Wondering how much your neighborhood has changed...according to the numbers?

Today, The Data Center is releasing our annual analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data as well as data from Valassis Inc. on households receiving mail. This data shows where the most growth has happened in the last few years, as well as how much neighborhoods have recovered since Katrina.

Our analysis confirms that the population of the city grew by 1,757 people from 2015 to 2016.

Many headlines have incorrectly stated that more people are leaving New Orleans than arriving. But according to the Census, about 260 more people moved to New Orleans than moved out of New Orleans over the last year, bringing the total estimated population to 391,495.

Where are reporters getting the idea that more people are leaving than coming?  They are looking only at the domestic migration estimate, which is a negative 759. But they are failing to look at the international migration estimate, which is a positive 1,020. Who might be included in this estimate of international migration? They might be a doctor returning from South Africa to work at the new VA Hospital, a recent graduate from India moving to New Orleans on a work visa to fill a tech job, or someone’s son or daughter returning from a year of study abroad in China. Everyone who comes to New Orleans contributes to the fabric of the city in their own way and should be counted!

Estimating the movement of people into and out of any parish is difficult and has some limitations, but check out our latest brief, Neighborhood Recovery Rates: Growth continues through 2017 in New Orleans neighborhoods, for more details on New Orleans’ growth. The brief can be found on our website under Reports -> Population & Demographics at: