Dear friends and colleagues,
The headlines about the 2020 Census declared that Hispanic, Asian, and Black populations of American are growing fast while the White population of America is dramatically shrinking. The first part is true. The second not so much.
What really happened is the 2020 Census form made it easier for everyone to document their full racial/ethnic heritage, and a historic number of people who previously only checked “White” on the census, this time, also checked another race.
We analyzed 2020 Census data to highlight shifts in total population by parish since 1980 and growing diversity across the metro since 2010. Notable findings include:
- In metro New Orleans, the number of people identifying themselves as multiracial more than doubled in every single parish.
- The largest growth was in the Hispanic population which grew by a whopping 54,761 people metrowide.
- Orleans gained 40,168 residents, St. Tammany added 30,830 residents, and Jefferson gained only 8,229 residents this past decade.
- Among parishes that grew, all experienced growth in Hispanic, Black, Asian, and multiracial populations.
To learn more about what the 2020 Census reveals, check out “Population shifts across metro New Orleans” at:
Bringing you the data you need to make informed decisions,
The Data Center Team
Thomas Wilson, Dabne Whitemore, Jenna Losh, Don Asay, Robby Habans, Lamar Gardere, Cody Brumfield, Katrina Andry, and Allison Plyer
