History of New Orleans in Timeline

New Orleans, Louisiana, is a major port city situated on the Mississippi River. It is the most populous city in Louisiana and a significant economic and commercial hub for the Gulf Coast region. The 2020 census recorded a population of 383,997, making it the second-most populous city in the Deep South and the twelfth-most populous in the Southeastern United States.

July 1900: Robert Charles Riot

In July 1900, New Orleans was swept by white mobs rioting after Robert Charles, a young African American, killed a policeman and temporarily escaped. The mob killed him and an estimated 20 other blacks. Seven whites died in the days-long conflict, until a state militia suppressed it.

1900: Residential Segregation

New Orleans experienced an increase in residential segregation from 1900 to 1980.

1902: French speakers in New Orleans

In 1902, it was estimated that one-fourth of the population of New Orleans spoke French in ordinary daily intercourse, while another two-fourths could understand the language perfectly.

1909: Grand Isle Hurricane

In 1909, portions of Greater New Orleans were flooded by the Grand Isle Hurricane.

1915: New Orleans Hurricane

In 1915, portions of Greater New Orleans were flooded by the New Orleans Hurricane.

December 27, 1923: End of L'Abeille de la Nouvelle-Orléans Publication

On December 27, 1923, L'Abeille de la Nouvelle-Orléans (New Orleans Bee), the last major French language newspaper, ceased publication after 96 years.

1929: New Orleans streetcar strike

In 1929, the New Orleans streetcar strike occurred, during which serious unrest occurred. This strike is also credited with the creation of the distinctly Louisianan Po' boy sandwich.

1938: Establishment of United Cab

United Cab, the city's largest taxi service, was established in 1938 and has operated 365 days a year since then, except for the month after Hurricane Katrina.

1945: Creole women speaking French

As late as 1945, many elderly Creole women in New Orleans spoke no English.

1946: Morrison Administration Start

In 1946 DeLesseps "Chep" Morrison's administration started, during which there were some economic development successes.

1947: 1947 Fort Lauderdale Hurricane

In 1947, portions of Greater New Orleans were flooded by the 1947 Fort Lauderdale Hurricane.

1948: Streetcar Line to Desire Street Becomes Bus Line

In 1948, the streetcar line to Desire Street in New Orleans was converted into a bus line.

1950: New Orleans' Urban Standing

By 1950, Houston, Dallas, and Atlanta exceeded New Orleans in size, indicating a shift in urban leadership in the South.

1954: Home rule charter adopted

In 1954, New Orleans adopted a home rule charter, which has been amended since.

1954: Brown v. Board of Education

In 1954, the Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education

1956: Hurricane Flossy

In 1956, portions of Greater New Orleans were flooded by Hurricane Flossy.

1956: Sugar Bowl Controversy

In 1956, the Sugar Bowl at Tulane Stadium faced controversy over whether African-American fullback Bobby Grier should be allowed to play for the Pitt Panthers against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets due to his race. Georgia Tech's president rejected the request from Georgia's Governor Marvin Griffin to not engage in racially integrated events and threatened to resign. The game went on as planned.

1960: Population Decrease Begins

Beginning in 1960, the population of New Orleans decreased due to factors such as the cycles of oil production and tourism, suburbanization, and job migration.

1960: Miami Eclipses New Orleans

In 1960, Miami surpassed New Orleans in size, even as the latter's population reached its historic peak.

1960: School Desegregation Attempt

In 1960, a series of violent confrontations occurred in New Orleans when the city attempted school desegregation following the Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education (1954).

1960: Historic Population

Prior to 1960, the population of New Orleans steadily increased to a historic 627,525.

1961: Schiro Administration Start

In 1961, Victor "Vic" Schiro's administration started, during which there were some economic development successes.

1963: New Year's Eve Snowstorm

The New Year's Eve 1963 snowstorm affected New Orleans and brought 4.5 inches (11 cm) of snow.

