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Much of the press coverage of New Orleans cites statistics that apply only to Orleans Parish. While technically correct since the incorporated municipality of New Orleans and the Parish of Orleans are coextensive since 1870, it is highly misleading.  Using Orleans only statistics is easy and dramatic. It also totally misses the more relevant story about the lack of regional cooperation and the waste from duplicating services by numerous authorities.

The metro area contained 1.3 million people before the storm. About a third were in Orleans, a third are in east Jefferson and the rest are scattered across the Westbank, Northshore, Chalmette and a few outlying areas. Saying that only 125,000 of the 485,000 residents of New Orleans are back is misleading.  1,000,000 of the 1.3 million are back.

To say 80% of New Orleans flooded is also misleading. 80% of Orleans, St Bernard and Plaquemines east bank flooded. About a third of Metairie and Kenner flooded when the pumps were turned off. Slidell took water in some places, most of the northshore stayed dry. The westbank was dry except for isolated trouble spots. Overall less than half of the New Orleans Metro area flooded. The traditional high ground all remained dry and lots of low areas also remained dry because their levee protection held.

You have to consider Jefferson and St Bernard as integral parts of the city. You should consider much of Plaquemines population particularly Belle Chasse as part of New Orleans. St. Charles Parish (Ormond) is now a suburb. St Tammany is across the lake but through the efficacy of the Causeway and I-10 Twin spans its two big population concentrations around the bridge entrances are literally suburban extensions of the city. Even St. John Parish (Laplace) considers itself a New Orleans suburb.The federal government included most of this area in the New Orleans metropolitan statistical area in the 2000 census.

Someday parts of  Lafourche (Thibodeaux and Houma) may be considered parts of New Orleans.

Throughout this site I try to establish the proper context. Amazingly the news outlets don't. I'd like to know why. Does it improves sales to mislead?


  • Arrested Development : New Orleans stopped growing in 1870 when it became coterminus with Orleans Parish. :: Continue reading...
  • Regional Cooperation : This page is mostly blank - just like regional cooperation in the NO :: Continue reading...


  • Large Organizations New Orleans was Odd


    Created : 1/28/2006 6:46:59 PM Updated: 2/7/2007 11:04:43 AM

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