Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
New Orleans grades D− overall, ranked 159th of 161 in Louisiana, mostly because of schools. Its schools rank behind 96% of the state's. One bright spot: it is more walkable than 98% of U.S. towns. History is its standout character grade: an A+, better than 100% of U.S. towns, with 202 places on the National Register. 57% of working residents work locally in New Orleans, where Louisiana’s towns sit at 9.8% and U.S. towns at 8%. Only 1 of Louisiana’s 253 towns score lower on cost of living. Its National Register listings include George Washington Cable House and Jackson Square.
Where New Orleans beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Cabildo, The| College | Students |
|---|---|
| Tulane University of Louisiana | 11,335 |
| Delgado Community College | 6,925 |
| University of New Orleans | 5,729 |
Cabildo, The is one of 26 National Historic Landmarks here, the National Register’s top tier. Its founding year, 1718, comes before those of 98% of the Louisiana towns we grade with a known year.
The archive holds 24 old photos and papers going back to 1699 and 7 maps from 1891 on.
202 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Louisiana), ordered by how far New Orleans is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around New Orleans. Close and well known come first.
Big drawin town Stadium & arenaCaesars Superdome
Big draw14 mi LakeLake Pontchartrain
in town MuseumNational World War II Museum707K visitors a year
in town LandmarkFort Macomb
in town Stadium & arenaLakefront Arena
in town GardenCity ParkCaesars Superdome: Infrogmation of New Orleans, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Lake Pontchartrain: Mersh13, CC BY-SA 3.0 · National World War II Museum: Nolabob, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Fort Macomb: Infrogmation, CC BY 2.5 · Lakefront Arena: Spatms, CC BY-SA 4.0 · City Park: Infrogmation of New Orleans, CC BY 2.5
Who provides power, water and the rest in New Orleans, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in New Orleans.
New Orleans is healthier than towns with similar incomes, has milder winter nights than nearly all U.S. towns and is one of Louisiana’s best towns for the outdoors.
Each of its 7 graded neighbors has a higher School Grade than its D−, Meraux highest at A−.
Three of its 113 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| International School of LouisianaLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–8 | Grades K–8 | 1,074 | B |
| The Willow SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades K–12 | Grades K–12 | 2,225 | A+ |
| Benjamin Franklin High SchoolTop results in townGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,056 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within LA on state tests and graduation
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 95% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 91,224 flood insurance claims have been paid out in New Orleans.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
January nights average 43.9°, milder than in 96% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 90.4°.
New Orleans has warm winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. New Orleans’ January low is 44°F. Among 162 Louisiana towns, just 10 have a lower July high than New Orleans.
| New Orleans | Louisiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 44°F | 42°F | 22°F |
| July high | 90°F | 92°F | 85°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Against the 7,904 U.S. towns with household incomes like New Orleans’s, it is healthier than 61%, so its C+ isn’t only a matter of income. Within Louisiana it is healthier than 81% of the 161 graded towns: much of Louisiana scores lower on these measures.
New Orleans beats the Louisiana average on 9 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 4. 40% of adults feel lonely in New Orleans. Among 161 Louisiana towns, just 5 have a lower share of adults who have obesity than New Orleans.
| New Orleans | Louisiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 37% | 33% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 16% | 16% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 26% | 14% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 43% | 35% |
| What stands out | New Orleans | LA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5.8% | 7.5% |
| Fewer adults with COPD | 7.2% | 8.5% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 16% | 12.4% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its A− for the outdoors ranks #2 of 162 in Louisiana.
New Orleans’ conserved land covers 14% of the town. The biggest place to walk is Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge, 26,844 acres with 2.8 miles of trail. 83 miles of trail in 76 parks and preserves.
| New Orleans | Louisiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 14% | 1.2% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. City Park | 17.6 mi | 1,214 |
| 2. Audubon Park | 4.8 mi | 160 |
| 3. Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge | 2.8 mi | 26,844 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
23% of New Orleans residents live below the poverty line. Jobs based in New Orleans grew to 176,471 in 2023, 16,401 more than in 2013. 15% of New Orleans workers work from home.
| New Orleans | Louisiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 23% | 20% | 9.6% |
| Work from home | 15% | 5.6% | 11% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $57,000 | $56,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The typical value, about $242K, is 19% below its July 2022 peak. The median property tax bill is $2,606, against $1,180 across Louisiana, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
The typical New Orleans home is worth about $242,000, down 1.6% in a year, 13% above the Louisiana typical home. The median rent in New Orleans is $1,251 a month.
| New Orleans | Louisiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 51% | 68% | 73% |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent | 60% | 58% | 48% |
| Median rent | $1,251 a month | $989 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
New Orleans's reported crime rate is well above Louisiana's. Only 5 of the 51 Louisiana towns we compare have a higher violent crime rate than New Orleans. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts.
| New Orleans | Louisiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2023) | 13.6 per 1,000 residents | 6.2 | 1.8 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2023) | 50.9 per 1,000 residents | 29.7 | 13.1 |
FBI crime data, 2023 · crimes reported to police
14 within 15 miles of the center of New Orleans
About 9 of every 100 New Orleans residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Louisiana.
14% of the town is conserved land, across 76 parks and preserves.
202 places in New Orleans on the National Register of Historic Places.
20 notable people were born in New Orleans.
Consolidated city-parish in Louisiana, US
New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy, among other nicknames) is a consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 census, New Orleans is the most populous city in Louisiana, the second-most populous in the Deep South (after Atlanta), and the twelfth-most populous in the Southeastern United States; the New Orleans metropolitan area, with about 1 million residents, is the 59th-most populous metropolitan area in the United States. New Orleans serves as a major port and commercial hub for the broader Gulf Coast region. The city is coextensive with Orleans Parish. New Orleans is renowned for its …
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
10 towns share a border with New Orleans.
All 7 graded towns on its borders grade higher than its D−; Gretna (D−) is closest.
| Town | LA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans | #159 | D− | D | — | D− | C+ |
| Gretna | #151 | D− | C | D | B | D |
| Meraux | #37 | B− | B | — | A− | C− |
| Marrero | #123 | D | B− | — | B | D− |
| Terrytown | #133 | D | C+ | — | B | D |
| Metairie | #67 | C | C− | — | B | B− |
| Chalmette | #98 | C− | C+ | — | A− | D |
| Arabi | #86 | C | B− | — | A− | D |
New Orleans, Meraux, Marrero, Terrytown, Metairie, Chalmette and Arabi report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare New Orleans with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
New Orleans grades D− overall, better than 2% of U.S. towns and #159 of 161 in Louisiana. It grades C+ for health and D− for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a D−.
Yes. That is 3.9 years of the area's median household income ($62,655 across the New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.
20 notable people were born here, including Louis Armstrong and Truman Capote.
