_001N,P2_002N,H1_001N,H1_002N&for=place%3A03980&in=state%3A28|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=April 28, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref>
100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.<ref name="Census2020DHC">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dhc?get=NAME,P2_002N,P2_003N&for=place%3A03980&in=state%3A28|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2023|access-date=April 28, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref>
There were 4,251 households in Bay St. Louis, of which 23.6% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 38.0% were married-couple households, 21.6% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 33.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 36.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>
There were 5,447 housing units, of which 22.0% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 9.2%.<ref name="Census2020DP"/><ref name="Census2020PL"/>
{| class="wikitable" |+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census<ref name="Census2020PL"/> ! Race !! Number !! Percent |- | White || 7,098 || 76.5% |- | Black or African American || 1,375 || 14.8% |- | American Indian and Alaska Native || 51 || 0.5% |- | Asian || 95 || 1.0% |- | Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 1 || 0.0% |- | Some other race || 117 || 1.3% |- | Two or more races || 547 || 5.9% |- | ''Hispanic or Latino (of any race)'' || 396 || 4.3% |} ==Education== Almost all of the city of Bay St. Louis is served by the Bay St. Louis-Waveland School District. Small portions of land are within the Hancock County School District.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st28_ms/schooldistrict_maps/c28045_hancock/DC20SD_C28045.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220414180042/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st28_ms/schooldistrict_maps/c28045_hancock/DC20SD_C28045.pdf |archive-date=2022-04-14 |url-status=live|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Hancock County, MS|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|accessdate=2022-04-14}}</ref>
It is the home of Bay High School. In addition to Bay High, there are private Catholic schools: Saint Stanislaus College, a residency and day school for boys grades 7–12; and Our Lady Academy, a day school for girls grades 7–12. The latter two share some classrooms as well as a Roman Catholic curriculum.
All of Hancock County is in the service area of Pearl River Community College.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prcc.edu/files/catalogs/Catalog%202014-2016%20-%20Spring.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150807053926/http://prcc.edu/files/catalogs/Catalog%202014-2016%20-%20Spring.pdf |archive-date=2015-08-07 |url-status=live|title=2014-2016 Catalog|publisher=Pearl River Community College|accessdate=2022-04-13}}</ref>
==Media== The 1966 movie ''This Property is Condemned'' starring Natalie Wood and Robert Redford was filmed in Bay St. Louis, which was called "Dodson" in the movie, with some additional shooting in Biloxi, Mississippi, and New Orleans, Louisiana.<ref>{{Citation|title=This Property Is Condemned (1966) - IMDb|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061089/locations|access-date=2021-02-20}}</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=IMDb is an unacceptable user-generated site, see WP:USERGENERATED|date=February 2021}}
==Infrastructure== ===Major highways=== * 20px Interstate 10 passes through the northern extension of the city, {{convert|10|mi|0}} northwest of downtown, with access from Exit 13 (Highway 603). I-10 leads east {{convert|37|mi}} to Biloxi and southwest {{convert|54|mi}} to New Orleans. * 20px U.S. Highway 90 passes just north of downtown Bay St. Louis, leading east across the St. Louis Bay Bridge to Pass Christian. Via US 90 it is {{convert|15|mi}} east to Gulfport and {{convert|60|mi}} southwest to New Orleans. * 20px Mississippi Highway 603 runs along the western edge of the Bay St. Louis city limits, connecting US 90 and Interstate 10.
===Rail=== Amtrak's ''Mardi Gras Service'' provides inter-city rail travel between Mobile, Alabama and New Orleans, Louisiana.<ref name="service_debut_announcement">{{Cite web |last=Magliari |first=Marc |date=2025-06-30 |title=Book Now for Amtrak Mardi Gras Service starting August 18 |url=https://media.amtrak.com/2025/06/book-now-for-amtrak-mardi-gras-service-starting-august-18/ |access-date=2025-07-01 |website=Amtrak Media |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Notable people== * Stephen E. Ambrose (1936–2002), historian and author<ref>{{cite web |title=Senate Concurrent Resolution 506 |url=http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2003/html/SC/SC0506SG.htm |website=Mississippi Legislature |access-date=20 February 2021}}</ref> * Richmond Barthé (1901–1989), sculptor associated with the Harlem Renaissance<ref name="Jr.Higginbotham2004">{{cite book|author1=Henry Louis Gates Jr.