New Orleans has an estimated population of 362,154 residents in 2026, based on the latest official US Census Bureau estimate for July 1, 2025. The city has lost 21,843 residents since the 2020 Census count of 383,997, according to the Census Bureau Vintage 2025 population estimates, released in 2026.
The city is still losing residents, although the decline has slowed considerably. The city lost 5,256 people between 2022 and 2023, compared with 1,323 between 2024 and 2025. That is a substantial slowdown, but the latest figures do not yet show a return to population growth.
The longer-term changes are equally important. New Orleans has lost 58,430 children since 2000, the share of households consisting of one person has increased to 45%, and its Hispanic population has more than doubled. Those changes affect housing demand, schools, employment, and the future size of the city.
New Orleans Population in 2026
The latest official population estimate for New Orleans is 362,154. The figure refers to July 1, 2025, because the Census Bureau has not yet released its July 2026 city population estimates.
New Orleans recorded 383,997 residents in the April 2020 Census. For annual estimates, the Census Bureau uses a slightly revised April 2020 population base of 384,129, which produces an estimated decline of 5.7% through July 2025.
The distinction between the Census count and the estimates base explains why some reports calculate a loss of 21,843 residents, while the official percentage change uses a slightly different starting population.
| Population Measure | Figure | Reference Period |
|---|---|---|
| Latest New Orleans population estimate | 362,154 | July 2025 |
| Previous annual estimate | 363,477 | July 2024 |
| Population loss in one year | 1,323 | 2024 to 2025 |
| 2020 Census population | 383,997 | April 2020 |
| 2010 Census population | 343,829 | April 2010 |
| Population change since 2020 estimates base | -5.7% | April 2020 to July 2025 |
| Current seven-parish metro population | 970,849 | July 2025 |
Source: US Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 Population Estimates and 2010 and 2020 Decennial Census. Metropolitan population from The Data Center analysis of Census Population Estimates 2025.
The annual population estimate is not a count of everyone living in the city in October 2026. It is the Census Bureau’s latest estimate for a completed reference year.
Population estimates are calculated using demographic records, including births, deaths, and migration. The Census Bureau can revise earlier estimates when additional information becomes available. Its population estimates methodology explains how the annual figures are produced.
New Orleans Population by Year, 2010 to 2025
New Orleans experienced population growth during much of the 2010s, followed by several years of decline after 2020.
The Federal Reserve population series for Orleans Parish provides a historical record using Census Bureau data. Orleans Parish and New Orleans have the same boundaries, so their population totals are interchangeable.
| Year | Population | Change From Previous Listed Year |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 Census | 343,829 | Not applicable |
| 2020 Census | 383,997 | +40,168 |
| 2021 estimate | 377,506 | -6,491 |
| 2022 estimate | 371,038 | -6,468 |
| 2023 estimate | 365,782 | -5,256 |
| 2024 estimate | 363,477 | -2,305 |
| 2025 estimate | 362,154 | -1,323 |
Source: The Data Center, Total Population by Parish for the New Orleans Seven-Parish Metro, April 9, 2026, using the US Census Bureau Decennial Census and Vintage 2025 annual estimates. The 2020 to 2021 calculation compares a Census count with an estimate and is provided as context rather than a same-vintage annual change.
Between July 2022 and July 2023, New Orleans lost 5,256 residents. The decline fell to 2,305 the following year and then to 1,323 in 2025.
The annual population loss has therefore fallen by almost 75% from its 2023 level. New Orleans remains smaller each year, but the pace of decline is substantially slower.
The next few annual estimates will show if that slowdown continues. A single year of modest losses is not enough to establish that the city has reached its lowest population.
How New Orleans Population Has Changed Since Hurricane Katrina
New Orleans had around 455,000 residents before Hurricane Katrina struck in August 2005. The storm and the subsequent failure of flood protection systems displaced a large share of the city’s population.
The disaster caused extensive damage to homes, businesses, public buildings, and infrastructure. Many residents relocated to other Louisiana parishes, Texas, and other parts of the United States.
The National Hurricane Center’s Katrina report documents the storm, its intensity, and the extensive flooding that followed.
The city began recovering population during the following years. By the 2010 Census, the city had 343,829 residents. Ten years later, the count had increased to 383,997.
Despite that recovery, the city never returned to its pre-Katrina population. The latest estimate of 362,154 leaves New Orleans about 93,000 residents below its population immediately before the storm.
The decline becomes even more striking when compared with the city’s historical peak. New Orleans had 627,525 residents in 1960, meaning its current population is about 42% smaller.
