The Town FilesNew Orleans, Louisiana
City in Orleans Parish · population 383,997 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $315,700
- Household income
- $56,631
- Jan low / Jul high
- 47° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 26
- Median age
- 38.8
New Orleans is a city of 383,997 people in Orleans Parish, Louisiana. The median home is worth $315,700, above the typical Louisiana town ($166,450). It ranks more walkable than 100% of Louisiana towns, better transit than 100% of Louisiana towns, hipper than 99% of Louisiana towns.
How New Orleans ranks
Percentile among Louisiana towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Louisiana towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in New Orleans is worth $315,700, above the typical Louisiana town ($166,450). Homes cost about 5.6 times the median household income of $56,631, which is more affordable than 3% of Louisiana towns. Median rent is $1,251 a month. 51.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | New Orleans | Typical Louisiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $315,700 | $166,450 |
| Median rent | $1,251 | $887 |
| Median household income | $56,631 | $52,134 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.6× | 3.0× |
| Homeownership | 51.2% | 70.4% |
| Median year built | 1960 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.3% | — |
Who lives in New Orleans
| People | New Orleans | Typical Louisiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.8 | 38.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.2% | 17.0% |
| Under 18 | 19.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.4% | 15.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 22.6% | 20.4% |
| Veterans | 4.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.6% | — |
| Work from home | 14.9% | 4.7% |
| Average commute | 22.6 min | 25.8 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.5% | 84.6% |
Weather in New Orleans
July highs average 90.6°F and January lows 46.9°F. About 60.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.1 inches of snow (typical Louisiana town: 0.0 in). Expect about 86 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 2 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of New Orleans since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Louisiana town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on March 22, 2022 about 5.5 miles from the town center and killed 2. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 62 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 19, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 14 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on April 15, 2015.
Severe weather in Orleans Parish since 1996
Orleans Parish has been included in 39 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for other, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3638: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 16, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4817: Hurricane Francine |
| September 10, 2024 | Hurricane | EM-3614: Tropical Storm Francine |
| September 27, 2023 | Other | EM-3600: Seawater Intrusion |
| September 13, 2021 | Coastal Storm | EM-3574: Tropical Storm Nicholas |
Jobs and pay in Orleans Parish
Orleans Parish had 188,050 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $67,626 a year. Unemployment was 4.5% in 2023; in New Orleans itself the ACS puts it at 7.5%.
Public schools in New Orleans
75 public schools with 49,395 students, about 14.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Willow School (charter) | K-12 | 2,120 | 16.2 |
| Morris Jeff Community School (charter) | PK-12 | 1,566 | 13.4 |
| Warren Easton Charter High School (charter) | 9-12 | 1,152 | 15.8 |
| Edna Karr High School (charter) | 9-12 | 1,131 | 15.1 |
| International School of Louisiana (charter) | K-8 | 1,125 | 13.7 |
| Benjamin Franklin High School (charter) | 9-12 | 1,056 | 17.3 |
| KIPP East (charter) | PK-8 | 1,030 | 13.4 |
| KIPP Morial (charter) | PK-8 | 1,013 | 13.2 |
| Lycee Francais de la Nouvelle-Orleans (charter) | PK-12 | 985 | 12.8 |
| Audubon Charter School (charter) | PK-8 | 980 | 15.3 |
| Harriet Tubman Charter School (charter) | PK-8 | 973 | 12.5 |
| KIPP Leadership (charter) | PK-8 | 949 | 14.0 |
Towns near New Orleans
- Chalmette, LA7.8 mi · 21,562 people · home $214,700
- Arabi, LA7.9 mi · 4,533 people · home $225,500
- Meraux, LA8.8 mi · 6,804 people · home $208,700
- Violet, LA11.1 mi · 5,758 people · home $173,500
- Terrytown, LA11.8 mi · 25,278 people · home $220,300
- Gretna, LA12.1 mi · 17,814 people · home $257,400
- Timberlane, LA13.4 mi · 10,364 people · home $221,000
- Poydras, LA13.7 mi · 2,536 people · home $132,800
New Orleans questions
Is New Orleans, Louisiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, New Orleans scores better for retirees than 32% of Louisiana towns and quieter than 2%. 17.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.8).
How much does a house cost in New Orleans?
The median owner-occupied home in New Orleans is valued at $315,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $56,631, so homes cost about 5.6 times income. Median rent is $1,251 a month.
What is the weather like in New Orleans?
July highs average 90.6°F and January lows 46.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 60.1 inches of precipitation a year and 0.1 inches of snow.
Does New Orleans get tornadoes?
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of New Orleans since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on March 22, 2022. The typical Louisiana town has had 27.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)