New Orleans is a city located in Jefferson Parish Louisiana. New Orleans has a 2024 population of 357,767. New Orleans is currently declining at a rate of -1.75% annually and its population has decreased by -6.65% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 383,241 in 2020.
The average household income in New Orleans is $84,158 with a poverty rate of 22.92%. The median age in New Orleans is 37.9 years: 37.3 years for males, and 38.6 years for females.
New Orleans is the largest city and metro area of Louisiana, and its name comes from Orléans, a city on the Loire River in France. Known for its French Creole architecture and multilingual and cultural heritage, New Orleans is often called the most unique city in the United States.
The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1.167 million, which makes it the 46th largest in the country, and the New Orleans-Metairie-Bogalusa Combined Statistical Area has a population of 1.2 million.
Hurricane Katrina had a significant impact on New Orleans, and it was called the "worst engineering disaster in the world since Chernobyl" by Dr. Raymond B. Seed of the University California Berkeley after the Federal levee system failed. The hurricane approached the city in August 2005 and, while most residents were evacuated, the federal flood protection system failed, and 80% of New Orleans was flooded.
Tens of thousands of residents who were left in the city were rescued, but many stayed in shelters -- including the Louisiana Superdome -- for days. Officially, 1,500 people died in Louisiana, but there were many more never accounted for.
Tens of thousands of people left New Orleans and never returned, and in 2006, the Census Bureau estimated the population was just 223,000. A year later, 32,000 people returned, which brought the city's population to only 56% of pre-Katrina levels.
In 2013, the US Census Bureau estimated the population of New Orleans at 369,000, which is 76% of its 2000 population, while the metro area has 92% of its 2000 population. Another survey in June 2013 found that more than half of the 72 neighborhoods of New Orleans had recovered 90% of their pre-Katrina population.
While African Americans still represent a majority in the city, their numbers dropped significantly after the hurricane.
In 2006, it was estimated that there are about 10,000 to 14,000 illegal immigrants in New Orleans, mostly from Mexico. Janet Murguia, president of the National Council of La Raza, said there might be about 120,000 Hispanic workers in the city.
New Orleans has become more diverse over the last decade, and its Latino population in the metropolitan area has jumped 69% from 2000 to 2012, which is much higher than the national 50% growth.
The French and Spanish colonial history of New Orleans gives its population a strong Catholic traditional, and Catholicism is still the predominant religion. 35.9% of its population is Roman Catholic. There is also a strong presence of Louisiana Voodoo, which is a syncretism with African and Afro-Caribbean Roman Catholic beliefs. While this Voodoo image is promoted a great deal by the tourism industry, there are very few true adherents in New Orleans.
In 2012, 24/7 Wall St. identified the 10 largest cities with the fastest growing populations in the US based on Census Bureau data. New Orleans ranked #1, with 4.9% growth from 2010 to 2011. This is more than six times the national average of just 0.73%, although New Orleans remains at 80% pre-Katrina levels.
The good news is that New Orleans is on the rise again, eight years after Hurricane Katrina. In recent years, the population has started to grow, and the city recovered all the jobs it lost as of 2012 with new growth in knowledge-based industries. This is good news for The Big Easy, and it's a trend that is expected to continue.
There's no doubt that Hurricane Katrina was a terrible disaster and tragedy, but it gave New Orleans the money and opportunity to rebuild and reinvent itself. The city was saved by the once-imminent fate of Detroit and its real estate market has seen a rebirth.
If current trends hold, New Orleans should have no trouble making its way back to pre-Katrina levels and possibly beyond before the next census in 2020.
La Nouvelle-Orleans (New Orleans) was founded in 1718 by the French Mississippi Company on land inhabited at the time by the Chitimacha. The Treaty of Paris in 1763 ceded this French colony to the Spanish Empire, and it became a port to smuggle aid to rebels during the American Revolutionary War.
In 1779, a successful campaign pushed the British from the city, and New Orleans stayed under Spanish control until 1801, when it reverted to France. Napoleon then sold the territory to the United States in 1803 as part of the Louisiana Purchase, and it grew quickly as French, Creoles, Americans, Africans, Germans, and Irish moved to the region.
