Dear friends and colleagues,
In late September, the Census Bureau released updated estimates of income, race/ethnicity, homeownership, Internet access, and more for our metro area. This 2019 data is the most up-to-date available from the American Community Survey.
This data reveals the state of our region in the year leading up to COVID-19. How prepared were we for 2020?
The new data reveal a number of notable findings:
- In 2019, median household income in Orleans Parish and the Metro significantly surpassed the 2000 median household income, even after adjusting for inflation.
- Even still, 29 percent of renters and 10 percent of homeowners in New Orleans Metro were paying more than half of their household income on housing and utilities in 2019.
- In Orleans Parish, 18 percent of households had no access to the Internet in the home, and another 14 percent only had access through a smartphone. Similarly, 14 percent of households in Jefferson had no access to Internet, and another 15 percent only had access through a smartphone.
- In 2019, over 13,250 people in Metro New Orleans regularly depended on public transportation to get to work, 9,425 of whom lived in Orleans Parish. There are more people who depend on public transportation in New Orleans than any other parish in the state.
It would be impossible to know “Who Lives in New Orleans and Metro Parishes Now?” without a valid and complete census. Data released next year will allow us to understand just how unprecedented 2020 was.
Meanwhile, you can find the most recent Census demographic estimates in "Who Lives in New Orleans and Metro Parishes Now?" at:
Bringing you the data you need to make informed decisions,
The Data Center Team
Ellen Kujawa, Arthur Rymer, Katrina Andry, Erica Amrine, Allison Plyer, Dabne Whitemore, Jenna Losh, Don Asay, Robby Habans, Lamar Gardere, Cody Brumfield, Amy Teller, and Rachel Weinstein
