Life After High School 2022

In order to contextualize the economic and educational data presented in this report, we’ll begin by presenting a demographic overview of the New Orleans’ population. Here are some key facts to keep in mind as you read the report:

The Population

• From 2020 to 2021, the population of New Orleans increased slightly, from around 389,000 to 390,096 people. However, it estimated that the city’s population decreased by approximately 2,169 people over the last five years.
• According to EMSI population data, New Orleans is more racially diverse than the U.S. as a whole. In 2021, an estimated 59% of the population in New Orleans is Black, while 31% are White non-Latino/a/x, 4% are White Latino/a/x, and 3% are Asian.
• With regards to gender, it is reported that 53% of the population in New Orleans are females, and 47% are males. (Include footnote here on gender binary)
• In 2021, 22% of the city’s population was 19 years old or under and 11% of the population was between 15 and 24. A majority of the population (55%) is between 20 and 60 years old and just 4% of the population is 80 years old or above. According to EMSI demographic data, based on the age of the population, the city has a higher rate of millennials and an average rate of people approaching retirement compared to ratios across the country.

Educational Attainment

• Educational attainment levels in New Orleans are on par with the national average and notably higher than the Louisiana state average.
  • 37% of New Orleans residents have a high school diploma or less, compared to 49% of all Louisiana and 39% of all U.S. residents, respectively. Comparatively, 43% of New Orleanians have some form of a post-secondary degree (Associate’s, Bachelor’s, or a graduate degree), while the rate is 31% for all of Louisiana, and 42% for the entire U.S.
• However, there are significant educational attainment disparities along racial lines.
  • 19% of Black New Orleanians have not earned a High School Diploma, compared to 3% of White residents.
  • A high school degree is the highest level of educational attainment for 55% of Black city residents, compared to 27% of White residents. By contrast, 70% of White New Orleanians have a college degree or greater, while only 26% of Black residents do.
  • These differences in educational attainment likely play a significant role in the economic and employment disparities between White and Black city residents.

Inbound and Outbound Migration

One way to assess New Orleans, and whether its residents are satisfied with the educational, economic, and overall lifestyle opportunities offered by the city, is by examining inbound and outbound migration of the population. A significant inbound migration would indicate the city was attracting new residents, while outbound migration would indicate it was losing them.

Migration data indicates that New Orleans had an overall negative migration rate in 2019, meaning that more residents moved out of the city than moved in. The total net migration for New Orleans in 2019 was -1,854. The largest movement occurred with residents moving to neighboring Jefferson Parish: 5,640 people left New Orleans for Jefferson Parish in 2019, while only 4,899 moved into the city from Jefferson Parish. The other parishes and counties that the greatest number of former Orleans Parish residents relocated to included St. Tammany Parish (LA), St. Bernard Parish (LA), and Harris County (TX).