Population up 35% in New Orleans

[NCB]

Population up 35% in December to January

But New Orleans remains far from its pre-Katrina number

Article from NOLA

New Orleans' population was just above 180,000 at the end of January, up 35 percent from the early December figure of about 134,000, according to the latest estimate from the city's Emergency Operations Center.

A report released Tuesday by the EOC said a Jan. 28-29 survey placed the city's "nighttime population" at 181,400, but with a margin of error that meant it could have been as large as 202,000 or as small as 160,000.

The report placed the "daytime population" at 262,200, with a margin of error of more than 33,000 either way

New Orleans is certainly far from it's pre-Katrina population levels, but residents are returning much faster than expected by experts and officials. Some studies after Katrina said that it would take up to five years for the city's population to get back to around 200,000, and we now see that it actually took a little over 6 months.

[breaux]

Population up 35% in December to January

But New Orleans remains far from its pre-Katrina number

Article from NOLA

New Orleans is certainly far from it's pre-Katrina population levels, but residents are returning much faster than expected by experts and officials. Some studies after Katrina said that it would take up to five years for the city's population to get back to around 200,000, and we now see that it actually took a little over 6 months.

That's great news.

What is the overall metro population now? Almost back to it's prior levels?

[NCB]

What is the overall metro population now? Almost back to it's prior levels?

The most recent estimates place the metro area's population at around 1.2 million, down from a pre-Katrina 1.3 million. Though many experts and demographers have said that by 2007, the metro area could have a population of 1.4-1.5 million, which is larger than it has ever been. The metro area, especially Jefferson Parish and the Northshore, is coming back very quickly and very strong.

[dimebag1980]

Dude, New Orleans needs to come back... bigger and stronger than EVER before. Seriously, maybe the majority of the criminal element has moved on and the city can once again be progressive as far as population goes.

I welcome this news and hope it's only another 6 months before New Orleans' population gets back up there.

[NCB]

I welcome this news and hope it's only another 6 months before New Orleans' population gets back up there.

Same here.

Though I think that in the later portion of 2006, the amount of returning residents to New Orleans will steadily level off, most likely as the city's population approaches and grows to over 300,000. Though I think the population growth will continue for quite some time, just not as fast as it is now.

[dimebag1980]

Same here.

Though I think that in the later portion of 2006, the amount of returning residents to New Orleans will steadily level off, most likely as the city's population approaches and grows to over 300,000. Though I think the population growth will continue for quite some time, just not as fast as it is now.

As much as I'm enjoying Shreveport being the second-most populous city, I know the true #2 city is Baton Rouge and the true largest city is New Orleans. Shreveport, unfortunately, will always be third. But New Orleans will be back even if it takes a while.

[NCB]

^It shouldn't take long for New Orleans to pass Shreveport up as the 2nd largest city in the state, with estimates now placing the city's population between 185,000-202,000.

[breaux]

^It shouldn't take long for New Orleans to pass Shreveport up as the 2nd largest city in the state, with estimates now placing the city's population between 185,000-202,000.

By those standards New Orleans was bigger than Atlanta pre-Katrina, but you never heard any mention of that.

I might be splitting hairs, but for all intents and purposes New Orleans is again Louisiana's biggest city, and has been for a while if the metro area is back up to 1.2 million.

[dimebag1980]

By those standards New Orleans was bigger than Atlanta pre-Katrina, but you never heard any mention of that.

I might be splitting hairs, but for all intents and purposes New Orleans is again Louisiana's biggest city, and has been for a while if the metro area is back up to 1.2 million.

No doubt. But the city population itself still has to get back over that of Baton Rouge before anyone will technically classify it as tops again. I only hope it happens soon... I just want that place to get totally back to normal. Post-Katrina, New Orleans was the largest ghost town in the nation, but it appears to have taken no time for people to start coming back in. I'm ready for another visit already!! It's been 1 year this month since my last visit and I'm SO ready.

I should be getting quite a bit of money from a project this week, and if I do, my wife and I will have to spend our anniversary down there this month.

[NCB]

I should be getting quite a bit of money from a project this week, and if I do, my wife and I will have to spend our anniversary down there this month.

I hope your able to make it down here, supkof!

[richyb83]

It's great to see the population increasing like that ! I like the sound of Baton Rouge at # 2 and the Crescent City returning to it's rightful place at # 1 !

[NCB]

It's great to see the population increasing like that ! I like the sound of Baton Rouge at # 2 and the Crescent City returning to it's rightful place at # 1 !

I have to agree with that!

Though I hope Baton Rouge can continue to experience growth in the area and continue to develop into an even better city.

[UptownNewOrleans]

Dude, New Orleans needs to come back... bigger and stronger than EVER before. Seriously, maybe the majority of the criminal element has moved on and the city can once again be progressive as far as population goes.

