Population 5,257 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Lower 9th Ward: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Lower 9th Ward
Household size in Lower 9th Ward
| Period | Lower 9th Ward | New Orleans area | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.90 | 2.65 | 2.66 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.77 | 2.59 | 2.64 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.54 | 2.60 | 2.64 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.18 | 2.55 | 2.59 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.28 | −0.10 | −0.07 | −0.03 |
Lower 9th Ward is a place of big households: 3.18 people per home on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. Numbers like that usually point to plenty of families with kids. Household size has climbed from 2.90 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Of New Orleans' 49 neighborhoods, only two have larger households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Lower 9th Ward
| Period | Lower 9th Ward | New Orleans area | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.9 | 37.8 | 36.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.5 | 37.9 | 37.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.5 | 39.3 | 38.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 32.3 | 40.1 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | −10.7 | +2.3 | +2.2 | +2.3 |
Lower 9th Ward is young: half of its residents are under 32.3, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young families with children. Since 2006–10, the median age has dropped from 42.9, even as the national median rose. Few New Orleans neighborhoods are younger: only two of 49.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Lower 9th Ward
| Period | Lower 9th Ward | New Orleans area | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.7% | 16.1% | 14.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 25.2% | 16.0% | 15.1% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 18.9% | 13.8% | 14.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 32.4% | 15.3% | 15.2% | 11.6% |
| Change | +8.7 pts | −0.8 pts | +0.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Lower 9th Ward: 32.4% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is up 8.7 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Only one other New Orleans neighborhood has a higher share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Lower 9th Ward
Renters in Lower 9th Ward
| Period | Lower 9th Ward | New Orleans area | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.2% | 38.4% | 31.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 36.6% | 41.4% | 33.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 53.1% | 41.5% | 34.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 51.8% | 39.4% | 32.6% | 34.8% |
| Change | +18.6 pts | +1.0 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Lower 9th Ward rent: 51.8% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Just over seven in ten owners (72.3%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 18.6 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Lower 9th Ward
| Period | Lower 9th Ward | New Orleans area | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 48.8% | 19.1% | 13.9% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 23.6% | 14.8% | 13.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 21.3% | 13.4% | 15.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.1% | 13.6% | 14.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −28.7 pts | −5.6 pts | +0.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Lower 9th Ward: 20.1% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 28.7 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Lower 9th Ward
| Period | Lower 9th Ward | New Orleans area | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1969 | 1968 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1974 | 1969 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1977 | 1969 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1988 | 1972 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +20 | +4 | +7 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Lower 9th Ward is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1988, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1969 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northwest, the oldest in the southwest. Only three of New Orleans' 49 neighborhoods have newer homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Lower 9th Ward
| Period | Lower 9th Ward | New Orleans area | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $853 | $945 | $755 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $826 | $973 | $831 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $912 | $1,062 | $920 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,269 | $1,334 | $1,122 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$416 | +$389 | +$366 | +$606 |
Rent in Lower 9th Ward runs $1,269 a month at the median, utilities included, below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $416 a month since 2006–10, up 49%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 37.1% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the east; the highest are in the north.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Lower 9th Ward
Bachelor's degrees in Lower 9th Ward
| Period | Lower 9th Ward | New Orleans area | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.2% | 25.0% | 22.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.0% | 25.8% | 22.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.4% | 29.1% | 24.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 22.3% | 33.0% | 27.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +13.2 pts | +8.0 pts | +5.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Lower 9th Ward: 22.3% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 13.2 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Lower 9th Ward has a lower share of college graduates than at least four in five New Orleans neighborhoods.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Lower 9th Ward
| Period | Lower 9th Ward | New Orleans area | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 76.6% | 82.5% | 81.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 66.2% | 83.8% | 83.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 73.9% | 85.8% | 85.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 89.2% | 87.2% | 87.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +12.6 pts | +4.7 pts | +5.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Lower 9th Ward have finished high school as nationally: 89.2%, against 89.3%. The rate is higher than in the wider New Orleans area (87.2%). The share with a diploma has risen 12.6 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Lower 9th Ward
| Period | Lower 9th Ward | New Orleans area | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.3% | 9.3% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 19.9% | 9.8% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 18.9% | 6.9% | 6.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 14.5% | 7.1% | 6.5% | 5.4% |
| Change | −6.9 pts | −2.2 pts | −1.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Lower 9th Ward: 14.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Few New Orleans neighborhoods have higher unemployment: only four of 49. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 6.9 points, in line with the national trend.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Lower 9th Ward compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lower 9th Ward | 3.18 | 32.3 | 32.4% | 51.8% | 20.1% | 1988 | $1,269 | 22.3% | 89.2% | 14.5% |
| Holy Cross | 2.13 | 43.4 | 8.8% | 35.0% | 27.1% | 1946 | $1,104 | 34.8% | 94.8% | 13.5% |
| Saint Claude | 2.14 | 40.9 | 17.4% | 45.2% | 24.4% | 1953 | $1,290 | 36.1% | 87.8% | 6.0% |
| Bywater | 1.89 | 42.1 | 19.5% | 43.3% | 20.0% | 1941 | $1,466 | 51.5% | 93.0% | 9.0% |
| Behrman | 2.76 | 39.3 | 27.6% | 49.0% | 25.7% | 1969 | $1,212 | 16.4% | 82.2% | 11.6% |
| Saint Roch | 1.97 | 39.4 | 8.4% | 59.0% | 21.7% | 1952 | $1,207 | 32.5% | 85.1% | 8.5% |
| French Quarter | 1.53 | 58.8 | 7.0% | 53.6% | 46.3% | 1939 | $1,483 | 61.9% | 96.4% | 7.8% |
| Old Aurora | 2.44 | 41.4 | 14.6% | 30.3% | 14.6% | 1969 | $1,691 | 33.9% | 90.6% | 8.3% |
| Seventh Ward | 2.01 | 41.7 | 15.6% | 57.1% | 25.3% | 1945 | $1,084 | 26.8% | 84.2% | 10.8% |
| Gentilly Woods | 2.97 | 35.1 | 23.7% | 35.6% | 14.5% | 1968 | $1,071 | 39.5% | 95.5% | 1.4% |
| Gentilly Terrace | 2.31 | 44.8 | 11.5% | 28.7% | 10.9% | 1954 | $1,130 | 36.5% | 90.8% | 11.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Westhaven, Franklin, TN · Urbanizacion Rio Grande Estates, Rio Grande, PR · Villa de Loiza, Rio Grande, PR · Northport, Fargo, ND · Greenville South Broadway Historic District, Greenville, OH · Town Center, Oxnard, CA · Pear Orchard, Beaumont, TX · Northeast, Kansas City, KS · Meadowbrook Heights, Kansas City, MO · Lincoln Park, Milwaukee, WI
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Lower 9th Ward. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.