1964: Civil Rights Act of 1964

In 1964, the federal passage of the Civil Rights Act renewed constitutional rights for blacks in New Orleans.

1965: Flood Control Act

Following the Flood Control Act of 1965, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers constructed floodwalls and man-made levees around New Orleans.

1965: Hurricane Betsy

In 1965, flooding from Hurricane Betsy killed dozens of residents in New Orleans, although the majority of the city remained dry.

1965: Voting Rights Act of 1965

In 1965, the federal passage of the Voting Rights Act renewed constitutional rights, including voting for blacks, in New Orleans.

1970: Population Decline in New Orleans

The 1970 census recorded the first absolute decline in population in New Orleans since it became part of the United States in 1803.

1972: One Shell Square

In 1972, One Shell Square became the tallest building in New Orleans, demonstrating the feasibility of skyscrapers.

1978: Super Bowl at Caesars Superdome

In 1978, the Caesars Superdome hosted the Super Bowl.

1979: Record homicide

The first record was broken in 1979 when the city reached 242 homicides.

May 31, 1980: States-Item Ceases Publication

The afternoon States-Item ceased publication on May 31, 1980.

1980: African American majority elected officials

From 1980, the African American majority in New Orleans elected primarily officials from its own community.

1980: Residential Segregation

New Orleans experienced an increase in residential segregation from 1900 to 1980.

1981: Super Bowl at Caesars Superdome

In 1981, the Caesars Superdome hosted the Super Bowl.

1984: Alliance Française cultural center

In 1984, the Alliance Française of New Orleans, a chapter of the international Alliance Française organization, was established to promote French language and culture.

1986: Start of Barthelemy Administration

In 1986, Sidney Barthelemy became the mayor of New Orleans, starting his administration which lasted until 1994.

1986: Super Bowl at Caesars Superdome

In 1986, the Caesars Superdome hosted the Super Bowl.

December 1989: December 1989 Cold Wave

During the December 1989 United States cold wave, snow fell in New Orleans.

December 22, 1989: December 1989 Snowfall

On December 22, 1989, during the December 1989 United States cold wave, most of New Orleans received 1–2 inches (2.5–5.1 cm) of snow.

December 23, 1989: Record Low Temperature

On December 23, 1989, New Orleans recorded a temperature of 11 °F (-12 °C) at the New Orleans International Airport.

1989: Douglas Wilder Elected in Virginia

In 1989, Douglas Wilder was elected in Virginia, becoming the next African American to serve as governor of a U.S. state after P.B.S. Pinchback.

1989: Record homicide

The record was broken again reaching 250 by 1989.

1990: Super Bowl at Caesars Superdome

In 1990, the Caesars Superdome hosted the Super Bowl.

1990: Predominantly Black City

Since 1990, New Orleans grew into a predominantly Black and African American city by race and ethnicity.

1991: Climate Normals

In the 1991-2020 climate normals, the USDA hardiness zone in New Orleans is 9b.

1991: Record homicide

The record was broken again reaching 345 by the end of 1991.

1993: Murder count

By 1993, New Orleans had 395 murders: 80.5 for every 100,000 residents.

1994: Start of Morial Administration

In 1994, Marc Morial became the mayor of New Orleans, starting his administration which lasted until 2002.

1994: Murder Capital of America

In 1994, New Orleans was officially named the "Murder Capital of America", hitting a historic peak of 424 murders.

May 8, 1995: Rain-Induced Flood

The rain-induced flood of May 8, 1995, demonstrated the weakness of the pumping system in New Orleans.

1996: Unpaid judgements date

More than $36 million in over 500 unpaid judgments issued against the city are simply ignored, some going as far back as 1996.

1997: Super Bowl at Caesars Superdome

In 1997, the Caesars Superdome hosted the Super Bowl.

1998: Hurricane Georges

In 1998, portions of Greater New Orleans were flooded by Hurricane Georges.

1999: Murder rate drops

In 1999, the city's murder rate dropped down to a low of 158 .

