Navigating the postal layout of New Orleans requires looking past standard grid systems. Because the city curves around a massive crescent of the Mississippi River, zip codes don't follow neat sequential rows. Instead, they fan out across historic districts, reclaimed swampland, and Westbank communities. Whether you're moving to the area, mailing a package, or analyzing local data, understanding how the New Orleans Louisiana zip code system maps onto the ground prevents constant confusion.
Postal codes in Orleans Parish all begin with the prefix 701, followed by two digits that generally group areas from downtown outward. Residential delivery zones, commercial hubs, and unique historical boundaries each dictate how mail moves through the Crescent City. Let's break down the layout so you can find any address quickly.
The Historic Core and Downtown Zones
The oldest parts of the city sit right along the river bend, anchored by high-density commercial blocks and legendary tourist districts.
Central Business District and Downtown: 70112 and 70130
Spanning the modern skyscrapers, parts of Poydras Street, and the historic commercial core, 70130 also creeps into the lower boundary of the French Quarter and the Arts District. Meanwhile, 70112 covers the civic center, major medical complexes, and municipal buildings. If you're shipping to office towers near Canal Street or City Hall, you're usually hitting one of these two zones.
The French Quarter: 70116
The Vieux Carré operates under 70116, which also extends across Rampart Street into parts of the Tremé and the Seventh Ward. Delivering mail here is famously tricky due to narrow historic streets, pedestrian zones, and strict parking rules that postal carriers navigate daily.
Marigny and Bywater: 70117
Just downriver from the French Quarter lies 70117, covering the vibrant arts neighborhoods of the Faubourg Marigny and the Bywater, and stretching all the way back toward the Industrial Canal and parts of the Lower Ninth Ward.
Uptown, Garden District, and Riverbend
Moving upriver from downtown takes you through some of the city's most architecturally distinct residential corridors.
The Garden District and Uptown: 70115
Zip code 70115 captures the iconic oak-lined avenues of the Garden District, Touro, and parts of Uptown running from the river up toward Magazine Street and St. Charles Avenue. It's a dense zone packed with historic homes, local storefronts, and university facilities.
Universities and Carrollton: 70118
Further upriver, 70118 covers the neighborhoods surrounding Tulane and Loyola universities, the Black Pearl, and the historic Carrollton neighborhood near the river bend. Student housing shifts rental populations here heavily every academic year.
Mid-City, Lakeview, and Gentilly
Moving away from the river toward Lake Pontchartrain, the postal grid opens up across wide boulevards and post-war developments.
Mid-City and Bayou St. John: 70119 and 70125
Mid-City splits primarily between 70119 and 70125. These zones cover the Fairgrounds, City Park edges, and corridors flanking the Lafitte Greenway. Postal routes here weave between historic raised double-shotguns and modern infill construction.
Lakeview and Lakefront: 70124
North toward the lake, 70124 services Lakeview, Lakewood, and the lakefront communities. This area relies on a strict grid layout established after historic drainage projects reclaimed the swampland between the high ground of the natural river levee and Lake Pontchartrain.
Gentilly: 70122
East of City Park, 70122 covers Gentilly Terrace, Dillard University, and neighborhoods stretching toward the Industrial Canal. Large lots and mid-century ranch-style homes characterize much of this postal zone.
New Orleans East and the Westbank
Some of the city's largest geographic zip codes sit on the outer edges of Orleans Parish.
New Orleans East: 70126, 70127, and 70129
Spanning the vast expanse east of the Industrial Canal toward the-Rigolets, New Orleans East is divided into massive zip codes like 70126, 70127, and 70129 (which includes Village de l'Est). Because distances are large and highway access dictates travel, these zones function almost like distinct suburban towns within city limits.
Algiers and the Westbank: 70114 and 70131
Sitting safely across the Mississippi River, Algiers is the only neighborhood of New Orleans located on the Westbank. Divided into 70114 (historic Old Algiers and Tall Timbers) and 70131 (Behrman and newer subdivisions), this area connects to the east bank via the Crescent City Connection or the historic Algiers Ferry.
Special Postal Codes: PO Boxes and Organizations
Not every zip code in New Orleans belongs to a residential neighborhood. The postal service maintains several specific codes for high-volume institutions and routing operations.
- 70139 and 70140: Primarily assigned to specific corporate entities, government offices, or dedicated post office box banks.
- 70150 through 70190: These ranges are strictly reserved for bulk mailers, large institutional PO box drops, and internal United States Postal Service processing facilities rather than street delivery.
Common Mistakes When Addressing Mail in New Orleans
Mailing errors in the Crescent City often stem from assumptions about geography and neighborhood names. Avoid these frequent missteps:
- Confusing Parish Lines: Parts of Metairie or Kenner use a New Orleans mailing address designation in database systems, but they actually sit in Jefferson Parish with 700xx zip codes. Always verify the physical parish if boundary accuracy matters for local taxes or services.
- Ignoring the River Direction: Locals rarely use cardinal directions like north or south. Instead, people give directions in terms of uptown, downtown, lakeside (or lake), and riverside (or river). Relying on a map app is essential if you're trying to match a street address to a zip code manually.
- Assuming Sequential Ordering: Because the city grew organically along the river bend before modern postal routing, zip code numbers do not strictly tick upward in a straight line. Always double-check zip codes using the official USPS Lookup Tool.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do some New Orleans addresses say Metairie even though they look like the city?
Metairie sits immediately adjacent to New Orleans in Jefferson Parish. The USPS allows certain areas outside city limits to use "New Orleans, LA" as an acceptable city name in mailing addresses, which frequently confuses newcomers.
How many total zip codes are in New Orleans?
Orleans Parish contains roughly 50 active zip codes, though many higher-numbered codes belong exclusively to post office boxes, bulk mail sorting, or specific institutional clients rather than residential neighborhoods.
What is the oldest zip code zone in the city?
While historic settlement dates back to 1718, modern postal zones like 70116 (French Quarter) and 70130 (CBD/Downtown) cover the foundational historic footprints of the original colonial city.
Can I walk across the river using a bridge from downtown zip codes?
Pedestrian and bicycle traffic is not permitted on the Crescent City Connection bridges. If you need to cross from downtown (70130) to Algiers (70114) without a car, you must take the pedestrian-friendly ferry across the river.
