Orleans Parish, Louisiana Income Statistics
Orleans Parish Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
Orleans Parish Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Orleans Parish | Louisiana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $56,737 | $60,934 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $54,455 | $53,184 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.2% | 3.7% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 11.8% | 9.7% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 10.3% | 7.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Orleans Parish is about 7% lower than in Louisiana. Income has been growing faster in Orleans Parish (5.2%/yr) than in Louisiana (3.7%/yr).
About 12% of adults in Orleans Parish earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the Louisiana average of 10%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Orleans Parish, Louisiana grew by 56.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $56,737 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.2% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Orleans Parish
| Metric | Orleans Parish | Louisiana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.583 | 0.574 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $64,534 | $65,171 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $53,138 | $47,031 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 17.7% | 27.8% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Orleans Parish, it is 0.583, higher than Louisiana's 0.574, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 21% more than women's income in Orleans Parish, Louisiana. Over a 35-year career, a 21% wage gap accumulates to roughly $398,860 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Orleans Parish, Louisiana has narrowed from about 22% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 23% in 2021, and was narrowest at 17% in 2016. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,489 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Orleans Parish | Louisiana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 7.5% | 6.2% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 14.9% | 8.1% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 20 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 13,890 people are unemployed in Orleans Parish, Louisiana.
The average commute time in Orleans Parish is 20 minutes, shorter than the 21 minutes in Louisiana.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Orleans Parish, Louisiana has fallen from 11.4% to 7.5% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 11.9% in 2013.
Orleans Parish, LA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Orleans Parish, LA is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 371,664 residents against a local median of 51,396. Orleans Parish, LA's income growth, at 5.2%/yr, runs 57% above the 3.3%/yr typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 7.5% against a local median of 6.1%, 22% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: income growth runs ahead of the neighbourhood while unemployment runs behind it, so Orleans Parish, LA is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 2.1%/yr on income growth, so Orleans Parish, LA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Orleans Parish, LA has the highest income growth of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orleans Parish, LA | 371,664 | $56,737 #6/6 | 5.2%/yr #1/6 | 7.5% #5/6 | 0.583 #6/6 |
| St. Tammany Parish, LA | 272,409 | $82,063 | 3.2%/yr | 4.7% | 0.550 |
| Jefferson Parish, LA | 430,689 | $65,514 | 3.7%/yr | 6.1% | 0.548 |
| St. Charles Parish, LA | 51,396 | $81,548 | 3.3%/yr | 6.7% | 0.534 |
| St. John the Baptist Parish, LA | 40,683 | $64,877 | 2.9%/yr | 10.8% | 0.549 |
| Hancock County, MS | 46,167 | $68,178 | 5.1%/yr | 5.0% | 0.534 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Orleans Parish, Louisiana has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it about on par with Louisiana, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Orleans Parish, Louisiana.
How Wealthy Is Orleans Parish, Louisiana?
Orleans Parish has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $56,737, about 7% lower than the Louisiana average of $60,934.
How fast is household income rising in Orleans Parish, Louisiana?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Orleans Parish, Louisiana rose 57%, from $36,150 to $56,737. Over the same years, income here outpaced Louisiana as a whole: +57% against +44%.
What was the median household income in Orleans Parish in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Orleans Parish, Louisiana was $55,369, up 8% from $51,039 in 2022. The Louisiana median that year was $60,038.
What was the median household income in Orleans Parish in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Orleans Parish, Louisiana was $43,475. By 2024 it had risen 31% to $56,737.
What is the Gini coefficient in Orleans Parish, Louisiana?
The Gini coefficient in Orleans Parish is 0.583. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Orleans Parish, Louisiana?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Orleans Parish, Louisiana has narrowed from about 22% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 23% in 2021, and was narrowest at 17% in 2016. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,489 since 2009.
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