Jobs, pay and daily life in New Orleans, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 09/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
New Orleans is a city in Louisiana with 371,853 residents. The median household earns $56,631 a year and the median rent is $1,251 a month, which is 26.5% of the median household income. It is part of the New Orleans-Metairie, LA metropolitan area, where BLS counts 445,550 jobs.
How New Orleans compares. Among the 80 largest places in Louisiana, New Orleans is #1 by population, #5 for remote work (#1 = most), #7 for college degrees (#1 = most), #65 for homeownership (#1 = highest). Its county, Orleans Parish, is #9 of 64 counties for average pay ($67,626).
New Orleans has 371,853 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 8.1% of the population of Louisiana. It covers 170 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,194 people per square mile. The median age is 38.8, about the same as the state median (38.8 against 38.0).
The median gross rent is $1,251 a month (rent plus utilities), 18% above the state median ($1,251 against $1,064). Over a year that is 26.5% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $315,700, which is 5.6 times the median household income ($56,631); a ratio above 5 usually means buying is out of reach without savings or a second income. 51.2% of households own their home, 24% below the state average (51.2% against 67.4%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The New Orleans-Metairie, LA metropolitan area has 445,550 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $47,290 a year, 7% below the national median ($47,290 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (51,170 jobs, median $43,390); food preparation and serving related (50,540 jobs, median $26,000); transportation and material moving (42,140 jobs, median $40,080). The area is most specialised in legal (1.9 times) and protective service (1.3 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($105,850) and architecture and engineering ($101,450). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Orleans Parish was 4.2%. 60.2% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Orleans Parish; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 62.1% drive alone, 4.5% use public transit, 5.7% walk, 14.9% work from home. 10.1% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 33% below the state average (10.1% against 15.2%). Remote work is more common than in the state as a whole, which widens the set of employers a resident can work for without moving.
42.4% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 57% above the state share (42.4% against 27.0%). 6.6% of residents were born outside the United States, 36% above the state share (6.6% against 4.9%). The poverty rate is 22.6%, 19% above the state rate (22.6% against 18.9%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 83°F (28.5°C), and the coolest is Jan at 54°F (12.0°C). About 1,532 mm (60 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Aug is the wettest month (190 mm) and Nov the driest (76 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Chalmette (8 miles, rent 11% lower); Meraux (9 miles, rent 16% lower); Terrytown (12 miles, rent 9% lower); Gretna (12 miles, rent 15% lower). Rent differences are against New Orleans; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Louisiana (776) →State guide: LouisianaCountry guideOrleans ParishLouisiana rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 776 federal postings open in Louisiana (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Louisiana →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 12,030 | 1.08 | $30,400 | $23,100 | $46,630 | -14% |
| Registered Nurses | 11,530 | 1.19 | $81,850 | $65,660 | $103,180 | -16% |
| General and Operations Managers | 10,670 | 1.06 | $105,110 | $53,040 | $240,450 | -1% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 10,110 | 0.92 | $25,470 | $22,340 | $35,030 | -18% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 10,050 | 1.54 | $16,640 | $15,080 | $42,410 | -53% |
| Cashiers | 9,320 | 1.05 | $28,370 | $20,960 | $36,030 | -14% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 9,220 | 1.09 | $36,380 | $26,410 | $47,680 | -10% |
| Food Preparation Workers | 7,250 | 2.83 | $26,200 | $18,490 | $36,210 | -26% |
| Office Clerks, General | 6,740 | 0.95 | $33,860 | $21,540 | $51,650 | -25% |
| Security Guards | 6,650 | 1.81 | $32,240 | $23,590 | $48,990 | -15% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 6,600 | 0.54 | $23,650 | $19,970 | $34,280 | -34% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 6,330 | 0.78 | $34,830 | $28,500 | $45,320 | -7% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 6,180 | 1.26 | $42,830 | $28,820 | $60,210 | -10% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 6,070 | 0.96 | $30,020 | $22,880 | $41,600 | -19% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 5,600 | 0.75 | $39,300 | $29,860 | $56,960 | -12% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 5,500 | 0.93 | $51,540 | $37,960 | $73,880 | -12% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 4,940 | 1.13 | $45,260 | $29,840 | $72,340 | -9% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 4,830 | 1.17 | $60,270 | $41,450 | $89,770 | -13% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 4,720 | 1.17 | $30,520 | $23,000 | $43,860 | -18% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 4,590 | 1.47 | $73,920 | $35,740 | $121,450 | -11% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | 1,910 | 1.95 | $326,440 | $63,950 | $420,620 | +23% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 560 | 0.89 | $165,620 | $130,740 | $208,970 | -3% |