2000: Highest homicide rate

Between 2000 and 2004, New Orleans had the highest homicide rate per capita of any city in the U.S.

2000: The Real World: New Orleans

In 2000, The Real World: New Orleans was filmed, contributing to growth in the television industry spurred by Louisiana's film and television tax credits.

Loading Video...

2000: Pre-Katrina Population

In 2000, before Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans had a significantly higher population than it would have in the years following the disaster.

2000: Population Compared to 2020

The 2020 census revealed the city now has a more diverse population than it did before Katrina, yet 21% fewer people than it had in 2000.

2002: Louisiana film and television tax incentives begin

In 2002, Louisiana began offering tax incentives for film and television production, leading to a substantial increase in activity and the nickname "Hollywood South" for New Orleans.

2002: End of Morial Administration

In 2002, Marc Morial's administration as mayor of New Orleans came to an end.

2002: Super Bowl at Caesars Superdome

In 2002, the Caesars Superdome hosted the Super Bowl.

2003: Winter Season

The 2003-04 winter season passed with no freezing temperatures at all.

2004: Highest homicide rate

Between 2000 and 2004, New Orleans had the highest homicide rate per capita of any city in the U.S.

2004: New Orleans visitors

In 2004, 10.1 million visitors came to New Orleans.

2004: Christmas Eve Snowstorm

In 2004, New Orleans experienced a small amount of snow during the Christmas Eve Snowstorm.

2004: Hospitality industry employment

In 2004, the hospitality industry employed 85,000 people, making it the city's top economic sector as measured by employment.

2004: Pre-Katrina School Metric

Prior to Hurricane Katrina, in 2004, the New Orleans school district posted a performance score of 56.9.

July 1, 2005: Population Estimate

The last population estimate before Hurricane Katrina, as of July 1, 2005, was 454,865.

July 2005: Pre-Katrina Households

In July 2005, before Hurricane Katrina, about 198,000 households received mail.

August 2005: Hurricane Katrina Impacts Sunset Limited Route

Up until August 2005, when Hurricane Katrina struck, the Sunset Limited's route continued east to Orlando.

August 29, 2005: Hurricane Katrina and Levee Failure

On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall, causing the federal levee system in New Orleans to fail, resulting in the flooding of 80% of the city. More than 1,500 people died in Louisiana, most in New Orleans, and many others remain unaccounted for.

September 2005: Hurricane Rita Postpones Repopulation

In September 2005, the approach of Hurricane Rita caused repopulation efforts in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina to be postponed, and the Lower Ninth Ward was reflooded by Rita's storm surge.

2005: Hurricane Katrina Devastates Transit Service

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated transit service in New Orleans.

2005: Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

In 2005, portions of Greater New Orleans were flooded by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, with Katrina causing disastrous flooding for the majority of the city.

2005: Poverty Rate

In 2005, the poverty rate in New Orleans was almost twice the national average, at 24.5%.

July 2006: Population Increase Since July 2006

A population analysis released in August 2007 estimated the population of New Orleans to be 273,000, an increase of about 50,000 since July 2006.

July 2006: Population Estimate

In July 2006, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the population of New Orleans to be 223,000 following Hurricane Katrina.

November 7, 2006: Constitutional amendment consolidation of assessors

A constitutional amendment passed on November 7, 2006, consolidated the seven assessors into one in 2010.

2006: Immigrant Study

A 2006 study determined that as many as 10,000 to 14,000 undocumented immigrants resided in New Orleans.

2006: Office of Inspector General established

An ordinance in 2006 established an Office of Inspector General to review city government activities.

2006: Return of College Bowl Games

College bowl games returned to New Orleans for the 2006-2007 season, signifying a return of major tourist events and revenue for the city.

2006: Amendment for Coastal Restoration

In 2006, Louisiana voters adopted an amendment to dedicate all revenues from off-shore drilling to restore Louisiana's eroding coast line.

