The New Orleans metropolitan area was devastated by Hurricane Katrina—once a category 5 hurricane, but a category 3 storm at landfall—on August 29, 2005.[5] Within the city of New Orleans proper, multiple breaches and structural failures occurred in the system of levees and flood walls designed under federal government auspices. The city of New Orleans experienced a steep population decline after the hurricane, though by the 2020 Census, it had regained a good portion of that loss.
The post-August 2005 decline in the city's population negatively impacted population numbers for the entire metropolitan area, which had a population of 1,337,726 million as recorded in the 2000 United States census. Most of the decline in population was accounted for by the decline experienced in the city of New Orleans proper (coterminous with Orleans Parish); the U.S. Census Bureau estimates that the city's population dropped from 453,728 prior to the storm (July 1, 2005) to 389,476, the estimate for 2020.[6][7]
Greater New Orleans is the largest regional economy in Louisiana and borders the second largest economically-important area, Greater Baton Rouge.[8] One Fortune 500 company is headquartered in the region, Entergy.[9] The largest companies operating in the New Orleans metropolitan area are Globalstar, AT&T, GE Capital, and the Port of New Orleans. Home to some of Louisiana's most-visited tourist destinations, tourists have spent over $10.05 billion in 2019.[10]
St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, and Washington parishes all lie across Lake Ponchartrain from New Orleans, and are therefore only sometimes included as part of the region.
According to the New Orleans region's chamber of commerce, GNO, Inc.[12] (formerly Metrovision), the region boasts a civilian labor force of over 650,000 and there are over 65,000 students enrolled in the region's nine universities and eight community/technical colleges.[13]
The Louisiana State Legislature created a commission (the Regional Planning Commission) to be responsible for the planning and development of the New Orleans metropolitan area. The eight parishes covered by the commission are: Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. John the Baptist, St. Tammany and Tangipahoa.
Each parish within the New Orleans metropolitan area and New Orleans–Metairie–Slidell combined statistical areas lie on a very low sea level elevation, though further inland near the Mississippi border its area above sea level increases to 371 feet.
The New Orleans metropolitan area was first defined in 1950. Then known as the New Orleans standard metropolitan area (New Orleans SMA), it consisted of three parishes—Orleans, Jefferson, and St. Bernard—and had a population of 685,405.[15][16] Following a term change by the Bureau of the Budget (present-day U.S. Office of Management and Budget), the New Orleans SMA was called the New Orleans standard metropolitan statistical area (New Orleans SMSA).[17] By the census of 1960, the population had grown to 868,480, a 27% increase over the previous census.[16]
St. Tammany Parish was added the New Orleans SMSA in 1963.[18] The four-parish area had a combined population of 899,123 in 1960 and 1,045,809 in 1970.[16] By the 1980 census, the population had increased by 14% to 1,187,073.[16]
In 1983, the official name was changed to the New Orleans metropolitan statistical area (New Orleans MSA).[17] Two more parishes, St. Charles and St. John the Baptist, were added to the metropolitan area the same year, making a six-parish MSA.[19] The newly defined area had a total of 1,256,256 residents in 1980, but that number had declined to 1,238,816 in 1990.[16]
The New Orleans MSA expanded to eight parishes in 1993 with the inclusion of Plaquemines and St. James.[20] The eight-parish area had a combined population of 1,285,270 at the 1990 census and 1,337,726 in 2000.
The MSA was renamed the New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner metropolitan statistical area in 2003, and St. James Parish was removed. At the 2010 U.S. census, the metropolitan statistical area's population grew to 1,189,166. The overall racial composition of the New Orleans metropolitan area was as follows:[21] White 58.2% (non-Hispanic white) 52.4%, Black or African American 32.5%, American Indian 0.8%, Asian 3.5%, some other race 2.8%, two or more races 2.0%, and Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 8.6%. For those under 18, the majority are minority, with only 45.2% being non-Hispanic whites.
In 2013, St. James was once again included in the MSA, which at the same time was renamed to "New Orleans–Metairie".[22][23] The 2019 U.S. census estimates determined the New Orleans metropolitan area's population stood at 1,270,530.[24] In 2020, its population increased to 1,271,845.[4] Of the metropolitan population, 485,267 households made up the area with an average of 2.6 persons per household. An estimated 50% of households were married couples, 7% had a male householder with no female present, 23% female with no male householder present, and 19% non-family households. Roughly 43% of the metropolitan population was married and 57% were unmarried. The Greater New Orleans unmarried population included 40% males and 36% females never married.
