New Orleans' Population

Some may disagree that New Orleans was abandoned by residents after Hurricane Katrina. Many residents were forced out.

New Orleans, abandoned by thousands of residents after destructive floods and hurricanes in 2005, was one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the United States last year, according to a report released by the U.S. Census Bureau Thursday.

The Louisiana city's population climbed by 4 percent, with an increase of 39,885 residents between July 2006 and July 2007, making it the eighth-fastest growing metro area in the country, the bureau said.

Although there has been a surge in New Orleans' population, we should not forget the fact that many have not return because they cannot afford to come back.