During the 90s, New Orleans consistently had one of the highest homicide rates of any large city in America. However, the 2006 and 2007 homicide rates for New Orleans rank among among the absolute highest for any major US city ever. (However, Jackson, MS had a staggering 100 per 100k in 2021.)
Post-hurricane Katrina saw hundreds of New Orleans gang members move to new cities. They formed new gangs and alliances and contributed to surges in the homicide rates of cities in neighboring states. All while the remaining gang members waged brutal warfare in the streets of New Orleans over abandoned territory.
After the insane homicide rates of 06 and 07, the rate was in a downward trend until 2019. That year, the city’s homicide rate hit a thirty-four-year low. Then came nationwide Black Lives Matter riots. Iconic Confederate memorials in New Orleans were dismantled. A “Black Power Hair Pick” was triumphantly erected in front of city hall. Just like many other cities, Black-on-Black homicides in New Orleans exploded. The 2020 homicide rate was an eight-year high. The 2021 homicide rate was a twelve-year high.
During the first ten months of 2022, New Orleans had at least 223 homicides, more than the entire year of 2021. The city is on track for the highest homicide rate since 2007, which occurred in the bloody aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Currently, New Orleans is about 60% Black. A huge majority of all murders are Black-on-Black. That is not to say that there are no Black-on-White homicides. Who can forget the gruesome broad daylight dragging death of Linda Frickey last March? Frickey was an elderly White woman killed by a group of Black teenagers as pedestrians screamed in horror.
1930: 56 (459k, 12.2 per 100k)
1940: 56 (494k, 11.3 per 100k)
1950: 65 (570k, 11.4 per 100k)
1960: 55 (628k, 8.8 per 100k)
1970: 100 (593k, 16.9 per 100k)
1980: 218 (558k, 39.1 per 100k)
1985: 152 (527k, 28.8 per 100k)
1986: 197 (521k, 37.8 per 100k)
1987: 205 (515k, 39.8 per 100k)
1988: 228 (509k, 44.8 per 100k)
1989: 251 (503k, 49.9 per 100k)
1990: 304 (497k, 61.2 per 100k)
1991: 345 (495k, 69.7 per 100k)
1992: 297 (491k, 60.5 per 100k)
1993: 395 (490k, 80.6 per 100k)
1994: 424 (485k, 87.4 per 100k)
1995: 363 (481k, 75.5 per 100k)
1996: 351 (474k, 74.1 per 100k)
1997: 267 (469k, 56.9 per 100k)
1998: 230 (465k, 49.4 per 100k)
1999: 158 (461k, 34.2 per 100k)
2000: 204 (484k, 42.1 per 100k)
2001: 213 (478k, 44.6 per 100k)
2002: 258 (472k, 54.5 per 100k)
2003: 274 (468k, 58.5 per 100k)
2004: 264 (462k, 57.1 per 100k)
2005: 210* (321k**, 65.4 per 100k)
2006: 162 (179k**, 90.5 per 100k)
2007: 209 (240k, 87.1 per 100k)
2008: 179 (265k, 67.5 per 100k)
2009: 174 (283k, 61.5 per 100k)
2010: 175 (344k, 50.9 per 100k)
2011: 200 (361k, 55.4 per 100k)
2012: 193 (370k, 52.2 per 100k)
2013: 156 (379k, 41.2 per 100k)
2014: 150 (384k, 39.1 per 100k)
2015: 164 (390k, 41.9 per 100k)
2016: 174 (392k, 44.4 per 100k)
2017: 157 (392k, 40.1 per 100k)
2018: 147 (392k, 37.5 per 100k)
2019: 121 (391k, 30.9 per 100k) – Lowest rate since 1985
2020: 198 (383k, 51.7 per 100k)
2021: 218 (377k, 57.8 per 100k) – Highest rate since 2009
2022: 223 in the first ten months!
“*” True number of homicides for 2005 will never be known.
“**” Adjusted for the Hurricane Katrina exodus in August of 2005 and slow return in 2006. The city ended 2005 with only 129k.