2006: Record Homicides

In 2006, New Orleans faced a surge in homicides due to the widespread disruption and displacement caused by Hurricane Katrina. Nearly half the population was gone, and the city was ranked as the most dangerous in the country.

2006: Geology Study on Subsidence

In 2006, a study published in Geology by an associate professor at Tulane University addressed the magnitude of subsidence caused by draining natural marsh in the New Orleans area.

2006: Louisiana Film & Television studio complex work begins

In 2006, work began on the Louisiana Film & Television studio complex, based in the Tremé neighborhood.

January 2007: Residents Demand Action on Crime

In January 2007, thousands of New Orleans residents marched to City Hall to demand that police and city leaders address the city's crime problem. Then-Mayor Ray Nagin stated he was focused on the issue.

March 2007: Population Increase

In March 2007, a study estimated that an additional 32,000 residents had moved to New Orleans, bringing the estimated population to 255,000.

May 2007: Hotel and motel availability decline

In May 2007, the number of hotels and motels operating in the Greater New Orleans Area had declined to about 140 with over 31,000 rooms.

June 2007: Hispanic and Latino American population growth

In June 2007, a study indicated that the Hispanic and Latino American population in New Orleans had increased from 15,000 before Hurricane Katrina to over 50,000.

June 2007: Mail Delivery Population Estimate

In June 2007, the Greater New Orleans Community Data Center estimated, based on mail delivery records, that New Orleans had regained approximately two-thirds of its pre-Katrina population.

July 2007: Utility Usage Population Estimate

Based on utility usage, it was estimated in July 2007 that the population of New Orleans was approximately 274,000, representing about 60% of the pre-Katrina population.

August 2007: Population Analysis

A population analysis released in August 2007 estimated the population of New Orleans to be 273,000, 60% of the pre-Katrina population.

September 2007: Household Report

A September 2007 report by The Greater New Orleans Community Data Center found that in August 2007, just over 137,000 households received mail.

2007: Tulane and Xavier University Study on Elevation

A 2007 study by Tulane and Xavier University suggested that "51%... of the contiguous urbanized portions of Orleans, Jefferson, and St. Bernard parishes lie at or above sea level."

2007: Louisiana music and theater tax incentives begin

In 2007, Louisiana began to offer similar tax incentives for music and theater productions, with some commentators referring to New Orleans as "Broadway South".

2007: Creation of New Festival

In 2007, a new annual festival, "The Running of the Bulls New Orleans", was created, adding to the city's cultural events.

2007: Hornets Return

The New Orleans Hornets (now named the Pelicans) returned to the city for the 2007–2008 season.

January 2008: Brazilian population estimate

In January 2008, the Brazilian population in New Orleans was estimated to be around 3,000 people, who had migrated from Brazilian communities in the northeastern United States, Florida, and Georgia.

October 2008: First World Cultural Economic Forum

The first World Cultural Economic Forum (WCEF) took place in October 2008 at the New Orleans Morial Convention Center.

2008: NBA All-Star Game

In 2008, New Orleans hosted the NBA All-Star Game, contributing to the city's recovery and return as a venue for major sporting events.

2008: Hurricane Gustav

In 2008, portions of Greater New Orleans were flooded by Hurricane Gustav.

2008: Revised Population Estimate

In 2008, the U.S. Census Bureau revised its population estimate for New Orleans upward to 336,644.

June 24, 2009: Audubon Park Temperature

On June 24, 2009, Audubon Park recorded a temperature of 104 °F (40 °C).

October 2009: Assessment Demonstrates Academic Growth

An assessment in October 2009 demonstrated continued growth in the academic performance of public schools in New Orleans. The overall school district performance score was 70.6, a 24% improvement over the pre-Katrina (2004) metric.

2009: Decrease in Violent Crime

In 2009, New Orleans saw a 17% decrease in violent crime, a trend observed in other cities. However, the homicide rate remained among the highest in the United States.

