Demographic Profiles of New Orleans & the Metro Area
Allison Plyer and Joy Bonaguro, Greater New Orleans Community Data Center
Revised: May 21, 2009
Go to Slide Show
ShareAnalysis of Demographic Changes
In January 2009, the Census Bureau announced it was revising upward the 2007 population estimates for Orleans, Jefferson and St. Bernard parishes. These revisions allow for new analyses of the 2007 population of the metro area and parishes within it. The total population of the New Orleans metro area in 2007 was 1,109,784—down 206,726 from the Census 2000 count of the area (See Table 1 below). Most of this change is accounted for by Orleans Parish, which, according to the Census Bureau's revised 2007 estimate, had 196,561 fewer people than in 2000. The population increases in St. Tammany (35,357), St John (4,640) and St. Charles (3,972) were roughly offset by population losses in St Bernard (-33,790), Plaquemines (-5,217) and Jefferson (-15,127) parishes.
Figure 1: Change in total population, 2000-2007
Source: GNOCDC analysis of US Census Bureau data from Census 2000 and Population Estimates 2007.
*The 2007 total population estimate was revised for these areas.
According to the Census Bureau's 2007 population estimates, the proportion of the New Orleans population that is African American fell from 66.7 percent in 2000 to 60.2 percent in 2007. The proportion of the city's population that is Asian increased from 2.3 percent in 2000 to 3.0 percent in 2007 and the proportion that is Hispanic (of any race) increased from 3.1 percent to 4.5 percent. Meanwhile, Hispanic, Asian, and African American populations increased as a share of Jefferson and St. Tammany's total populations when comparing 2007 estimates to Census 2000 counts (see Table 1 below).
Figure 2: Population by race/ ethnicity, 2000-2007
Source: GNOCDC analysis of US Census Bureau data from Census 2000 and Population Estimates 2007.
Statistical analyses of the Census Bureau's American Community Survey 2007 demographic profile for the New Orleans metro area as compared with Census 2000 data indicate that the region is less poor, with fewer adults lacking a high school diploma, fewer households with children, fewer households lacking vehicles, a larger share of the population that is foreign-born, and a higher homeownership rate (See Table 2 below).
American Community Survey 2007 data for Orleans, Jefferson and St. Tammany parishes allow us to identify parishes where these changes are significant (see Table 2 for complete statistics by Parish and MSA). Not surprisingly, metro area trends were driven by large changes in Orleans Parish, where, for example, the poverty rate fell from 27.9 percent in 2000 to 20.6 percent in 2007. Across the metro area, the poverty rate fell from 18.3 to 14.8 percent from 2000 to 2007, reflecting the net outmigration of individuals with fewer resources.
Figure 3: Percent of population below poverty, 2000-2007
***Difference significant at 99% confidence interval
Source: GNOCDC analysis of US Census Bureau data from Census 2000 and American Community Survey 2007.
The proportion of adults 18 years and older who have less than a high school diploma fell from 23.0 percent to 17.8 across the metro area from 2000 to 2007. This drop was most dramatic in New Orleans where the percentage of adults lacking a high school diploma fell from 25.4 to 18.9 from 2000 to 2007.
Figure 4: Percent of population 18 years and older receiving less than a high school degree, 2000-2007
***Difference significant at 99% confidence interval
Source: GNOCDC analysis of US Census Bureau data from Census 2000 and American Community Survey 2007
In 2007, families with children represented a significantly smaller proportion of all households across the metro area compared with 2000—reflecting the reluctant return or in-movement of households with children. Families with children under 18 represented only 27.9 percent of all households in the metro in 2007, down from 33.5 percent in 2000. This decline was most acute in Orleans Parish where families with children fell from 30.1 percent to 20.4 percent of all households and in Jefferson Parish where families with children fell from 32.5 percent to 26.4 percent.
Figure 5: Percent of households with own children under 18, 2000-2007
***Difference significant at 99% confidence interval
Source: GNOCDC analysis of US Census Bureau data from Census 2000 and American Community Survey 2007.
The foreign-born population of the metro area grew from 4.9 percent of the total population in 2000 to 7.1 percent in 2007. In Jefferson Parish, the foreign-born population is now 10.1 percent of the total population up from 7.5 in 2000. Increases in this population were most pronounced in Orleans where the foreign-born population grew from 4.2 to 7.4 percent of the total.
Figure 6: Percent of population that was born in another country, 2000-2007
***Difference significant at 99% confidence interval
Source: GNOCDC analysis of US Census Bureau data from Census 2000 and American Community Survey 2007.
The share of households in the metro area with no vehicle decreased from 15.4 percent in 2000 to 8.3 percent in 2007. In New Orleans the drop in households with no vehicle was most pronounced from 27.3 percent to 18.3 percent.
Figure 7: Percent of households without access to a vehicle, 2000-2007
***Difference significant at 99% confidence interval
Source: GNOCDC analysis of US Census Bureau data from Census 2000 and American Community Survey 2007.
Table 1: Population and Race-Ethnicity: Census 2000 SF1 and 2007 Population Estimates
Table 2: Select Characteristics: Census 2000 SF3 and 2007 ACS
Synthetic Estimates
Using the revised population estimates approved by the Census during the "challenge" process, we created synthetic estimates for Jefferson, Orleans, and St. Bernard parishes. These estimates can be useful for planning and grant writing purposes. However, these estimates should not be used for scientific research purposes. Researchers should use either the Census Bureau's published American Community Survey and Population Estimates Program data or contact the Census Bureau for access to raw data to be reweighted for valid scientific calculations. All synthetic estimates are indicated with the column heading "Revised estimate".
We also included data for Plaquemines, St. Charles, St. John the Baptist, and St. Tammany. The data in these parishes has not been revised.
GNOCDC.org is a product of Nonprofit Knowledge Works.