Industrial Real Estate in New Orleans Metro, Louisiana
A data-driven guide to the New Orleans metro industrial market — property inventory, parish-level analysis, pricing trends, interactive transaction maps, and recent sales tracked by ELIFIN's proprietary database.
ELIFIN is Louisiana's #1 commercial real estate brokerage by number of sales. Our specialized agents track every commercial transaction across Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and Lafayette — building a proprietary database of more than 59,000 commercial properties and 41,000 property owner contacts. That depth gives us an unmatched view of the industrial market across Orleans and Jefferson Parishes.
The New Orleans metro's industrial sector is one of the most active commercial property segments in South Louisiana. Anchored by the Port of New Orleans, the Mississippi River industrial corridor, proximity to Gulf of Mexico energy infrastructure, and Louis Armstrong International Airport, this market draws both regional operators and national investors looking for warehouse, distribution, manufacturing, and flex-industrial facilities.
New Orleans Metro Industrial Market by the Numbers
ELIFIN's database tracks every industrial property in the New Orleans metro — from small-bay contractor facilities to 50,000-square-foot distribution warehouses along the Inner Harbor. Here is the current scope of the market:
Source: ELIFIN proprietary database — Orleans Parish and Jefferson Parish industrial properties. Dollar volume includes estimated market values for undisclosed-price transactions.
The metro's industrial inventory spans a wide range of subtypes. General industrial buildings account for the largest share of 2025 transactions (70 of 106 sales), followed by dedicated warehouse facilities (22 sales), flex-showroom buildings, light manufacturing, and distribution centers. The average industrial building in the metro sits at roughly 18,700 square feet, though the range extends from small contractor bays under 2,000 square feet to major port-adjacent facilities exceeding 50,000 square feet.
Jefferson Parish vs. Orleans Parish
The New Orleans metro's industrial inventory splits across two parishes, each with a distinct profile:
| Parish | Properties | Total SF | 2025 Sales | 2025 Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson Parish | 2,199 | 39,180,072 | 74 | $60,918,919 |
| Orleans Parish | 942 | 17,539,444 | 32 | $29,235,142 |
Source: ELIFIN proprietary database (inventory) and transaction database (2025 sales).
Jefferson Parish holds the bulk of the metro's industrial stock — nearly 2,200 properties and 39 million square feet. Industrial activity concentrates in the Elmwood corridor near Harahan, the Kenner area adjacent to Louis Armstrong International Airport, and the Westbank communities of Harvey and Marrero. Jefferson's industrial inventory skews toward general industrial, warehouse, and flex-showroom buildings, and generated $60.9 million in transaction volume across 74 sales in 2025. For a broader view of Jefferson Parish's full commercial market, see our Metairie and Jefferson Parish commercial real estate overview.
Orleans Parish contributes over 940 properties and 17.5 million square feet, with industrial inventory concentrated along the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal, the Tchoupitoulas Street corridor, and the industrial pockets of Gentilly and New Orleans East. While Orleans Parish produced fewer transactions than Jefferson in 2025 (32 sales), several high-value deals pushed the parish's dollar volume to $29.2 million.
Industrial Corridors of the New Orleans Metro
Industrial activity in the New Orleans metro concentrates in several distinct corridors. On the Jefferson Parish side, the Kenner/Airport corridor led all areas in 2025 transaction count with 23 sales, driven by small-to-mid-size general industrial buildings near Louis Armstrong International Airport. The Elmwood/Harahan corridor posted the highest total dollar volume at $19.9 million across 16 sales, anchored by warehouse and flex-showroom buildings along the Earhart Expressway. Metairie's industrial nodes along L&A Road and the 27th Street corridor posted the highest average pricing at $137 per square foot, reflecting tighter supply and proximity to the metro's commercial core.
In Orleans Parish, the Inner Harbor/Gentilly/New Orleans East industrial districts produced 17 transactions at an average of $60 per square foot — the metro's most affordable corridor for industrial buyers. The CBD and Warehouse District and Tchoupitoulas/Uptown corridor contributed smaller transaction counts but included several high-value deals. On the Westbank, Harvey and surrounding communities generated 20 sales at an average of $76 per square foot, making the area the metro's primary value play for industrial investors.
Industrial Sales Trends: 2021–2025
ELIFIN has comprehensively tracked every commercial sale in both Orleans Parish (since 2017) and Jefferson Parish (since 2021). With complete coverage of both parishes from 2021 onward, the five-year trend shows a market with consistent transaction volume and rising per-square-foot pricing:
| Year | Sales | Dollar Volume | Avg $/SF | Median $/SF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 123 | $126,456,569 | $75 | $66 |
| 2022 | 96 | $86,124,536 | $90 | $83 |
| 2023 | 81 | $81,502,175 | $88 | $71 |
| 2024 | 103 | $110,539,027 | $95 | $82 |
| 2025 | 106 | $90,154,061 | $91 | $83 |
Source: ELIFIN transaction database, Orleans Parish + Jefferson Parish. Dollar volume includes estimated market values for undisclosed-price transactions. Avg and Median $/SF based on disclosed transactions with reported square footage only. Data disclaimer: ELIFIN's database is comprehensive but may not capture every private or off-market transaction.