2009: Saints win Super Bowl XLIV

In 2009, New Orleans' professional sports teams included the Super Bowl XLIV champion New Orleans Saints (NFL).

2009: The Real World: Back to New Orleans

In 2009, The Real World: Back to New Orleans was filmed.

Loading Video...

2009: Tulane University Bicycle Traffic

In 2009, Tulane University converted McAlister Place into a pedestrian mall open to bicycle traffic.

2009: Travel + Leisure ranking

In 2009, a Travel + Leisure poll ranked New Orleans first in ten categories, including best U.S. city as a spring break destination and for "wild weekends", stylish boutique hotels, cocktail hours, singles/bar scenes, live music/concerts and bands, antique and vintage shops, cafés/coffee bars, neighborhood restaurants, and people watching.

2010: Language Spoken at Home

As of 2010, 90.3% of New Orleans residents age five and older spoke English at home as a primary language.

2010: Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation

As of 2010, New Orleans ranked eighth among U.S. cities in its rate of bicycle and pedestrian transportation, and sixth in terms of the percentage of bicycling commuters.

2010: Merger of civil and criminal sheriff's offices

Before 2010, New Orleans had separate criminal and civil sheriff's offices, corresponding to separate criminal and civil courts: these were merged in 2010 by Louisiana Revised Statute 33:1500.

2010: Vietnamese American community becomes largest

By 2010, the Vietnamese American community became the largest Asian American community in New Orleans, as many Vietnamese fled the aftermath of the Vietnam War in the 1970s.

2010: U.S. Census

From the 2010 U.S. census, the city began a growth trend.

2010: The Real World: Back to New Orleans in 2010

In 2010, The Real World: Back to New Orleans was filmed.

Loading Video...

2010: Consolidation of seven tax assessors

In 2010, a constitutional amendment consolidated the seven assessors into one office.

2010: Revised Population Estimate

In 2010, the U.S. Census Bureau revised upward its 2008 population estimate for New Orleans to 336,644 inhabitants.

2010: Homicide Rate Drops

In 2010, the homicide rate in New Orleans dropped to 49.1 per 100,000 residents.

2010: Racial and Ethnic Makeup

In 2010, the racial and ethnic makeup of New Orleans was 60.2% Black and African American and 33.0% White.

2011: Bad Girls Club: New Orleans

In 2011, Bad Girls Club: New Orleans was filmed.

Loading Video...

2011: Arrested offender demographics

In 2011, arrested offenders in New Orleans were almost exclusively black males from lower income neighborhoods.

2011: Murder Rate Climbs

In 2011, the murder rate in New Orleans climbed by 14% to 57.88 per 100,000, making it No. 21 in the world.

September 2012: The Advocate Begins New Orleans Edition

In September 2012, The Advocate, a Baton Rouge newspaper, began publishing a New Orleans edition.

2012: Homicide Rate Increase

In 2012, New Orleans experienced an increase in its homicide rate, reaching 53.2 per 100,000, which was the highest among cities with a population of 250,000 or more.

2012: Hurricane Isaac

In 2012, portions of Greater New Orleans were flooded by Hurricane Isaac.

2012: Winter Season

The 2012-13 winter season passed with no freezing temperatures at all.

June 2013: Times-Picayune Resumes Daily Printing

In June 2013, the Times-Picayune resumed daily printing with a condensed newsstand tabloid edition, nicknamed TP Street, published on the days its broadsheet edition was not printed.

2013: Transit Service Recovery

By the end of 2013, bus service had only been restored to 35% of pre-Katrina levels in New Orleans. During the same period, streetcars arrived at an average of once every seventeen minutes, compared to bus frequencies of once every thirty-eight minutes.

2013: Murder Capital years

From 1994 to 2013, New Orleans was the country's "Murder Capital", annually averaging over 200 murders.

2013: Commuting by Walking or Bicycling

In 2013, 5% of working people from New Orleans commuted by walking and 2.8% commuted by cycling. New Orleans ranked thirteenth for percentage of workers who commuted by walking or biking among cities not included within the fifty most populous cities.