However, Hurricane Katrina does not explain every population change since 1960. Suburban migration had already reduced the city’s population for decades before the storm.
The Changing New Orleans Neighborhoods research describes how population recovery and neighborhood change developed unevenly after Katrina.
New Orleans Metro Population in 2026
The New Orleans metropolitan area had 970,849 residents in July 2025, according to The Data Center’s July 6, 2026 demographic report.
The figure covers seven Louisiana parishes. It is 3.6% below the comparable April 2020 population and about 15% below the metro population in 2000.
There is an important change to the metro definition. In 2023, federal statistical authorities removed St. Tammany Parish from the New Orleans metropolitan area because commuting relationships had changed.
Older estimates above 1.2 million residents generally used an eight-parish metro definition that included St. Tammany. Comparing those figures directly with the current seven-parish total would exaggerate the apparent decline.
Population by Parish in the New Orleans Metro Area
The parish figures reveal that the regional decline has not been evenly distributed. St. Bernard Parish has grown since 2020, while Orleans, Jefferson, and several other parishes have lost residents.
| Parish | 2000 Census | 2020 Census | 2025 Estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson | 455,466 | 440,781 | 431,398 |
| Orleans | 484,674 | 383,997 | 362,154 |
| Plaquemines | 26,757 | 23,515 | 22,256 |
| St. Bernard | 67,229 | 43,764 | 45,642 |
| St. Charles | 48,072 | 52,549 | 50,586 |
| St. James | 21,216 | 20,192 | 18,938 |
| St. John the Baptist | 43,044 | 42,477 | 39,875 |
| Metro Total | 1,146,458 | 1,007,275 | 970,849 |
Source: The Data Center, Total Population by Parish for the New Orleans Seven-Parish Metro, published April 9, 2026. Historical counts come from the 2000 and 2020 Census. The 2025 figures come from Census Bureau Vintage 2025 Population Estimates.
Jefferson Parish had 431,398 residents in 2025, making it the most populous parish in the current metro area. Orleans Parish ranked second with 362,154.
St. Bernard stands out because its population increased from 43,764 in 2020 to 45,642 in 2025, a gain of approximately 4.3%. The metro area’s overall decline therefore includes communities moving in opposite directions.
The parish figures are also more useful than a single metro total when examining housing development, school enrollment, and the movement of residents between communities.
New Orleans Demographics in 2026
New Orleans remains a majority-Black city, although the composition of its population has changed considerably over the past 25 years.
Black residents accounted for approximately 53% of the population in 2025, compared with 67% in 2000. The Hispanic share increased from 3% to 9%, while the Asian share rose from 2% to 3%.
Race and Ethnicity
| Population Group | Share in 2000 | Share in 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Black residents | 67% | 53% |
| White residents | 28% | 31% |
| Hispanic residents | 3% | 9% |
| Asian residents | 2% | 3% |
Source: The Data Center, Who Lives in New Orleans and Metro Parishes Now?, July 6, 2026, Race/Ethnicity section. Analysis of US Census 2000 and Population Estimates 2025. Percentages are rounded and reflect the population categories used in the source analysis.
The Hispanic population has grown even as New Orleans has lost residents overall. In 2025, the city had 33,462 Hispanic residents, up from 15,032 in 2000.
That is an increase of 18,430 residents over 25 years. The Hispanic share of the city population rose from approximately 3% to 9% during the same period.
The increase is not limited to Orleans Parish. Across the seven-parish metro area, the Hispanic population reached 147,150 in 2025, representing 15% of all residents.
Jefferson Parish alone had 94,147 Hispanic residents, accounting for more than 22% of its population. St. Bernard Parish had 7,310 Hispanic residents, representing approximately 16%.
The regional figures also reveal a particularly strong Honduran community. According to the 2024 American Community Survey analysis in The Data Center report, Hondurans accounted for 32% of the Hispanic population in metro New Orleans.
Mexicans represented another 13%. The composition of the local Hispanic population therefore differs considerably from the national Hispanic population, where Mexican origin accounts for a much larger share.
Women, Men and Older Residents
The Census Bureau estimates that women account for approximately 52.9% of the New Orleans population. Residents aged 65 and older represent 17.2%, while 19.7% are younger than 18.
Children younger than five account for another 5.4% of the population. Those figures come from the age and sex measures in the city’s Census QuickFacts profile.
The longer-term decline in the number of children is particularly striking. According to the July 2026 Data Center report, New Orleans had 129,167 residents younger than 18 in 2000.
By 2025, that number had fallen to 70,737. The city lost 58,430 children over 25 years, a decline of approximately 45%.
