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METRO AREA

New Orleans Metro

New Orleans-Metairie, LA · 7 counties · 970,849 residents (2025 est.) · 2,358.553 sq mi
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The short version

New Orleans has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $63,059. Population has declined 14% since 2000. Median home value has roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $271,717.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.3
US median: 38.9
Average education
33% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 61%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
981,662
−14%since 2000
from 1,146,458 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
416 / sq mi
−14%since 2000
from 486 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
39.3
+14%since 2000
from 34.5 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:970,849 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
908K973K1.0M1.1M1.2M1990201020202024New Orleans
2024982K
1990201020202024
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$63,059
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $33,766 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$38,238
+110%since 2000
from $18,220 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
43.0%
+15.2 ptssince 2009
from 27.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
18.6%
−1.3 ptssince 2000
from 19.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.504
+5%since 2010
from 0.480 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information9.9%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade8%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance6.6%
US avg: 5.9%
Retail trade6%
US avg: 9.9%
Professional, scientific, technical5.6%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services5.3%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration3.5%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing2.3%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.5%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services1%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1%
US avg: 1.6%
Manufacturing0.6%
US avg: 0.4%
Construction0.3%
US avg: 1.2%
BARS: THIS PLACE · TICKS: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$271,717
+61%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $92,841 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,218
+31%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $509 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
61.0%
+1.7 ptssince 2000
from 59.3% in 2000
39.0% rent
Vacancy rate
13.9%
−3.3 ptssince 2009
from 17.2% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
25.9%
−1.7 ptssince 2009
from 27.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
52.2%
+4.1 ptssince 2009
from 48.1% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
4.3
+57%since 2000
from 2.7 in 2000
1990 – 2024
Gentrification Score
41
RELATED:See current rent listings in New Orleans on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic49.6%(568,453)
Black41.8%(479,781)
Hispanic / Latino4.7%(53,808)
Asian2.3%(26,932)
Other0%
Diversity Score70.4%(806,868)
Segregation Score0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic41.5%(407,068)
Black37.4%(367,526)
Hispanic / Latino13.1%(128,444)
Asian3.1%(30,797)
Other4.9%(47,827)
Diversity Score83.4%(818,951)
Segregation Score49.2%(482,968)
Diversity Score
83
+19%since 2000
from 70 in 2000
1990 – 2024
Segregation Score
49
−5%since 2020
from 52 in 2020
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
33.3%
+11.7 ptssince 2000
from 21.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
87.6%
+11.0 ptssince 2000
from 76.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
13.5%
+5.6 ptssince 2000
from 7.9% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
24.4 min
+43%since 2000
from 17.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
71.9%
−4.5 ptssince 2009
from 76.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
9.6%
−2.8 ptssince 2009
from 12.3% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
2.2%
−1.4 ptssince 2009
from 3.6% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
10.5%
+7.8 ptssince 2009
from 2.8% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
3.1%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 2.7% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.8%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
10.8%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 11.3% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
6.9%
−1.9 ptssince 2011
from 8.8% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
62.0%
−2.5 ptssince 2011
from 64.5% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
13.1%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 12.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
42.4%
−20.9 ptssince 2009
from 63.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.2%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 47.8% in 2009
Female
51.8%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 52.2% in 2009
Foreign born
9.8%
+3.2 ptssince 2009
from 6.7% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
5.0%
−41.8 ptssince 2009
from 46.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
15.6%
+2.1 ptssince 2012
from 13.5% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
9.3%
−72.9 ptssince 2013
from 82.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
87.9%
+17.7 ptssince 2017
from 70.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
85.2%
−2.4 ptssince 2016
from 87.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
9.3%
+2.0 ptssince 2016
from 7.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
In this metro

Principal cities

New OrleansCENTRAL362,154MetairieCENTRAL139,729
What's inside

7 component counties

Jefferson ParishCENTRAL431,398Orleans ParishCENTRAL362,154St. Charles ParishCENTRAL50,586St. Bernard ParishCENTRAL45,642St. John the Baptist ParishCENTRAL39,875Plaquemines ParishCENTRAL22,256St. James ParishCENTRAL18,938
Drill deeper

Metros similar to New Orleans

Lakeland
Pop 874,790
El Paso
Pop 881,291
Columbia
Pop 879,918
Bakersfield
Pop 927,068
Places similar to New Orleans
Head to head

Compare New Orleans side by side

NEW ORLEANS VS
Lakeland
Income$65,978+5%
Home value$266,500−2%
Population874,790−10%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
NEW ORLEANS VS
El Paso
Income$59,762−5%
Home value$179,947−34%
Population881,291−9%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
NEW ORLEANS VS
Columbia
Income$68,275+8%
Home value$232,186−15%
Population879,918−9%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
NEW ORLEANS VS
Bakersfield
Income$70,210+11%
Home value$338,300+25%
Population927,068−5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?

New Orleans-Metairie, LA has about 981,662 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?

The typical household in New Orleans-Metairie, LA earns about $63,059 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is New Orleans-Metairie, LA expensive?

In New Orleans-Metairie, LA, the median home is worth about $271,717, and the typical rent is about $1,218 a month.

How educated are people in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?

About 33.3% of adults age 25 and over in New Orleans-Metairie, LA hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?

About 18.6% of people in New Orleans-Metairie, LA live below the federal poverty line.

Has New Orleans-Metairie, LA grown since 1990?

Yes, New Orleans-Metairie, LA has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 159,100 residents, a change of about -14 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →