Entergy data shed light on N.O.'s population

Nearly a year after the flood scattered its residents across the country, New Orleans' population now approaches half its pre-Katrina level, according to statistics released by Entergy on Tuesday.

To be precise, the new figures -- which show that the utility's has about 52 percent fewer electrical customers than it did a year ago -- suggest a current population of 219,390, in the same range as several recent estimates.

Shreveport demographer Elliott Stonecipher thinks Entergy's figures represent the most accurate estimate of city population since the storm.

from the Times Picayune