The end of the Haitian Revolution in 1804 brought a massive wave of refugees to New Orleans, both white and free people of color, many of which brought African slaves. New Orleans went on to have the largest slave trade for many years. After the Civil War, Louisiana was readmitted to the Union in 1868, and the city of New Orleans continued to grow in size and economic power through the 20th century.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of New Orleans was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
---|---|---|
Black or African American | 216,866 | 57.01% |
White | 123,390 | 32.44% |
Two or more races | 20,186 | 5.31% |
Asian | 10,680 | 2.81% |
Other race | 8,407 | 2.21% |
Native American | 818 | 0.22% |
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 61 | 0.02% |
Black or African American
White
Two or more races
Asian
Other race
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
---|---|---|---|---|
All | 155,669 | 2.35 | 49.3 | 50.7 |
Non Family | 83,125 | 1.26 | 37.9 | 62.1 |
Married | 42,015 | 3.22 | 78.2 | 21.8 |
Female | 24,859 | 4.21 | 38.4 | 61.6 |
Male | 5,670 | 3.87 | 49.8 | 50.2 |
3.52
Average Family Size
2.35
Average Household Size
49.3%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
---|---|---|
9th to 12th Grade | 21,329 | 7.89% |
Associates Degree | 13,345 | 4.94% |
Bachelors Degree | 60,578 | 22.4% |
Graduate Degree | 49,564 | 18.33% |
High School Graduate | 58,967 | 21.81% |
Less Than 9th Grade | 9,275 | 3.43% |
Some College | 57,324 | 21.2% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
---|---|---|---|
Black | 147,443 | 124,757 | 33,508 |
White | 92,651 | 90,059 | 62,363 |
Hispanic | 13,994 | 11,005 | 5,760 |
2+ Races | 11,868 | 10,191 | 5,942 |
Asian | 7,987 | 6,275 | 4,021 |
Other Race | 5,365 | 4,221 | 1,750 |
Native American | 645 | 474 | 130 |
Islander | 15 | 15 | 13 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among islander people with a rate of 86.67%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
---|---|---|---|
Bachelors Degree | $53,710 | $60,869 | $49,214 |
Graduate Degree | $70,594 | $88,651 | $62,403 |
High School Graduate | $27,252 | $32,833 | $23,716 |
Less Than 9th Grade | $22,939 | $24,545 | $20,714 |
Overall | $42,281 | $47,401 | $37,405 |
Some College | $33,403 | $39,486 | $28,541 |
$42,281
Average Earnings
$47,401
Average Male
$37,405
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
91.56% of New Orleans residents speak only English, while 8.44% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 3.97% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
---|---|---|---|
Black | 209,437 | 63,812 | 30.47% |
White | 112,935 | 12,018 | 10.64% |
Hispanic | 20,590 | 3,848 | 18.69% |
Multiple | 19,677 | 3,295 | 16.75% |
Other | 8,325 | 2,380 | 28.59% |
Asian | 10,064 | 1,417 | 14.08% |
Native | 812 | 210 | 25.86% |
Islander | 61 | 46 | 75.41% |
22.92%
Overall Poverty Rate
21.3%
Male Poverty Rate
24.39%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in New Orleans is Islander, with 75.41% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in New Orleans is White, with 10.64% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 3.67%. Among those working part-time, it was 23.47%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 38.91%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
---|---|
Less Than 9th Grade | 39.51% |
High School | 30.08% |
Some College | 18.84% |
Bachelors or Greater | 8.13% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
---|---|
Female Unemployed | 43.55% |
Male Unemployed | 37.76% |
Female Employed | 10.64% |
Male Employed | 7.13% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
---|---|---|
Families | $73,549 | $114,432 |
Households | $51,116 | $84,158 |
Married Families | $113,055 | $156,680 |
Non Families | $34,587 | $55,630 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
30.1%
Overall Marriage Rate
32.4%
Male Marriage Rate
28.2%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 55-64.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
15,089
Number of Veterans
13,293
Male Veterans
1,796
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
---|---|
Vietnam | 5,470 |
First Gulf War | 3,635 |
Second Gulf War | 3,112 |
Korea | 605 |
World War II | 290 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
---|---|
65 to 74 | 4,174 |
35 to 54 | 4,155 |
75+ | 3,167 |
55 to 64 | 2,865 |
18 to 34 | 728 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
---|---|---|
Black | 8,888 | 5.29% |
White | 5,266 | 4.92% |
2+ Races | 650 | 4.77% |
Hispanic | 393 | 2.5% |
Other Race | 145 | 2.51% |
Asian | 103 | 1.13% |
Native American | 37 | 5.05% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
14.98%
Veteran Poverty Rate
26.55%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
61.2%
Labor Force Participation
55.6%
Employment Rate
8.4%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
69.26%
Born in New Orleans
94.42%
Native Born
5.58%
Foreign Born
2.77%
Non Citizen
2.8%
Naturalized
94.42% of New Orleans residents were born in the United States, with 69.26% having been born in Louisiana. 2.77% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
---|---|---|---|
2029 | 325,926 | -6,368 | -1.92% |
2028 | 332,294 | -6,368 | -1.88% |
2027 | 338,662 | -6,369 | -1.85% |
2026 | 345,031 | -6,368 | -1.81% |
2025 | 351,399 | -6,368 | -1.78% |
2024 | 357,767 | -6,369 | -1.75% |
2023 | 364,136 | -5,781 | -1.56% |
2022 | 369,917 | -7,429 | -1.97% |
2021 | 377,346 | -5,895 | -1.54% |
2020 | 383,241 | -7,931 | -2.03% |
2019 | 391,172 | -334 | -0.09% |
2018 | 391,506 | -313 | -0.08% |
2017 | 391,819 | -446 | -0.11% |
2016 | 392,265 | 2,171 | 0.56% |
2015 | 390,094 | 5,866 | 1.53% |
2014 | 384,228 | 5,365 | 1.42% |
2013 | 378,863 | 8,916 | 2.41% |
2012 | 369,947 | 9,125 | 2.53% |
2011 | 360,822 | 13,033 | 3.75% |
2010 | 347,789 | 0 | 0% |
2000 | 484,674 | -12,264 | -2.47% |
1990 | 496,938 | -60,989 | -10.93% |
1980 | 557,927 | -35,544 | -5.99% |
1970 | 593,471 | -34,054 | -5.43% |
1960 | 627,525 | 57,080 | 10.01% |
1950 | 570,445 | 75,908 | 15.35% |
1940 | 494,537 | 35,775 | 7.8% |
1930 | 458,762 | 71,543 | 18.48% |
1920 | 387,219 | 48,144 | 14.2% |
1910 | 339,075 | 51,971 | 18.1% |
1900 | 287,104 | 45,065 | 18.62% |
1890 | 242,039 | 25,949 | 12.01% |
1880 | 216,090 | 24,672 | 12.89% |
1870 | 191,418 | 22,743 | 13.48% |
1860 | 168,675 | 52,300 | 44.94% |
1850 | 116,375 | 14,182 | 13.88% |
1840 | 102,193 | 56,111 | 121.76% |
1830 | 46,082 | 18,906 | 69.57% |
1820 | 27,176 | 9,934 | 57.62% |
1810 | 17,242 | -308,684 | -94.71% |