I welcome this news and hope it's only another 6 months before New Orleans' population gets back up there.

If New Orleans keeps growing at the rate it's going now, we should be back up to the 480K we posted before Katrina. As for the criminal element, they know the NOPD is hot on them so if they smart, they won't set foot in New Orleans. They're wanted everywhere from Houston, back home to N.O. and wherever N.O. Katrina evacuees are setting up shop.

[NCB]

One thing that hasn't been mentioned much is the amount of people moving to the New Orleans area for the first time. There are more and more people moving here every day, because of the fantastic job opportunites, because so many jobs in the city and the area have been left behind. As of right now, Popeyes is offering $9.50 an hour at some locations in the area, and the pay is gone way up at other fast food places as well. But major jobs with high wages are available in the city as well, and there have been quite a few people I have met in their young-mid 20's who have moved to the city from other locations throughout the South to fill these job positions.

[EbonyGardens]

I'm happy for you guys in N.O.

[dimebag1980]

One thing that hasn't been mentioned much is the amount of people moving to the New Orleans area for the first time. There are more and more people moving here every day, because of the fantastic job opportunites, because so many jobs in the city and the area have been left behind. As of right now, Popeyes is offering $9.50 an hour at some locations in the area, and the pay is gone way up at other fast food places as well. But major jobs with high wages are available in the city as well, and there have been quite a few people I have met in their young-mid 20's who have moved to the city from other locations throughout the South to fill these job positions.

The only problem is, once the city gets to thriving again, those companies will have a hard time keeping those wages up. Has anyone mentioned anything of a plan to keep wages up?

[MetropolitanSA]

The most recent estimates place the metro area's population at around 1.2 million, down from a pre-Katrina 1.3 million.

The estimates here put the CSA population at only 927,111, as of February 2006.

                              Census     Census    Estimate   Estimate

Apr 1990 Apr 2000 Jul 2005 Feb 2006

--------- --------- --------- ---------

Jefferson Parish 448,306 455,466 452,824 362,368

Orleans Parish 496,938 484,674 454,863 177,870

Plaquemines Parish 25,575 26,757 28,995 16,996

St. Bernard Parish 66,631 67,229 65,364 10,009

St. Charles Parish 42,437 48,072 50,633 53,791

St. John the Baptist Parish 39,996 43,044 46,393 50,825

St. Tammany Parish 144,508 191,268 220,295 212,866

Washington Parish 43,185 43,926 44,623 42,386

CSA 1,307,576 1,360,436 1,363,990 927,111

Though many experts and demographers have said that by 2007, the metro area could have a population of 1.4-1.5 million, which is larger than it has ever been.

Note sure how that is going to happen. Before Katrina, the growth was very negligible in the New Orleans CSA. From 1990 thru 2000, the CSA gained just 52,860 in population (only 5,286 per year). From 2000 thru 2005 (July), the CSA gained just 3,554 in population (only 677 per year).

[alon504]

Those numbers are wayyy off. They are utilyzing traditional means of calculating population and this isn't a traditional situation. It's impossible to gauge how many are in FEMA trailers, living with relatives, living on the second floor of a home that is gutted on the first floor...These numbers are unreliable and inaccurate. Sales tax collections are up over 50% from this time last year almost the entire metro area...Even Orleans and St. Bernard are doubled what officials projected for these areas around this time after the storm struck.

[NCB]

The estimates here put the CSA population at only 927,111, as of February 2006.

                              Census     Census    Estimate   Estimate

Apr 1990 Apr 2000 Jul 2005 Feb 2006

--------- --------- --------- ---------

Jefferson Parish 448,306 455,466 452,824 362,368

Orleans Parish 496,938 484,674 454,863 177,870

Plaquemines Parish 25,575 26,757 28,995 16,996

St. Bernard Parish 66,631 67,229 65,364 10,009

St. Charles Parish 42,437 48,072 50,633 53,791

St. John the Baptist Parish 39,996 43,044 46,393 50,825

St. Tammany Parish 144,508 191,268 220,295 212,866

Washington Parish 43,185 43,926 44,623 42,386

CSA 1,307,576 1,360,436 1,363,990 927,111

Note sure how that is going to happen. Before Katrina, the growth was very negligible in the New Orleans CSA. From 1990 thru 2000, the CSA gained just 52,860 in population (only 5,286 per year). From 2000 thru 2005 (July), the CSA gained just 3,554 in population (only 677 per year).

There is jut no way that Saint Tammany Parish a) has lost population since 2005 and b) has only 213,000 people in the parish right now. Nearly every estimate I have seen for Saint Tammany has the population at around 300,000, and that is the number being reported all over SE Louisiana. Also, the most recent estimate that I heard for Washington Parish actually had the parishes' population at around 60,000, and it definately has not lost population since 2005 either.

