Kenner receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Gretna
Kenner
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 31%
vs60 · Top 41%
Growth
26 · Bottom 13%
vs20 · Bottom 8%
Climate
78 · Top 21%
vs77 · Top 23%
Physical resilience
31 · Bottom 24%
vs31 · Bottom 24%
Housing affordability
46 · Bottom 7%
vs81 · Top 49%
Schools
72 · Top 24%
vs37 · Bottom 31%
Access
92 · Top 49%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
32 · Bottom 8%
vs50 · Bottom 32%
Measured values
| Metric | Gretna | Kenner | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,389 | 64,904 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $43,110 | $64,020 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,607 | $36,508 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,308/sq mi | 4,359/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $257,400 | $246,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,060 | $1,179 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 48.8% | 63.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.5% | 29.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 26.9% | 15.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 9 | 26 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 0.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -10.0% | -54.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 94°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 47°F | 46°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 64.6" | 63.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 14 mi | 1 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.0 min | 27.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.3 | 39.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.52 | 14.51 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 47.7% | 25.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 46.5% | 34.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 66.7% | 65.1% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Gretna
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Kenner
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: Gretna, LA · Kenner, LA · How this is calculated: methodology