New Orleans Generates 26.9% of Louisiana GDP as Landry Downplays City’s Role
Updated
Updated · NOLA.com · Jul 17
New Orleans Generates 26.9% of Louisiana GDP as Landry Downplays City’s Role
2 articles · Updated · NOLA.com · Jul 17
Summary
New Orleans and six surrounding parishes produced 26.9% of Louisiana’s 2024 GDP, the biggest share in the state, according to an analysis of federal data cited against Gov. Jeff Landry’s remarks.
The region also remains Louisiana’s largest labor market, with 472,000 non-farm jobs in May 2026 out of roughly 2 million statewide, and delivered about $800 million in state sales tax in fiscal 2025.
Those figures surfaced after Mayor Helena Moreno pushed back on Landry’s comments during a dispute over state approval for a bond sale to address a fiscal crisis she inherited; Landry later said New Orleans is important but poorly run.
Economists said the city is still a vital, steady engine for Louisiana even as growth is spreading elsewhere through LNG and data-center projects, including roughly $80 billion around New Orleans and more than $100 billion near Lake Charles.