Orleans Parish, Louisiana Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Orleans Parish is located in Louisiana with a total population of 371,853. It is the 3rd most populous county out of 64 in Louisiana. The county encompasses 1 Census-designated place.

Age Demographics

The median age in Orleans Parish is 38.8 years. This is 2% higher than the state median of 38.0 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Orleans Parish is $56,631. This is 7% lower than the state median of $60,756. It is also 30% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 22.6%. This is 19% higher than the state poverty rate of 18.9%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 7.5%. This is 20% higher than the state rate of 6.3%. The median home value is $315,700. Housing costs are 46% higher than the state median of $216,500. The home-value-to-income ratio is 5.6x. 51.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 24% lower than the state average of 67.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Orleans Parish is Black or African American, making up 53.9% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 30.1%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (53.9% vs 30.5%). The Asian population is significantly higher than the state average (2.8% vs 1.7%).

Education

42.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Orleans Parish in the top 10% of all counties in the state for educational attainment. This is 57% higher than the state rate of 27.0%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 89.6%. Notably, 19.7% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Orleans Parish come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Louisiana and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.