Fewer children mean fewer potential students for local schools. The decline also affects demand for childcare and other services used by families.
School enrollment is not determined by population alone, but a reduction of this size creates pressure on long-term planning. The National Center for Education Statistics provides national school enrollment and education data that can help place local changes in context.
Fewer Households With Children, More People Living Alone
New Orleans has fewer families with children than it did at the beginning of the century. In 2000, approximately 30% of households included children. By 2024, the share had fallen to 19%.
During the same period, the share of households consisting of one person increased from 33% to 45%.
Nearly half of all New Orleans households now consist of a person living alone. The change affects the kinds of homes residents need.
For example, four people living together occupy one housing unit, but four people living separately occupy four units. A city can therefore lose population without experiencing an equivalent reduction in the number of occupied homes.
The growth in single-person households helps explain why population decline does not automatically lead to low rents or a large supply of vacant housing.
Housing location, condition, price, and the number of units available still determine how much residents pay. The American Community Survey housing data provide a basis for examining household composition alongside local housing conditions.
Religion and Cultural Identity in New Orleans
New Orleans has a long religious history influenced by French and Spanish colonial rule, Catholic institutions, African American communities, and immigration from the Caribbean and other regions.
Louisiana Voodoo is part of that history. Its religious roots and historical practice are more complex than the supernatural stories and commercial attractions associated with the city.
The Historic New Orleans Collection’s research on the portrayal of Black women examines how historical accounts and visual imagery have contributed to myths involving Marie Laveau and Voodoo in New Orleans.
Another archival article about Louisiana Hoodoo legends examines the way folklore and historical events became connected in local storytelling.
The Census Bureau does not measure religious affiliation in its annual population estimates. Current religious shares would require separate survey research, so they are not included in the population tables.
Income and Poverty in New Orleans
New Orleans has made progress in reducing poverty over the past 25 years, but a poverty rate of about 21% is still a serious economic problem.
The rate stood near 28% in 1999. By 2024, it had fallen by roughly seven percentage points, a reduction of about one-quarter compared with the earlier level.
Even after that improvement, roughly one in five New Orleans residents lived below the poverty threshold in 2024. That is a substantial share of the population, especially in a city where housing and transportation place considerable pressure on household budgets.
The 2024 American Community Survey poverty table S1701 provides the official poverty measures for New Orleans, including estimates by age and other demographic characteristics.
Household income is another important indicator. The city’s median household income was $58,821 in 2024, compared with $81,604 nationally, according to the figures examined in The Data Center’s 2026 report.
The 2024 ACS income table S1901 records a New Orleans median of $58,821, with a reported margin of error of $2,885.
The national median was more than $22,000 higher. Median household income describes the midpoint of the distribution, not the average amount earned by every household.
Income Varies Sharply Across Population Groups
Income levels vary considerably across racial and ethnic groups in New Orleans.
| Household Group | Median Annual Household Income, 2024 |
|---|---|
| White households | $90,322 |
| Hispanic households | $63,594 |
| Black households | $40,285 |
| All New Orleans households | $58,821 |
Source: The Data Center, Who Lives in New Orleans and Metro Parishes Now?, July 6, 2026, income analysis based on the 2024 American Community Survey. Citywide median from ACS 2024 1-Year Subject Table S1901. Household group figures follow the source’s racial and ethnic classifications.
The median income for White households was more than twice the median for Black households in 2024. The gap was approximately $50,000 per year.
Employment rates reveal another inequality. In 2024, 58% of Black men in New Orleans were employed, compared with 76% of White men.
That 18-percentage-point employment gap helps explain why access to work deserves attention alongside household income. It does not establish how much of the income gap is caused by employment alone, since household size, hours worked, pay rates, and other conditions also affect income.
Educational attainment has improved, but higher citywide education levels have not eliminated these inequalities.
Child Poverty Remains Especially High
Approximately 29% of New Orleans children lived below the poverty threshold in 2024. For Black children, the reported rate was 36%.
Those figures are particularly concerning given the city’s substantial decline in the number of children.
Fewer children live in New Orleans than in 2000, but a large share of those who remain live in households with incomes below the poverty threshold.
The Census Bureau poverty measurement guidance explains how income and household circumstances determine official poverty status.
Poverty can limit access to stable housing, childcare, and transportation. Those costs also affect the ability of families to remain in the city.
Employment and Education
New Orleans has a relatively well-educated adult population. In 2024, approximately 43% of residents aged 25 and older held at least a bachelor’s degree, compared with 37% nationally.
The figures come from the 2024 American Community Survey educational attainment data, available through ACS subject table S1501 for New Orleans.