2013: Super Bowl at Caesars Superdome

In 2013, the Caesars Superdome hosted the Super Bowl.

2014: All Public Schools Become Charter Schools

At the start of the 2014 school year, all public school students in the New Orleans Public Schools (NOPS) system attended independent public charter schools, making it the nation's first system to do so.

2014: Census Estimates

From the 2010 U.S. census to 2014 census estimates the city grew by 12%, adding an average of more than 10,000 new residents each year following the official decennial census.

July 2015: Population Rebound

By July 2015, the population of New Orleans had rebounded to 386,617, which was 80% of the population in 2000.

2015: Households Without a Car

In 2015, 18.8% of New Orleans households were without a car.

2015: LGBT population in New Orleans

In 2015, a Gallup survey identified New Orleans as one of the largest cities in the American South with a significant LGBT population.

2015: Winter Season

The 2015-16 winter season passed with no freezing temperatures at all.

2015: Lafitte Greenway Opens

The Lafitte Greenway bicycle and pedestrian trail opened in 2015, planned to extend from the French Quarter to Lakeview.

January 2016: Sucré Partnership with United Cab

In January 2016, New Orleans-based sweet shop Sucré partnered with United Cab to deliver its king cakes locally on-demand as a way to alleviate financial pressure on taxi services due to Uber's presence.

February 28, 2016: Police Policy Change

The New Orleans Police Department began a new policy to "no longer cooperate with federal immigration enforcement" beginning on February 28, 2016.

May 2016: NASA Study on Subsidence

In May 2016, NASA published a study indicating that most areas of New Orleans were experiencing subsidence at a variable rate.

2016: ASCE Journal Study on Elevation

A study published by the ASCE Journal of Hydrologic Engineering in 2016 regarding the elevation of the city.

2016: American Community Survey Results

According to the 2016 American Community Survey, 67.4% of working city of New Orleans residents commuted by driving alone, 9.7% carpooled, 7.3% used public transportation, and 4.9% walked.

2016: Households Without a Car Increased

In 2016, 20.2% of New Orleans households were without a car. The national average was 8.7 percent in 2016.

2016: Jobs Accessible by Transit

In 2016, 83,722 jobs were accessible by a thirty-minute walk or transit ride in New Orleans.

2016: 176 Murders

In 2016, annual crime statistics released by the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) indicated that 176 murders occurred in the city.

2016: Catholic population percentage

Since 2016, within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans, which includes the city and surrounding parishes, 40% of the population was Roman Catholic.

2017: Ferry Service in New Orleans

As of 2017, New Orleans had continuous ferry service since 1827, operating three routes: the Canal Street Ferry (or Algiers Ferry), the Canal Street/Gretna Ferry, and a ferry connecting Chalmette and Lower Algiers.

2017: Orleans Parish Population

As of 2017, Orleans Parish is the third most populous parish in Louisiana, behind East Baton Rouge Parish and neighboring Jefferson Parish.

2017: Major League Rugby inaugural season

In 2017, Major League Rugby had its inaugural season, with NOLA Gold as one of the first teams in the league.

2017: Highest Rate of Gun Violence

In 2017, New Orleans had the highest rate of gun violence, surpassing Chicago and Detroit.

2017: Transit Authority Expansion

In 2017, the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority began operation on the extension of the Rampart–St. Claude streetcar line. Also, the 15 Freret and 28 Martin Luther King bus routes were re-routed to Canal Street.

2017: Transit Service Restoration

Through the end of 2017, counting both streetcar and bus trips, only 51% of transit service had been restored to pre-Katrina levels in New Orleans.

January 17, 2018: Last Time Temperature Reached 20°F

January 17, 2018 was the last time the temperature in New Orleans reached 20°F (-7°C).

2018: Armstrong International Airport Traffic

As of 2018, more than 13 million passengers passed through Armstrong International Airport, with nonstop flights from more than 57 destinations.

