These figures pull in different directions. Measured crime puts the city in the 1st percentile of the 13,216 jurisdictions SafeNest grades, yet the violent crime rate fell 10.2% in the most recent FBI reporting year, a pattern SafeNest classifies as improving — improving from a level that still sits 257% above the national average, with property crime at 5,090 per 100k against a national 1,954. Schools split the same way: the 4.7/10 average across 74 rated schools spans high schools at 5.8, middle schools at 4.0, and Edward Hynes Charter School - Lakeview at 9.8. Louisiana's 29 flood declarations and 44 hurricane or tropical-storm declarations set the hazard backdrop, not a parcel-level answer. For a buyer, the city-wide numbers frame the decision and settle none of it: the block, the school, and the FEMA flood-zone status attach to one address.
Crime in New Orleans vs. the national average
New Orleans reports 1,362 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 257% above the U.S. average of 381, and 5,090 property crimes per 100k versus a national 1,954 (160% above). In the most recent FBI reporting year (2023), the violent crime rate fell 10.2% year over year, a pattern SafeNest classifies as improving.
| New Orleans | US average | |
|---|---|---|
| Violent crime (per 100k) | 1362 | 381 |
| Property crime (per 100k) | 5090 | 1954 |
City-wide averages hide block-by-block variation — the safest and least safe neighborhoods in New Orleans can differ dramatically. For a specific address, a SafeNest report covers it directly — or search free in the iPhone app.
Flood & natural hazard risk
Federal disaster records for Louisiana — the state SafeNest uses for New Orleans's flood context — list 29 FEMA flood disaster declarations between 1953 and 2021, most recently "Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding". Louisiana has also seen 44 hurricane or tropical-storm declarations, events that frequently drive flooding. These are state-level federal declarations, not a parcel-level flood-zone determination — a specific New Orleans address may sit inside or well outside a FEMA flood zone, which SafeNest does not determine; check FEMA's flood maps and flood-insurance requirements for that address.
Schools in New Orleans
Public schools in New Orleans average 4.7/10 on the SafeNest School Score across 74 rated schools. By level, high schools rate strongest at 5.8/10 on average, while middle schools average 4.0/10. The highest-scoring is Edward Hynes Charter School - Lakeview at 9.8/10.
Registered offenders
Registered-offender data is meaningful only at the address level, so SafeNest does not publish a city-wide figure for New Orleans: a single citywide number would blend blocks with very different profiles and mislead more than it informs. Registered offender counts by distance band for any specific New Orleans address are included in a SafeNest report, drawn directly from the state's public registry. The iPhone app shows that count free for any address, and maps each registrant with Premium.
Check a specific New Orleans address
City averages are a starting point. A SafeNest report covers one specific address — crime, registered offender counts, flood and disaster history, schools, air quality, taxes — delivered by email as a PDF for $6.99.
Or search any New Orleans address free in the iPhone app.
Common questions about safety in New Orleans
Is New Orleans, LA safe?
New Orleans records 1362 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 257% above the US national average of 381. Overall SafeNest grade: F, a city-wide average of reported crime. It does not describe a specific street or address.
What is the crime rate in New Orleans?
New Orleans reports approximately 1362 violent crimes and 5090 property crimes per 100,000 residents in 2023, the most recent FBI reporting year in our data.
Does New Orleans have flood risk?
SafeNest reports federal disaster declaration history for the area. For New Orleans, federal records show 29 FEMA flood disaster declarations for Louisiana, most recently in 2021; a specific address may still sit inside or outside a FEMA flood zone, which SafeNest does not determine — check FEMA's flood maps for that address.
How this page was built
Every figure here comes from the same public records behind SafeNest's grading. We published the full method and what it does and doesn't support in We graded 13,216 American cities with FBI data — including where a letter grade means almost nothing. City comparisons: safest cities in Louisiana.
Other city safety reports
Data compiled from public sources including FBI crime statistics, FEMA disaster declarations and the FEMA National Risk Index, NCES education data, and state registries. Last updated 2026-08-17. Figures are city-level estimates; verify with primary sources before making decisions. SafeNest is not a consumer reporting agency (see Terms).