New Orleans, LA is a city with a rich and vibrant history, but its health needs are often overlooked. In recent years, there have been numerous efforts to improve the quality of healthcare in the city. Despite these efforts, it remains an underserved area with many residents lacking access to quality healthcare. Local hospitals and medical facilities offer comprehensive care in areas such as pediatrics, mental health, cardiology, obstetrics and gynecology, neurology services, senior care and more. While New Orleans still faces significant health challenges, it has seen progress in areas like child immunization rates and access to primary care services. The city also offers specialized programs such as those for diabetes management and heart disease prevention that are helping to reduce risks associated with chronic illnesses.
The health of a city has many different factors. It can refer to air quality, water quality, risk of getting respiratory disease or cancer. The people you live around can also affect your health as some places have lower or higher rates of physical activity, increased alcohol intake, smoking, obesity, and cancer rates.
Physicians per Capita
There are Unlock physicians per 100,000 population in New Orleans. The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the New Orleans area is Unlock. The US average is 100.
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the New Orleans area is Unlock. The US average is 55.
Note that this is a measure of Watershed quality, not the water that comes from your faucet. The EPA has stated that a healthy watershed is closely related to drinking water quality. The EPA has a complex method of measuring watershed quality using 15 indicators such as pH, chemicals, metals, and bacteria.
Superfund Index
The annual BestPlaces Superfund Index for the New Orleans area is Unlock. The US average is 87.
The EPA's Superfund program is responsible for cleaning up some of our nation's most contaminated land. Our index is based on the number of active Superfund sites (over 15,000 in the United States), with particular attention paid to those on the National Priorities List which pose the greatest health danger.
Quick Facts
Commuting can effect your health. The average person in New Orleans commutes Unlock minutes one-way, which is shorter than the US average of 26.4 minutes.
Air Quality Index
The annual BestPlaces Air Quality Index for the New Orleans area is Unlock. The US average is 58.
This is based on new measures of hazardous air pollutants from the EPA, called the National Air Toxics Assessment. This analysis models respiratory illness and cancer risk down to the zip code level, providing better detail and insight than the previous analysis based solely on results from air monitoring stations.