|author2=Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham|title=African American Lives|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3dXw6gR2GgkC&pg=PA51|date=29 April 2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-988286-1|pages=51}}</ref> * J. P. Compretta, former member of the Mississippi House of Representatives<ref>{{cite web |title=Joseph Compretta's Biography |url=https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/3657/joseph-compretta |website=Project Vote Smart |access-date=20 February 2021}}</ref> * Lucien M. Gex, former member of the Mississippi House of Representatives<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Mississippi. Legislature|date=1936-01-01|title=Hand book : biographical data of members of Senate and House, personnel of standing committees [1936]|url=https://egrove.olemiss.edu/sta_leghb/2|journal=Mississippi Legislature Hand Books|pages=17}}</ref> * Leo Fabian Fahey (1898–1950), coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of Baker City, Oregon from 1948 until 1950<ref name="Bransom1990">{{cite book|author=Charles N. Bransom|title=Ordinations of U.S. Catholic Bishops, 1790-1989: A Chronological List|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VBPiAAAAMAAJ|year=1990|publisher=National Conference of Catholic Bishops, U.S. Catholic Conference|isbn=978-1-55586-323-4|page=113}}</ref> * Shannon Garrett (born 1972), former professional Canadian football player<ref name="LeaguePublishing2000">{{cite book|author1=National Football League|author2=Workman Publishing|title=The Official NFL 2000 Record and Fact Book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ghSSTT8h_4kC|date=July 2000|publisher=Workman Publishing Company, Incorporated|isbn=978-0-7611-1982-1|page=129}}</ref> * Walter J. Gex III (1939–2020), United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi<ref>{{cite book|title=The American Bar, the Canadian Bar, the International Bar|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w8kjAQAAMAAJ|year=1988|publisher=R.B. Forster & Associates|isbn=978-0-931398-17-9|page=1959}}</ref> * Valena C. Jones (1872–1917), educator<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hancock County Obituary Record : Jones, Valena C. |url=https://www.hancockcountyhistoricalsociety.com/reference/recordobit.htm?id=679 |access-date=2025-07-14 |website=Hancock County Historical Society}}</ref><ref name="Barney-2024">{{Cite web |last=Barney |first=Tammy C. |date=August 23, 2024 |title=Legacy of Valena C. Jones spans New Orleans and Bay St. Louis |url=https://veritenews.org/2024/08/23/bitd-valena-jones-new-orleans-bay-st-louis/ |access-date=2025-07-14 |website=Verite News New Orleans |language=en-US}}</ref> * Jacob Lindgren (born 1993), MLB player * Philip Moran, member of the Mississippi State Senate<ref>{{cite web |title=Philip Moran-Biography |url=https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/130352/philip-moran |website=Project Vote Smart |access-date=20 February 2021}}</ref> * Alice Moseley, folk artist * Leo Norris (1908–1987), former infielder for the Philadelphia Phillies<ref name="Hamann2014">{{cite book|author=Rex D. Hamann|title=The Millers and the Saints: Baseball Championships of the Twin Cities Rivals, 1903-1955|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1RxTBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA144|date=21 October 2014|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-1-4766-1599-8|pages=144}}</ref> * Carlile Pollock Patterson, fourth superintendent of the United States Coast Survey (renamed the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey during his tenure)<ref>{{cite book|title=Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0REwAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA522|year=1882|publisher=American Philosophical Society.|pages=522}}</ref> * Albert J. Raboteau (1943–2021), is an African-American scholar of African and African-American religions * Lawrence E. Roberts, pilot with the Tuskegee Airmen and colonel in the United States Air Force<ref>{{cite web |title=Lawrence Edward Roberts Sr. |url=https://cafriseabove.org/lawrence-edward-roberts-sr/ |website=CAF Rise Above |access-date=20 February 2021}}</ref> * John Scafide, former offensive lineman for the Boston Redskins and mayor of Bay St. Louis from 1953 to 1969<ref name="Affairs1980">{{cite book|author=United States. Congress. House. Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs. Subcommittee on National Parks and Insular Affairs|title=To Establish a Barrier Islands Protection System: Hearings Before the Subcommittee on National Parks and Insular Affairs of the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, House of Representatives, Ninety-sixth Congress, Second Session, on H. R. 5981 ... Hearings Held in Washington, D. C., March 24 and 27, 1980|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kqolAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA341|year=1980|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office|page=341}}</ref> * Tolu Smith, National Basketball Association player * Caroline Snedeker, children's author<ref>{{cite book|title=The Horn Book Magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=e3o2AAAAIAAJ|year=1956|publisher=Horn Book, Incorporated|page=85}}</ref> * Gene Taylor, member of the United States House of Representatives from 1989 to 2011<ref name="Capace2001">{{cite book|author=Nancy Capace|title=Encyclopedia of Mississippi|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dlLDIiQv9twC&pg=PA416|date=1 January 2001|publisher=Somerset Publishers, Inc.|isbn=978-0-403-09603-9|pages=416}}</ref> * Tank Williams, former NFL player<ref name="University2002">{{cite book|author=Stanford University|title=Annual Commencement: Order of Exercises|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_YIlAQAAIAAJ|year=2002|page=74}}</ref>
==See also== {{Portal|Mississippi}} * List of cities in Mississippi * Old Bay St. Louis Historic District
==References== {{reflist|22em}}
==External links== {{commons category|Bay St. Louis, Mississippi}} * {{official website|www.baystlouis-ms.gov}}
{{Hancock County, Mississippi}} {{Mississippi county seats}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Bay St. Louis, Mississippi Category:Cities in Mississippi Category:Cities in Hancock County, Mississippi Category:County seats in Mississippi Category:Gulfport–Biloxi metropolitan area Category:Populated coastal places in Mississippi Category:French-American culture in Mississippi