Which Metro Areas Send the Most New Residents to New Orleans?
by Michael Lathrop
November 15, 2016
When you think of New Orleans, what comes to mind? A parade? Voodoo? Cajun food? For many others, when they think of New Orleans what comes to mind is the horrors of Hurricane Katrina. August 29, 2005. The day that the music stopped. The parades came to a halt. Restaurants, homes, and lives forever destroyed.
Photo: Gilbert Mercier
It has taken over a decade, but finally New Orleans has 94% of its population back to where it was pre-Katrina. As the proud and loud Big Easy has worked hard to rebuild its infrastructure, jobs, and spirit, the liveliness is back once again on Bourbon Street.
Perhaps the biggest contributing factor? Millennials. The Crescent City boasts numerous schools of higher learning to choose from such as Tulane, Loyola, Xavier, and the University of Louisiana. With living costs being much cheaper than cities like New York and LA, students are splitting cheap rental houses rather than splurging their savings on one-bedroom apartments.
Photo: Ryan Dickey
New Orleans has also gained the moniker of “Silicon Bayou.” NOLA become an emerging juggernaut in the tech world. With generous tax credits, companies like GE Capital have moved to New Orleans to develop their apps and other software. 3D upstarts such as Kickboard have begun developing 3D models to help teach students in classrooms.
What else is attracting this younger demographic? The entertainment industry. Not only is jazz back out in full force on the streets of New Orleans, but The Big Easy has become a major hub of television and movie production. Popular shows like True Detective, movies such as The Expendables 2, Jurassic World, and numerous others have all been filmed in New Orleans.
When you combine tech, music, and entertainment, the people will come. And New Orleans has opened up Bourbon Street to its newest residents. Let’s check out the top 15 metro areas from which residents are moving to New Orleans, as according to the US Census Bureau.
1. Baton Rouge, LA
Photo: Bluepoint951
Average number of people who relocated to New Orleans per year: 4,759
2. Houston, TX
Photo: Horacio Maria
Average number of people who relocated to New Orleans per year: 3,464
3. Lafayette, LA
Photo: Solo J
Average number of people who relocated to New Orleans per year: 1,597
4. Atlanta, GA
Photo: Mike Boening Photography
Average number of people who relocated to New Orleans per year: 1,587
Houma-Thibodaux, LA
Photo: Maciek Lulko
Average number of people who relocated to New Orleans per year: 1,011
6. New York, NY
Photo: Livability.com
Average number of people who relocated to New Orleans per year: 1,010
7. Dallas, TX
Photo: Daxis
Average number of people who relocated to New Orleans per year: 1,009
8. Washington, DC
Photo: Tony Brooks
Average number of people who relocated to New Orleans per year: 977
9. Hammond, LA
Photo: Shugo Nozaki
Average number of people who relocated to New Orleans per year: 966
10. San Antonio, TX
Photo: Ta'Von M. Jackson
Average number of people who relocated to New Orleans per year: 926
11. Shreveport, LA
Photo: Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau
Average number of people who relocated to New Orleans per year: 834
12. Chicago, IL
Photo: Christopher
Average number of people who relocated to New Orleans per year: 782
13. Monroe, LA
Photo: Finchlake2000
Average number of people who relocated to New Orleans per year: 552
14. Los Angeles, CA
Photo: Aydin Palabiyikoglu
Average number of people who relocated to New Orleans per year: 542
15. Philadelphia, PA
Photo: Tony Brooks
Average number of people who relocated to New Orleans per year: 517
Top Photo: Antrell Williams
Related Posts
4 Lawn Care Tips for NOLA Residents
The Top 5 Hardscape Designs in New Orleans, LA
5 Easy Fall Lawn Care Tips for NOLA Homeowners
LawnStarter is New Orleans' most convenient lawn care service
Easy 5 minute booking
New Orleans' top-rated lawn pros
Online account management