New Orleans is located in Louisiana.
New Orleans ( [ nuː_ˈɔːrlᵻnz , _ - ˈɔːrli.ənz , _ - ɔːrˈliːnz ] , or [ ˈnɔːrlᵻnz ] La Nouvelle-Orléans [ la nuvɛlɔʁleɑ̃ ] ) is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana . The New Orleans metropolitan area ( New Orleans -- Metairie -- Kenner Metropolitan Statistical Area ) had a population of 1,167,764 in 2010 and was the 46th largest in the United States . New Orleans is located in southeastern Louisiana , straddling the Mississippi River . Before Hurricane Katrina , Orleans Parish was the most populous parish in Louisiana .