New Orleans Population Shrinks 29%

New Orleans' population has far from rebounded from Hurricane Katrina and it's now a much smaller city that it was a decade ago, according to newly released data from the 2010 census. The city's population now stands at 343,829, down 29% from 2000. The black population has shrunk at a faster rate than the white population, and there are 56,193 fewer children—a drop of almost 44% from 10 years ago.

The fall is greater than had been estimated, although the census numbers are likely to be challenged by those who argue that many people were overlooked by the official count. At the next state legislative session, the city will face losing its exemption from large numbers of state laws that only apply to cities with populations above 400,000. "There will be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth," a former state lawmaker tells the New York Times.
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