2018: LaToya Cantrell assumes mayor's office

LaToya Cantrell assumed the mayor's office in 2018, becoming the first female mayor of the city.

2018: Louisiana joins Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie

Since Louisiana became the first U.S. state to join the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie in 2018, New Orleans has reemerged as an important center for the state's francophone and creolophone cultures and languages.

2019: Muslim percentage

According to Sperling's BestPlaces, Muslims constituted 0.6% of the religious population as of 2019.

2019: Murders Increase from 2019

In 2020 murders increased 68% from 2019 with a total of 202 murders.

2019: Winter Season

The consecutive winters of 2018-19 and 2019-20 passed with no freezing temperatures at all.

2020: U.S. Census

According to the 2020 United States census, there were 383,997 people, 151,753 households, and 69,370 families residing in the city.

2020: Protestant Christian demographic data

According to the Association of Religion Data Archives in 2020, the largest non-Catholic Christian bodies in New Orleans proper were the Southern Baptist Convention, the National Missionary Baptist Convention of America, non-denominationals, the National Baptist Convention, the United Methodist Church, the Episcopal Church, the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the National Baptist Convention of America, and the Church of God in Christ.

2020: African-American Majority

As of 2020, New Orleans is one of six parishes in Louisiana that have an African-American majority.

2020: Greater New Orleans Metropolitan Area Population

In 2020, the Greater New Orleans metropolitan area had a population of 1,271,845, making it the most populous metropolitan statistical area (MSA) in Louisiana and the 46th most populous MSA in the United States.

2020: Population of New Orleans

In 2020, the U.S. census recorded the population of New Orleans at 383,997, making it the most populous city in Louisiana and the French Louisiana region, the second-most populous city in the Deep South, and the twelfth-most populous city in the Southeastern United States.

2020: Racial and Ethnic Makeup

In 2020, the racial and ethnic makeup of New Orleans was 53.61% Black or African American, 31.61% non-Hispanic white, and 8.08% Hispanic and Latino American.

2020: Muslim population estimate

The Association of Religion Data Archives estimated that there were 6,150 Muslims in New Orleans proper in 2020.

August 29, 2021: Hurricane Ida Landfall

On August 29, 2021, the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Ida, a category 4 hurricane, made landfall near Port Fourchon and caused damage during the Hurricane Ida tornado outbreak.

2021: Hurricane Ida

In 2021, portions of Greater New Orleans were flooded by Hurricane Ida.

2022: High homicide rate

In 2022, New Orleans experienced 280 murders, resulting in the highest per capita homicide rate in the United States.

2022: Homicide Rate Skyrockets

In 2022, New Orleans' homicide rate skyrocketed, leading every major city, leading to the city being declared as the "Murder Capital of America". The city homicide count increased to 280, a 26-year high.

2022: Attempt to bring professional soccer

In 2022, a consortium started an attempt to bring professional soccer to New Orleans.

August 27, 2023: Record High Temperature

On August 27, 2023, New Orleans recorded a temperature of 105 °F (41 °C) at the New Orleans International Airport.

August 28, 2023: Audubon Park Temperature

On August 28, 2023, Audubon Park recorded a temperature of 104 °F (40 °C).

2024: Susan Hutson is the sheriff

As of 2024 the sheriff is Susan Hutson, who defeated 17-year incumbent Marlin Gusman in the 2021 New Orleans City Election.

January 1, 2025: Truck Attack in New Orleans

On January 1, 2025, a truck attack occurred in New Orleans, killing 15 people and injuring 35, carried out as an act of domestic terrorism by Shamsud-Din Jabbar.

January 21, 2025: Significant Snowfall

On January 21, 2025, New Orleans received 8–10 inches (20–25 cm) of snow.

2025: Potential placement of soccer teams

In 2022, a consortium started an attempt to bring professional soccer to New Orleans, hoping to place teams in the male USL Championship and women's USL Super League by 2025.