So what do YOU consider to be the New Orleans area? (Baton Rouge: live, suburbs)

[Tom Lennox 70]

I know there's the official Census Bureau definition of the New Orleans metro area and the combined metro area but I've noticed that perhaps more so than in any other area, people from the city of New Orleans itself don't really accept a lot of outlying communities as New Orleans. I've met MANY people from the area who don't even consider Metairie and Kenner to be "New Orleans" despite being immediate suburbs. Even more people don't include Covington or Slidell even though St. Tammany Parish is officially part of Greater NO and are heavily populated by people who were originally from the city and the inner suburbs. In Baton Rouge, areas outside the city limits like Zachary and Central and Denham Springs are still considered part of the Baton Rouge area. Maybe its due to NO's unique culture?

So census definitions aside, what would y'all include in the New Orleans area?

I grew up in Metairie but lived a lot of my life out of state and now stay in Denham Springs. I do consider the Northshore to be part of "New Orleans" due to the migration patterns, commuters and cultural influences and Slidell also. I also think there is a clear New Orleans influence even in Hammond and Ponchatoula compared to Baton Rouge or places like Ascension Parish. The Census does have a New Orleans-Metairie-Hammond combined statistical area.

[Tom Lennox 70]

Also left out Washington Parish and St. James Parish, which often market themselves as part of Greater New Orleans.

St. James does have a very clear Creole influenced culture compared to the rest of Louisiana. I do think its more Creole than Cajun or regular Southern.

[Lizap]

Originally Posted by Tom Lennox 70

I know there's the official Census Bureau definition of the New Orleans metro area and the combined metro area but I've noticed that perhaps more so than in any other area, people from the city of New Orleans itself don't really accept a lot of outlying communities as New Orleans. I've met MANY people from the area who don't even consider Metairie and Kenner to be "New Orleans" despite being immediate suburbs. Even more people don't include Covington or Slidell even though St. Tammany Parish is officially part of Greater NO and are heavily populated by people who were originally from the city and the inner suburbs. In Baton Rouge, areas outside the city limits like Zachary and Central and Denham Springs are still considered part of the Baton Rouge area. Maybe its due to NO's unique culture?

So census definitions aside, what would y'all include in the New Orleans area?

I grew up in Metairie but lived a lot of my life out of state and now stay in Denham Springs. I do consider the Northshore to be part of "New Orleans" due to the migration patterns, commuters and cultural influences and Slidell also. I also think there is a clear New Orleans influence even in Hammond and Ponchatoula compared to Baton Rouge or places like Ascension Parish. The Census does have a New Orleans-Metairie-Hammond combined statistical area.

Agree. The Hammond/Ponchatoula area definitely identifies more with New Orleans than Baton Rouge.

[Turnerbro]

I'd say all of the above.

[Vorpal]

Northshore, Southshore, Westbank.

[annie_himself]

What are you asking? New Orleans is New Orleans. Kenner is Kenner. New Orleans MSA and New Orleans aren't synonymous. You're from the New Orleans area if you're from Metairie but you're not from New Orleans.