Gretna is the second-largest city in and parish seat of Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States.^[4][5] Gretna lies on the west bank of the Mississippi River, just east and across the river from uptown New Orleans. It is part of the New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 17,736 at the 2010 census.^[6]

Gretna is located at 29°54′59″N 90°3′15″W ^[42] (29.916459, -90.054260)^[7] and has an elevation of 0 feet (0 m)^[1] behind the levee along the Mississippi River.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.9 square miles (10 km2), of which 3.5 sq mi (9.1 km2) is land and 0.4 sq mi (1.0 km2) (9.33%) is water.

Gretna was settled in 1836,^[8] originally as Mechanicsham, growing with a station on the Mississippi River for the Missouri Pacific Railroad, Texas and Pacific Railway, and Southern Pacific Railroad, with a ferry across the River to New Orleans. The famous spice-maker Zatarain's was founded here in 1889. Gretna was incorporated in 1913, absorbing the section of McDonogh within the Jefferson Parish boundaries. In the 1940 census, Gretna had a population of 10,879.

The city and its police received considerable press coverage when, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005, people who attempted to escape from New Orleans by walking over the Crescent City Connection bridge over the Mississippi River were turned back at gunpoint by City of Gretna Police, along with Crescent City Connection Police and Jefferson Parish Sheriff's deputies, who set up a roadblock on the bridge in the days following the hurricane. According to eyewitnesses, some officers threatened to shoot those coming from New Orleans as they attempted to cross into Gretna on foot, and shots were fired overhead.^[9][10][11]

As of the census^[6] of 2010, there were 17,734 people, 6,958 households, and 4,286 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,685 people per square mile (1,922.0/km²). There were 7,665 housing units at an average density of 2,082 per square mile (845.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 48.05% White, 20.43% African American, 1.20% Native American, 8.12% Asian, 0.15% Pacific Islander, 4.03% from other races, and 2.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 24.38% of the population.

There were 6,958 households out of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.7% were married couples living together, 19.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.4% were non-families. 32.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 23.8% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years, higher than Louisiana's median age of 34.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $28,065, and the median income for a family was $31,881. Males had a median income of $28,259 versus $21,019 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,735. About 20.8% of families and 24.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.7% of those under age 18 and 20.2% of those age 65 or over.

The United States Postal Service operates the Gretna Post Office.^[12]

The city has a police department which was established in 1913. ^[13]

In 2016, press reports indicated the local police had arrested 6,566 in 2013. This is a rate about fourteen times that of a typical city. Such arrests may have generated over five million dollars in fines and other revenue for the city.^[14][15]

In July 2019 it was reported that two officers of the Gretna Police were fired for threatening United States Representative Alexandria Ocasia-Cortez.^[16]

Gretna's public schools are operated by the Jefferson Parish Public Schools system. Schools serving portions of the city limits are in the City of Gretna unless otherwise noted.^[17] Zoned elementary schools serving sections of Gretna include Shirley T. Johnson Gretna Park Elementary School, William Hart Elementary School, and McDonogh #26 Elementary School. George Cox Elementary School, which also serves a portion of Gretna, is in Timberlane, an unincorporated area.^[18]

Most residents are zoned to Gretna Middle School, while some are zoned to Livaudais Middle School in Terrytown.^[19] Most residents are zoned to West Jefferson High School in Harvey, an unincorporated area of Jefferson Parish, while some are zoned to Helen Cox High School, also located in Harvey.^[20] In regards to advanced studies academies, residents are zoned to the Gretna Academy.^[21]

Gretna #2 Academy for Advanced Studies a Pre-5 magnet school and L. W. Ruppel Academy, a 6-8 magnet school, are in Gretna.^[22] Thomas Jefferson High School [2] ^[44] is another magnet school in Gretna.

Previously Kate Middleton Elementary in Terrytown served a portion of Gretna.^[23] In 2012 Kate Middleton Elementary closed.^[24]

Milestone Sabis Academy, a K-8 charter school, is in Gretna.

Jefferson Parish Library operates the Gretna Public Library in Gretna. The current facility, with more than 5,800 square feet (540 m2) of space, opened on March 17, 2010. The library includes a 1,000-square-foot (93 m2) meeting room that can accommodate 58 people. The library is almost twice the size of the previous 3,000-square-foot (280 m2) facility.^[25]