Yet college attainment does not guarantee equal employment outcomes. Among Black men, the employment rate was 58% in 2024, below the 63% recorded in 1980.
White men had an employment rate of 76% in 2024. The comparison points to unequal participation in the labor market, but the published figures do not isolate the effects of education, experience, occupation, or discrimination.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics local employment data provide another source for tracking changes in the labor market over time. Those unemployment measures use a different statistical definition from the employment rates discussed above and should be compared accordingly.
Housing Costs and the Population Decline
Housing remains an important financial issue for New Orleans residents. According to the Census Bureau’s 2020 to 2024 estimates, median gross rent was $1,251 per month.
The median value of owner-occupied housing units was $315,700, while the median monthly owner cost for households with a mortgage was $2,211.
At the city’s 2024 median household income of $58,821, monthly income before taxes would be approximately $4,902.
Comparing that income with the citywide median gross rent of $1,251 produces an illustrative rent-to-income ratio of 25.5%.
However, the two medians describe different groups of households. The median income includes homeowners and renters, while median gross rent applies to renter-occupied homes. The 25.5% calculation is therefore an example rather than the actual rent burden of a typical renter.
For a more direct measure, the 2024 ACS rent burden table B25070 reports gross rent as a percentage of household income. It separates households paying at least 30% of income toward rent from those paying at least 50%.
Those thresholds help identify renters under financial pressure. A household earning $30,000 annually and paying $1,251 a month in rent would spend about 50% of gross income on housing.
The situation is particularly difficult for lower-income households because transportation, utilities, food, and other expenses must be paid from the remaining income.
Homeownership has increased over the longer term. Approximately 53% of New Orleans households owned their homes in 2024, compared with 46% in 2000.
Yet homeowners face financial pressures of their own, including repairs, maintenance, and insurance costs.
Hurricanes, Flood Risk and the Cost of Living in New Orleans
Hurricane Katrina permanently changed the population of New Orleans, but the region continues facing hurricane and flood risks.
Flood protection systems have improved since 2005, including major federal investments in levees and storm surge defenses.
The US Army Corps of Engineers Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction System describes the infrastructure built to reduce storm surge risk across the greater New Orleans area.
Protection against storm surge does not eliminate every type of flooding. Heavy rainfall, drainage problems, and severe storms can still damage homes and disrupt businesses.
For residents, those risks carry financial consequences. Home repairs, insurance premiums, deductibles, and temporary relocation can place pressure on household budgets.
The FEMA flood map program helps identify mapped flood hazards, although actual risk also depends on property location, elevation, drainage, and other conditions.
Disaster exposure can influence relocation decisions, particularly when households face repeated damage or rising costs. However, current population estimates do not identify the precise number of residents who left New Orleans because of insurance or flood concerns.
Transportation and Access to Jobs
New Orleans is known for its streetcars, but many residents depend on cars, buses, or other transportation to reach work and essential services.
Approximately 17% of New Orleans households had no access to a vehicle in 2024, down from 27% in 2000.
For households without a car, the location of jobs and public transportation routes can strongly affect everyday expenses and employment opportunities.
The Census Bureau estimated an average commute of 22.6 minutes for workers aged 16 and older during the 2020 to 2024 period.
The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority maintains information about current public transit routes and services.
Averages do not tell the full story for workers whose journeys require transfers or whose shifts begin early in the morning or end late at night.
Transportation costs also belong in the discussion about housing affordability. A lower rent farther from work may offer little financial relief if a household must spend substantially more on commuting.
Public Safety, Education and Neighborhood Conditions
Families considering a move often pay attention to school quality, neighborhood conditions, transportation, and access to medical care.
For New Orleans, the shrinking population of children is especially relevant. A city that has lost approximately 45% of its children since 2000 faces difficult decisions about school capacity and the location of educational services.
The Louisiana Department of Education provides information about public education, school performance, and student enrollment across the state.
Public safety also influences how residents experience their neighborhoods. Crime can affect perceptions of safety and decisions about where to live.
However, population figures alone do not identify how many people leave because of crime. Local crime statistics and household migration data measure separate things.
New Orleans residents also rely on drainage, roads, public transportation, and other city services. The quality of these services affects everyday living conditions, even though a direct statistical link with migration requires additional evidence.
New Orleans Population Compared With Other US Cities
New Orleans is among the American cities that have experienced substantial population losses over several decades.
Detroit’s population history provides another example of long-term urban decline, although its economic history has been shaped heavily by manufacturing changes and suburban migration.