In 2019, there were 561,747 housing units and 63% were owner-occupied.[24] Nearly 70% of the households were single unit households, 28% were multi-units and approximately 3% were mobile homes. The median value of owner-occupied housing units was $211,900, about 25% higher than the amount in Louisiana at the time ($172,100). At the 2019 estimates 47% of housing units were from under $100,000 to $100,000 to $200,000. The New Orleans metropolitan area gained 12.5% of move-ins since 2018.[24]
As of 2020, Greater New Orleans had a racial makeup of 51% White Americans, 35% Blacks or African Americans, 3% Asians, 2% from two or more races, and 9% Hispanic or Latinos of any race.[24] The area's median age was 39 and the population made up 52% females and 48% males. Almost 8% of the population were foreign-born with the majority of origins from Latin America and Asia. The predominant language spoken among the racial and ethnic makeup is English only, followed by Spanish. Greater New Orleans residents had an estimated per capita income of $31,889 and median household income of $55,710. Roughly 16.4% of the metropolis lived at or below the poverty line.
In 2023, St. Tammany was split off into its own metropolitan area,[25] leaving the New Orleans MSA with seven parishes and tabulating an adjusted 2020 census population of 1,007,275.
Combined statistical area
Location of the New Orleans–Metairie–Slidell CSA and its components:
The New Orleans–Metairie–Slidell combined statistical area (CSA) is made up of nine Louisiana parishes and one Mississippi county. The CSA includes two metropolitan areas and two micropolitan areas.
At the 2019 American Community Survey, the combined statistical area had a population of 1,507,017. In 2022 following a redrawing of the former New Orleans–Metairie–Hammond combined statistical area, and the addition of a Slidell metropolitan area, it had a census-estimated population of 1,485,510.[26]
In 2019, the racial and ethnic makeup of the combined statistical area was 54% White, 33% Black or African American, 3% Asian, 2% from two or more races, and 8% Hispanic or Latino of any race. As of 2022, its racial and ethnic composition was 52% White, 31% Black or African American, 2% Asian, 1% other race or ethnicity, 5% two or more races, and 9% Hispanic or Latino of any race.[26]
In 2019, it had a median household income of $53,766 and per capita income of $30,533. There were 572,520 households and 667,185 housing units. The median value of an owner-occupied housing unit was $202,000 and 6.7% of CSA's population were foreign-born. Over 60% of the former New Orleans–Metairie–Hammond combined statistical area's foreign-born population were from Latin America as of 2019. In 2019, 17.3% of the CSA lived at or below the poverty line.
Economy
University Medical Center New Orleans
Greater New Orleans is home to one of the busiest ports in the world. Greater New Orleans' single Fortune 500 company is Entergy.[9]
The New Orleans area has 88% of the nation's oil rigs off its coast,[27] and is in the top three in the country in oil and gas production. The metropolis boasts a civilian labor force of over 650,000 and there are over 65,000 students enrolled in the region's nine universities and eight community/technical colleges as well as thriving film, technology and healthcare industries. In 2018, New Orleans was documented for its growing technology sector.[28]
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport hosts 15 airlines, 54 nonstop flights, and connects to all U.S. hubs; a new, ground-up terminal opened November 6, 2019.[29] The Port of New Orleans and the Mississippi River operates in the area with more than $296 million capital infrastructure investment for quick container turnaround and increased capacity.[30]
Industrial projects, especially in St. James Parish, were estimated to help the New Orleans metro area add 4,600 jobs in 2018 and 7,600 in 2019, according to an annual economic forecast.[31] The Greater New Orleans economy also benefits from expansions in the health care sector and the National World War II Museum, as well as airport construction. Formosa Petrochemicals' $9.4 billion complex in St. James Parish and Venture Global's $8.5 billion liquefied natural gas export facility at the Port of Plaquemines were planned yet Formosa's construction delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[32][33] A long-delayed $1.1 billion University Medical Center and the $1 billion Veterans Affairs Medical Center were constructed for the Greater New Orleans metropolitan region.[34]
Delta SkyClub at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is located to the west of downtown, in the city of Kenner. As of 2023, the airport is currently served by fifteen airlines.[35] Domestic nonstop service is provided to Akron, Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Bentonville, Boston, Charleston, Charlotte, Chicago (O'Hare and Midway), Cincinnati, Columbus, Dallas (DFW and Love Field), Denver, Detroit, Ft. Lauderdale, Ft. Myers, Hartford, Houston (Bush Intercontinental and Hobby), Jacksonville, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Long Beach, Louisville, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, Nashville, New York (JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark), Norfolk, Orlando (Orlando International and Sanford), Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Phoenix, Raleigh, Richmond, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Savannah, Seattle, St. Louis, Tampa, Tulsa, and Washington DC (Reagan National and Dulles). International nonstop service is provided to Cancun, London, Montreal, San Pedro Sula, and Toronto.[36]
Metropolitan New Orleans is served by six of the seven Class 1 freight railroads operating in North America.[38] Passenger train service is provided by Amtrak on the Crescent, City of New Orleans, and Sunset Limited routes.
Opening of the Bonnet Carré Spillway on 1997-03-17. The spillway was operational from March 17 to April 18, 1997 – operating at a maximum flow of 243,000 cu ft/s (6,900 m3/s).
