Demographics

The region’s population has experienced significant changes during the last 50 years. Population increased dramatically during the 1960s and 1970s, primarily due to the growth of the oil and gas industry. Then, in the early 1980s the region encountered a significant decline in population, attributed to the oil bust. Prior to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, in 2005, the region maintained a population of approximately 1.3 million. Katrina and Rita amplified pre-existing shifts in population: Orleans, Plaquemines and St. Bernard parishes endured dramatic population losses, whereas St. Charles, St. John and St. Tammany parishes gained residents. The current population of the region is approximately 1.2 million.

	Total Population for the Greater New Orleans Region* Parish Population – 2000 Census Population -- 2010 Census Jefferson 455,466 443,522 Orleans 484,674 348,829 Plaquemines 26,757 23,042 St. Charles 48,072 52,780 St. Bernard 67,229 35,897 St. John the Baptist 43,044 45,924 St. Tammany 191,258 233,740 Total 1,316,500 1,172,734   *The above figures show the comparison between the 2000 and 2010 official U.S. Census population figures for parishes in the New Orleans region. Prepared by the Regional Planning Commission for Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard and St. Tammany Parishes

RPC Census Maps  

To assist local government agencies, the business community, schools, community organizations and the general public in the utilization of data from the US Department of the Census, our staff has generated a Census Tracts Map Series that provides coverage of our member-parishes. Every effort has been made to produce accurate maps. However, these are not official US Census maps and as such may not be used for legal or official purposes. The maps are designed to print on 11” x17” paper.

	RPC 2000 Census Tracts Map Series Number Title File 0–1 Orleans Parish — Eastbank PDF file (955KB) 0–2 Orleans Parish — New Orleans East and Westbank (Algiers) PDF file (657KB) J–1 Jefferson Parish — Eastbank PDF file (1.5MB) J–2 Jefferson Parish — Westbank PDF file (1MB) SB–1 St. Bernard Parish PDF file (1.3MB) P–1 Plaquemines Parish — Entire Parish (with Index of maps) PDF file (4MB) P–2 Plaquemines Parish — Mid Section: Port Sulphur and Upriver PDF file (4MB) P-3 Plaquemines Parish — Lower: Empire to Venice Area PDF file (2MB) ST–1 St. Tammany Parish — Overall and Lacombe Area (inset) PDF file (1 MB) ST–2 St. Tammany Parish — Covington, Mandeville, etc. PDF file (459 Kb) ST–3 St. Tammany Parish — Slidell, Pearl River, etc. PDF file (466 Kb)

Additional information about the region’s demographic composition can be found at the U.S. Census Bureau.