According to a Census Bureau report released last week, the City of New Orleans continues to rebuild.  The population of New Orleans fell drastically in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.  The good news is that New Orleans was the fastest growing city in the nation between July 1, 2006 and July 1, 2007; its population grew by 13.8 percent.  The bad news is that New Orleans may still have a long way to go.  On July 1, 2000, New Orleans had a population of 484,674.  On July 1, 2007, nearly two years after Katrina, its population was only 239,124, less than half its 2000 size.

As New Orleans continues its rebuilding process, getting an accurate census of the city in 2010 could prove critical to its future.  The data collected by the decennial census are used every year to determine the allocation of over $300 billion in federal dollars.  Census data are also used to allocate state funding for education and other programs.  But, with many areas of the City still undergoing major repairs and renovations, it may be hard to get an accurate count of those who have returned, particularly those living in temporary or shared residences. If the City is undercounted as a result, it could lose its fair share of federal and state funding.

For every community in the country, the decennial census is—or ought to be—a big deal.  That’s particularly true for New Orleans in 2010. “The Big Easy,” more than ever, needs a big count.