| Industrial Production Managers | 580 | 0.82 | $147,980 | $87,010 | $217,310 | +17% |
| Financial Managers | 1,970 | 0.82 | $134,110 | $84,250 | $229,630 | -19% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 800 | 0.41 | $131,570 | $69,000 | $210,570 | -25% |
| Pharmacists | 1,470 | 1.59 | $128,100 | $86,060 | $155,240 | -9% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | 510 | 0.63 | $127,030 | $54,840 | $190,600 | +21% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 1,270 | 1.37 | $124,800 | $105,570 | $157,690 | -6% |
| Construction Managers | 800 | 0.74 | $122,050 | $72,700 | $182,390 | +6% |
| Lawyers | 4,330 | 2.00 | $121,290 | $62,530 | $290,190 | -24% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 1,810 | 1.06 | $120,700 | $75,920 | $216,550 | -3% |
| Sales Managers | 1,000 | 0.55 | $118,540 | $67,710 | $222,320 | -20% |
| Mechanical Engineers | 530 | 0.63 | $117,990 | $75,340 | $170,810 | +13% |
| Managers, All Other | 2,610 | 1.46 | $112,550 | $62,130 | $189,260 | -21% |
| Engineers, All Other | 1,050 | 2.38 | $110,970 | $64,060 | $167,700 | -10% |
| Civil Engineers | 1,070 | 1.02 | $108,240 | $70,000 | $156,760 | +7% |
| Software Developers | 940 | 0.20 | $106,950 | $77,760 | $161,260 | -21% |
| General and Operations Managers | 10,670 | 1.06 | $105,110 | $53,040 | $240,450 | -1% |
| Administrative Services Managers | 810 | 1.07 | $103,020 | $68,860 | $175,260 | -10% |
| Physical Therapists | 710 | 0.92 | $100,530 | $60,150 | $123,900 | -2% |
These figures are for the whole New Orleans-Metairie, LA metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $47,290 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.9% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 29.1% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 14.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 13.9% |
| Retail trade | 8.8% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 6.1% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.2% |
| Other services | 4.9% |
| Public administration | 4.8% |
| Construction | 4.7% |
| Manufacturing | 3.6% |
| Information | 2.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.6% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.6% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where New Orleans lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orleans Parish | 371,853 | $30,835 million | $82,924 | 188,050 | 17,204 | $67,626 | +0.3% | 4.2% | 173,429 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 36,213 | 22.6% | $35,825 | 2.12 |
| Health care and social assistance | 24,943 | 15.6% | $64,606 | 0.93 |
| Educational services | 17,598 | 11.0% | $66,816 | 4.53 |
| Professional and technical services | 14,384 | 9.0% | $108,272 | 1.10 |
| Retail trade | 13,060 | 8.2% | $37,369 | 0.70 |
| Administrative and waste services | 10,522 | 6.6% | $55,738 | 0.95 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 6,310 | 3.9% | $66,167 | 0.79 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 5,928 | 3.7% | $41,565 | 1.88 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 5,562 | 3.5% | $52,072 | 0.98 |
| Finance and insurance | 4,894 | 3.1% | $136,158 | 0.64 |
| Manufacturing | 4,530 | 2.8% | $86,831 | 0.29 |
| Construction | 3,916 | 2.4% | $83,333 | 0.40 |
| Information | 3,700 | 2.3% | $90,276 | 1.05 |
| Wholesale trade | 3,230 | 2.0% | $91,411 | 0.44 |
| Real estate and rental | 2,897 | 1.8% | $61,975 | 0.99 |
| Management of companies | 1,992 | 1.2% | $136,478 | 0.63 |
| Utilities | 253 | 0.2% | $138,607 | 0.35 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 62.1% |
| Public transit | 4.5% |
| Walk | 5.7% |
| Work from home | 14.9% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 10.1% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $56,631 |
| Income per person | $40,662 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,251 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 26.5% |
| Median home value | $315,700 |
| Homeowners | 51.2% |
| Poverty rate | 22.6% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 92.6 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $47,290 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 3.00%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 38.8 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 89.6% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 42.4% |
| Born abroad | 6.6% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 60.2% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 12.0 | 54 | 98 |
| Feb | 14.0 | 57 | 107 |
| Mar | 17.3 | 63 | 104 |
| Apr | 21.0 | 70 | 128 |
| May | 24.7 | 76 | 119 |
| Jun | 27.9 | 82 | 176 |
| Jul | 28.5 | 83 | 173 |
| Aug | 28.5 | 83 | 190 |
| Sep | 26.8 | 80 | 129 |
| Oct | 22.3 | 72 | 104 |
| Nov | 17.0 | 63 | 76 |
| Dec | 13.5 | 56 | 128 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chalmette | LA | 8 mi | 22,616 | $54,904 | $1,110 |
| Meraux | LA | 9 mi | 7,918 | $76,021 | $1,055 |
| Terrytown | LA | 12 mi | 24,726 | $51,718 | $1,135 |
| Gretna | LA | 12 mi | 17,389 | $43,110 | $1,060 |
| Timberlane | LA | 13 mi | 10,886 | $65,901 | $1,443 |
| Harvey | LA | 14 mi | 20,915 | $48,774 | $1,190 |
| Eden Isle | LA | 14 mi | 7,683 | $78,426 | $1,328 |
| Belle Chasse | LA | 14 mi | 10,934 | $115,012 | $1,485 |
| Jefferson | LA | 15 mi | 9,703 | $57,235 | $1,097 |
| Metairie | LA | 15 mi | 139,729 | $73,042 | $1,175 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
371,853 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,251 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 26.5% of the median household income.
$56,631 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.2% (BLS county, Orleans Parish (latest month 2026M09)).
Louisiana. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.