Population 371,853 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Orleans Parish
Household size in Orleans Parish
| Period | Orleans Parish | New Orleans area | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.53 | 2.65 | 2.66 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.43 | 2.59 | 2.64 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.51 | 2.60 | 2.64 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.46 | 2.55 | 2.59 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.07 | −0.10 | −0.07 | −0.03 |
Households in Orleans Parish run small, averaging 2.46 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.53, as it has nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northeast.
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 Orleans Parish
| Period | Orleans Parish | New Orleans area | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.2 | 37.8 | 36.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.4 | 37.9 | 37.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.1 | 39.3 | 38.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.2 | 40.1 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.9 | +2.3 | +2.2 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Orleans Parish are younger than 39.2 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 37.2 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Residents skew youngest in the southwest and oldest in the center.
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 Orleans Parish
| Period | Orleans Parish | New Orleans area | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.7% | 16.1% | 14.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 17.6% | 16.0% | 15.1% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.2% | 13.8% | 14.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 16.0% | 15.3% | 15.2% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.7 pts | −0.8 pts | +0.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in six households in Orleans Parish (16.0%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The New Orleans area as a whole looks much the same. The single-parent share is down 2.7 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Orleans Parish
Renters in Orleans Parish
| Period | Orleans Parish | New Orleans area | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 50.7% | 38.4% | 31.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 53.1% | 41.4% | 33.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 51.7% | 41.5% | 34.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 48.8% | 39.4% | 32.6% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.8 pts | +1.0 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Orleans Parish than nationally: 48.8% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 46.3% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has fallen 1.8 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose. No other Louisiana county has a higher share of renters.
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 Orleans Parish
| Period | Orleans Parish | New Orleans area | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.5% | 19.1% | 13.9% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 20.6% | 14.8% | 13.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 18.4% | 13.4% | 15.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 18.9% | 13.6% | 14.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −9.5 pts | −5.6 pts | +0.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Orleans Parish: 18.9% 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 9.5 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 Orleans Parish
| Period | Orleans Parish | New Orleans area | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1958 | 1968 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1959 | 1969 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1959 | 1969 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1963 | 1972 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +4 | +7 | +6 |
Orleans Parish is a place of older homes: half were built before 1963, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Newer construction is concentrated in the northeast, while the southwest has the oldest housing. Orleans Parish has the oldest homes of any Louisiana county.
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 Orleans Parish
| Period | Orleans Parish | New Orleans area | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $961 | $945 | $755 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $983 | $973 | $831 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,091 | $1,062 | $920 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,377 | $1,334 | $1,122 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$416 | +$389 | +$366 | +$606 |
Rent in Orleans Parish runs $1,377 a month at the median, utilities included, below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $416 a month from 2006–10, a 43% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 37.2% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Among Louisiana's 64 counties, though, only one other has higher rents.
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 Orleans Parish
Bachelor's degrees in Orleans Parish
| Period | Orleans Parish | New Orleans area | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.6% | 25.0% | 22.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 33.2% | 25.8% | 22.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 37.4% | 29.1% | 24.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 42.4% | 33.0% | 27.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.9 pts | +8.0 pts | +5.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are more common in Orleans Parish than nationally: 42.4% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 10.9 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. No other Louisiana county has a higher share of college graduates.
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 Orleans Parish
| Period | Orleans Parish | New Orleans area | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.7% | 82.5% | 81.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 84.1% | 83.8% | 83.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 86.3% | 85.8% | 85.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 89.5% | 87.2% | 87.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.8 pts | +4.7 pts | +5.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Orleans Parish have finished high school as nationally: 89.5%, against 89.3%. The rate is higher than in the wider New Orleans area (87.2%). Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 6.8 points, mirroring the country.
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 Orleans Parish
| Period | Orleans Parish | New Orleans area | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.9% | 9.3% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.2% | 9.8% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.7% | 6.9% | 6.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.0% | 7.1% | 6.5% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.9 pts | −2.2 pts | −1.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Orleans Parish: 8.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 4.9 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
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).
Orleans Parish compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orleans Parish | 2.46 | 39.2 | 16.0% | 48.8% | 18.9% | 1963 | $1,377 | 42.4% | 89.5% | 8.0% |
| Jefferson Parish | 2.53 | 41.1 | 14.2% | 37.4% | 9.2% | 1975 | $1,312 | 29.5% | 85.4% | 6.4% |
| St. Bernard Parish | 2.81 | 37.3 | 23.3% | 29.9% | 10.2% | 1980 | $1,157 | 17.2% | 82.2% | 7.5% |
| Plaquemines Parish | 2.81 | 40.3 | 11.2% | 24.2% | 16.3% | 1995 | $1,353 | 21.7% | 87.3% | 4.5% |
| St. Charles Parish | 2.84 | 39.5 | 11.0% | 17.9% | 11.2% | 1986 | $1,338 | 26.8% | 89.2% | 6.5% |
| St. John the Baptist Parish | 2.81 | 39.5 | 20.9% | 22.5% | 16.1% | 1985 | $1,434 | 20.0% | 86.7% | 10.3% |
| St. Tammany Parish | 2.64 | 41.6 | 14.1% | 21.1% | 8.1% | 1995 | $1,339 | 37.7% | 91.8% | 4.6% |
| Lafourche Parish | 2.55 | 39.9 | 14.8% | 20.1% | 9.3% | 1985 | $981 | 22.5% | 84.0% | 3.7% |
| St. James Parish | 2.56 | 42.7 | 13.0% | 15.6% | 13.5% | 1986 | $1,125 | 19.7% | 87.7% | 4.0% |
| Hancock County | 2.34 | 44.5 | 11.9% | 20.8% | 13.4% | 1996 | $1,049 | 24.4% | 87.5% | 4.6% |
| Terrebonne Parish | 2.55 | 39.8 | 15.4% | 24.7% | 11.2% | 1983 | $1,005 | 19.1% | 83.7% | 4.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Allen County, IN · Anoka County, MN · Bell County, TX · Berks County, PA · Boulder County, CO · Brazoria County, TX · Butler County, OH · Northampton County, PA · Richland County, SC · Nueces County, TX
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 Orleans Parish. 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.
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