Those estimates don't look correct in any way, because everyone in this area know that the northshore parish's have all gained very large numbers of people since Katrina, especially Saint Tammany, and according to those stats, both of the northshore parish's in the metro lost population. Also, I've heard quite a few recent estimates for Jefferson Parish saying it's population is now around 400,000, and the average population estimate for Orleans Parish is around 186,000.

[tennis1400]

The estimates here put the CSA population at only 927,111, as of February 2006.

                              Census     Census    Estimate   Estimate

Apr 1990 Apr 2000 Jul 2005 Feb 2006

--------- --------- --------- ---------

Jefferson Parish 448,306 455,466 452,824 362,368

Orleans Parish 496,938 484,674 454,863 177,870

Plaquemines Parish 25,575 26,757 28,995 16,996

St. Bernard Parish 66,631 67,229 65,364 10,009

St. Charles Parish 42,437 48,072 50,633 53,791

St. John the Baptist Parish 39,996 43,044 46,393 50,825

St. Tammany Parish 144,508 191,268 220,295 212,866

Washington Parish 43,185 43,926 44,623 42,386

CSA 1,307,576 1,360,436 1,363,990 927,111

Note sure how that is going to happen. Before Katrina, the growth was very negligible in the New Orleans CSA. From 1990 thru 2000, the CSA gained just 52,860 in population (only 5,286 per year). From 2000 thru 2005 (July), the CSA gained just 3,554 in population (only 677 per year).

Another problem with that chart is it fails to include one fo the metro areas parishes, Tangipahoa. Definitely is off. Even the most conservative of survays put the metro areas CSA at about 1.15-1.2 million. Regardless, it is impossible to count the many workers here and others living in crowded quarters. One thing is for certain, the population has reuturned much faster than many of us thought it would. I would probably guess that ultimately the metro areas CSA will be 2-300,000 people larger by the end of the decade, but the city of New Orleans itself will probably be 350,000 at best. I just dont see areas east of the Industrial Canal reviving that quickly. Hope im wrong. But New Orleans use to have a population of 600,000 a couple deacdes ago. SO we definitely could fit everyone Pre-Katrina into the city west of the Industrial Canal and in high-rise, high density residences. Id prefer that anyway. In fact I live in a converted warehouse myself.

[Phizzy]

Another problem with that chart is it fails to include one fo the metro areas parishes, Tangipahoa.

Tangipahoa is not part of the New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA Metropolitan Statistical Area or the New Orleans-Metairie-Bogalusa, LA Combined Statistical Area (as defined by the Office of Management and Budget). It's part of the Hammond, LA Micropolitan Statistical Area, though.

[dimebag1980]

SO we definitely could fit everyone Pre-Katrina into the city west of the Industrial Canal and in high-rise, high density residences. Id prefer that anyway. In fact I live in a converted warehouse myself.

I was just thinking something similar. I was thinking with all the new high-rise developments, and with many more likely in the near future, there's no doubt the majority could live downtown in high-rises, similar to New York and Chicago.

[NCB]

Tangipahoa is not part of the New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA Metropolitan Statistical Area or the New Orleans-Metairie-Bogalusa, LA Combined Statistical Area (as defined by the Office of Management and Budget). It's part of the Hammond, LA Micropolitan Statistical Area, though.

Yea, as of now it is not in the Greater New Orleans area. Though Tangipahoa and its estimated 150,000+ residents will be added to the New Orleans metro in the next official census in 2010.

I was just thinking something similar. I was thinking with all the new high-rise developments, and with many more likely in the near future, there's no doubt the majority could live downtown in high-rises, similar to New York and Chicago.

That is definately a very real possibility. That is also something that I would love to see, and personally, I would love to live in downtown New Orleans in a few years if I can find the money.

[alon504]

I'm not into drama or exaggeration, but, here is what I know, most recently, as legitimate population figures...argue for or against, this is what I hear locally from organizations that follow the population on a weekly basis on an analysis of many stats that "national" studies don't have the time or money to worry about...

Orleans, as of last week....230,000

Jefferson, as of last week....520,000

St. Tammany, as of last week....275,000

St. Bernard, as of last week.....22,000

St. Charles, as of last week....60,000

St. John the Baptist Parish, as of last week...55,000

St. James Parish, as of last week...28,000

Tangipahoa Parish, as of last week...165,000

Livingston Parish, as of last week....140,000

Plaquemines Parish, as of last week....18,500

This is what the latest local figures are...they are being watched on a weekly basis...I just have problems putting stock on national studies that are so distant from a situation that requires such micro analysis.

[NCB]

^The only figure that seems high to me would be Jefferson Parish. I've mostly been hearing 425K-450K for Jefferson around the city, but I could be, and hope I am wrong.