Stirling’s report provides a comprehensive market analysis of the New Orleans Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) for Q3 2025, covering retail, office, industrial, multifamily and hospitality sectors.

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AREA SUMMARY

The New Orleans–Metairie Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) encompasses eight parishes—Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. John the Baptist, St. James and St. Tammany. After a 2023 redefinition, St. Tammany Parish formed its own Slidell–Mandeville MSA due to population increase on the Northshore. However, for the purposes of this report and CoStar’s market analysis, both areas are considered as a single market.

New Orleans MSA is Louisiana’s largest metro economy. The New Orleans MSA is driven by a combination of port and trade logistics, energy (oil, gas, petrochemicals), tourism & hospitality, and an emerging tech/creative sector. The Port of New Orleans ranks as the No. 1 port in the western hemisphere by tonnage, and Louisiana ports handle over $80 billion in yearly trade. Top exports from the metro include refined petroleum, soybeans, and aircraft parts. Major employers in the area include Entergy (the area’s lone Fortune 500 firm), shipbuilders, aerospace and military contractors, healthcare systems, universities, and a growing cluster of startups and tech firms. Tourism remains essential—supporting tens of thousands of jobs—while sectors like education, healthcare, and professional services have gained traction, helping diversify the regional economy.