Living in New Orleans, LA

Safety is something you'll want to plan around in New Orleans. The violent crime index is 168, well above the national average of 100, and property crime sits at 165. This doesn't mean every part of the city is risky — many neighborhoods have strong community watch programs and low incident rates. But you absolutely need to research specific areas, invest in good locks and security, and be deliberate about where you choose to live. Source: FBI Uniform Crime Report.

Most households manage fine. Median rent in New Orleans is $1,211/month, and the typical household pulls in $55,339/year — a 26.3% rent-to-income ratio. That's under the 30% threshold where housing costs start to pinch, though not by a huge margin. If you're a single earner or have significant debt payments, run your own numbers carefully. For dual-income households, the math works out comfortably. Census ACS 2023.

The average worker in New Orleans spends about 20 minutes getting to the office. Driving solo is the default (63.2%), with 13.7% working remotely and 4.5% on public transit. It's a fairly typical commute — not a selling point, not a dealbreaker.

New Orleans faces a moderate level of climate risk — score of 48/100. The top threats are Flood, Hurricane, and Heat Wave. None of these hit every year, but they're real possibilities that affect insurance rates and emergency planning. Make sure your policy covers the relevant perils, keep a basic emergency kit, and know your evacuation routes if you're in a flood-prone area. FEMA and NOAA data.

The numbers suggest some caution. New Orleans's graduation rate is 74.0% with a 15:1 student-teacher ratio — both below where most parents would feel comfortable. That said, there are standout public schools, active magnet programs, and charter options that families swear by. If education is a priority, you'll want to target specific schools and be willing to live in their attendance zones. Don't write off the whole city based on averages.

About what you'd expect anywhere. The average monthly utility bill in New Orleans runs around $228 for electricity, gas, water, and sewer combined. The national average is $230, so you're right in line. Your actual bill depends on home size, insulation quality, and how much you run the AC or heater — but no surprises here.

Good, overall. The median AQI sits at 44, which falls within the EPA's "Good" category, and New Orleans logs 260 clean-air days annually. PM2.5 is the main pollutant. Occasional spikes happen — wildfire smoke, temperature inversions, or high-ozone days — but they're the exception, not the rule. Check AirNow.gov during allergy season or summer heat waves.

Higher than average, yes. The total effective tax rate lands around 14.0% when you add up income, property, and sales taxes. Sales tax is 9.4%. High-tax areas often come with better public schools, infrastructure, and services — but that's not guaranteed, and it's cold comfort on payday. If you're moving from a low-tax state like Texas or Florida, brace for a noticeable dip in take-home pay.

The data gives reason for caution. New Orleans's water system scores just 52/100, with 1 health-based violation and a "high" lead risk rating. That doesn't necessarily mean it's dangerous to drink right now — utilities must meet EPA minimums — but the track record suggests a good water filter isn't optional here. Check the EWG Tap Water Database for specific contaminants and make your own call.

Everything on this page is built from public government sources: rent and income figures from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023); commute and transportation data from Census ACS tables B08303 and B08006; crime rates from the FBI Uniform Crime Report; climate risk assessments using FEMA disaster declarations and NOAA storm records; air quality measurements from the EPA's Air Quality System database; water quality compliance data from EPA records and the EWG Tap Water Database; school data from the National Center for Education Statistics; utility cost estimates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. We refresh each dataset monthly through an automated pipeline and cross-check for anomalies. No surveys, no user-submitted guesses — just official federal data presented in a way that's actually useful for people researching a move.