New Orleans experienced suburban movement before Katrina, followed by displacement from one of the country’s most destructive natural disasters.
National population trends offer another comparison. The United States continued gaining residents during years when New Orleans lost population.
The Census Bureau Population Estimates Program publishes figures for cities, counties, metropolitan areas, and states, allowing these trends to be compared using the same statistical releases.
The important question is not simply which cities are growing. The figures should also show how migration, local employment, housing conditions, and population age structure contribute to each city’s trajectory.
Is New Orleans Still Losing Population in 2026?
The latest official estimates show that New Orleans continued losing residents through July 2025.
Between July 2024 and July 2025, the city lost 1,323 people, a decline of approximately 0.36%.
The annual decline was considerably smaller than the 5,256-resident loss recorded between 2022 and 2023.
New Orleans is therefore still losing population, but at a substantially slower rate than earlier in the decade.
The smaller annual loss does not explain the individual reasons people moved. Changes in births, deaths, and migration all contribute to the final estimate.
There is evidence that the city continues attracting newcomers. According to the 2024 American Community Survey analysis cited by The Data Center, approximately 7% of Orleans Parish residents had moved into the parish during the previous year.
More than half of those newcomers arrived from outside Louisiana.
People continue moving into New Orleans even when the total population falls. The city’s annual population change reflects people arriving, people leaving, births, and deaths.
What Will Determine the Future Population of New Orleans?
New Orleans has several important demographic challenges. The city remains much smaller than before Katrina, the number of children has declined sharply, and single-person households account for a growing share of the housing market.
Housing affordability is one of the most immediate concerns. With a median household income of $58,821 in 2024, many residents have limited room in their budgets for rising rent, insurance, repairs, and transportation.
Employment also affects the city’s ability to retain residents. Tourism and hospitality remain important local industries, alongside healthcare, education, transportation, and professional services.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics data for Louisiana provide current labor market information that can help assess employment trends.
Changes in household composition also affect future planning. New Orleans has fewer children than in 2000, but more households consist of adults living alone.
The Hispanic population continues growing, particularly across the metropolitan area. The demographic data show that New Orleans and its neighboring parishes can attract new residents even during periods of overall decline.
The next official annual estimates will establish if the slowdown continues. Until then, a specific 2026 population projection would be an estimate based on assumptions, not an official Census population figure.
Data and Methodology
The population figures in this article primarily come from the US Census Bureau and the July 2026 demographic research published by The Data Center.
The headline population estimate uses the Vintage 2025 city figure for July 1, 2025. It is the latest official annual estimate available as of October 2026.
Historical population figures come from the 2000, 2010, and 2020 Decennial Census and annual estimates for 2021 through 2025.
The metropolitan area follows the current seven-parish definition. St. Tammany Parish is excluded because the federal metropolitan boundaries changed in 2023.
Demographic estimates for 2025 come from the Census Bureau Population Estimates Program. Income, poverty, education, household composition, and housing figures are drawn from the 2024 American Community Survey.
For income, the article uses ACS table S1901. Poverty measures come from S1701, educational attainment from S1501, and rent burden from B25070. These are different statistical products from the annual population estimates.
The Data Center’s demographic report combines these Census sources with its own comparisons across years and parishes. The report identifies the underlying Census products for its charts and tables. Readers can also review The Data Center’s organizational information for details about the nonprofit research organization.
ACS figures are estimates based on a sample and include margins of error. For example, the 2024 New Orleans median household income estimate of $58,821 has a reported margin of error of $2,885.
Annual Census population estimates are constructed through demographic estimation rather than the ACS household sample, so the same margin-of-error interpretation does not apply to the Vintage 2025 city total.
Historical figures may be revised in later estimates releases. The city and metro figures have therefore been identified by year, geography, and source so comparisons remain clear.
The Bottom Line
New Orleans had 362,154 residents in the latest official estimate, down 21,843 from the 2020 Census count. The Census Bureau’s Orleans Parish population profile confirms the population figures used in this comparison.
The population decline has slowed considerably. Annual losses fell from more than 5,000 residents in 2023 to 1,323 in 2025.
At the same time, New Orleans has experienced major demographic changes. The city has approximately 45% fewer children than in 2000, while 45% of households consist of one person. The Hispanic population has more than doubled over the same 25-year period.
Housing costs and income inequality remain important concerns. The city’s median household income was $58,821 in 2024, and around 21% of residents lived below the poverty threshold.
New Orleans continues attracting newcomers, but the latest figures show that population losses have not yet ended. Future Census releases will establish if the city begins growing again or continues losing residents at a slower pace.