Several trends stand out across the five-year window. Transaction counts have remained remarkably consistent, averaging 102 industrial sales per year since 2021 — with 2021's 123 transactions marking the high point as both parishes saw elevated post-pandemic activity. Dollar volume peaked that same year at $126.5 million, then moderated before rebounding in 2024 with $110.5 million. The 2025 total of $90.2 million across 106 sales reflects a broad base of mid-market transactions without the kind of large single-asset deals that boosted prior years.
Median price per square foot climbed significantly in 2022, rising from $66 to $83, and has held in a narrow $71–$83 range since. The 2025 median of $83 per square foot is in line with the five-year high, reflecting durable pricing gains driven by tightening supply, higher replacement costs, and growing demand for well-located warehouse and distribution buildings.
Industrial Pricing by Submarket
Industrial pricing in the New Orleans metro varies significantly by submarket. The map below shows the median sale price per square foot in each industrial submarket, based on all disclosed transactions tracked by ELIFIN since 2021. Click any label to see the number of tracked sales and the typical pricing band (25th to 75th percentile).
Source: ELIFIN transaction database, 2021–2025 disclosed industrial sales with reported square footage. Submarket boundaries approximate.
Metairie posts the highest median at $97 per square foot, reflecting tighter supply and proximity to the metro's commercial core. The Kenner/Airport corridor, Elmwood/Harahan, and Central New Orleans all cluster near $90 per square foot. The Westbank offers a significant discount at $56 — roughly 40% below the metro's Jefferson Parish corridors — while Gentilly and New Orleans East represent the metro's deep-value industrial play at a $36 median, driven by older building stock and larger lot sizes.
Notable Recent Industrial Transactions
The following sales from 2025 illustrate the range of industrial deals occurring across the metro:
35,857 SF · Warehouse · Orleans Parish · December 2025
$6,000,000
29,745 SF · Warehouse · Jefferson Parish · January 2025
$3,075,000
30,500 SF · Industrial Showroom · Jefferson Parish · December 2025
$2,490,000
24,518 SF · Industrial General · Jefferson Parish · July 2025
$2,261,000
Source: ELIFIN transaction database, 2025 disclosed sales.
Submarket Turnover: % of Industrial Buildings Sold in 2025
How actively does each industrial submarket trade? The pie charts below show each submarket's annual turnover rate — the dark slice represents the percentage of tracked industrial buildings that changed hands in 2025. Pie size is proportional to inventory count. Click any chart for details.
Source: ELIFIN proprietary database (inventory) and transaction database (2025 sales). Orleans Parish inventory estimated by submarket based on transaction distribution.
Key insight: Metairie leads all industrial submarkets in turnover at 5.9%, with 17 of its 290 tracked industrial buildings changing hands in 2025. The Elmwood/Harahan and Westbank corridors both posted 3.8% turnover rates despite very different price points. Central New Orleans — the largest inventory base at 719 buildings — had the lowest turnover at just 1.9%, reflecting a large stock of owner-occupied and longer-hold industrial assets.
How ELIFIN Serves Industrial Buyers and Sellers
ELIFIN's approach to industrial real estate is built on data and specialization, not generalist brokerage. Three things set us apart in this market:
The Block System. ELIFIN divides every commercial corridor in New Orleans and Jefferson Parish into geographic "Blocks." Each Block is assigned to a specialized agent who knows every property, every owner, and every recent transaction in that territory. When you work with ELIFIN on an industrial deal, your agent has direct knowledge of the surrounding market — not a surface-level CMA pulled from a listing portal.
The Database. With 59,000+ commercial properties tracked, 41,000+ property owner contacts, and 5.4 million logged CRM activities, ELIFIN's platform captures deals before they reach the open market. A significant share of the industrial transactions we handle involve off-market properties identified through our proprietary data.
Industrial Expertise. Industrial buildings require a different evaluation framework than office or retail — ceiling height, column spacing, dock count, power capacity, and loading access all factor into pricing. Our agents are trained to underwrite these variables and communicate them to buyers and sellers in terms that drive decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
How large is the New Orleans metro industrial real estate market?
ELIFIN's database tracks more than 3,100 industrial properties across Orleans Parish and Jefferson Parish, totaling over 56 million square feet. This includes general industrial buildings, warehouses, distribution facilities, flex-showroom buildings, manufacturing plants, and specialty uses. Jefferson Parish holds the majority of the metro's industrial inventory with approximately 2,200 properties and 39 million square feet.
What does industrial property in New Orleans cost per square foot?
Industrial property pricing in the New Orleans metro has trended upward since 2021. In 2025, the average disclosed sale price was approximately $91 per square foot, with a median of $83 per square foot. Pricing varies by parish — Jefferson Parish industrial averaged $97 per square foot in 2025, while Orleans Parish industrial averaged $76. Newer warehouse and flex-showroom properties in the Elmwood corridor and along Earhart Boulevard tend to command higher prices.
Where are the main industrial submarkets in the New Orleans metro?
The New Orleans metro's industrial inventory concentrates in several distinct corridors. Jefferson Parish dominates with the Elmwood corridor near Harahan, the Kenner industrial area near Louis Armstrong International Airport, and the Westbank communities of Harvey and Marrero. Orleans Parish industrial clusters along the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal, the Tchoupitoulas corridor, and the Gentilly–New Orleans East industrial districts. New Orleans proper accounts for the highest single-city transaction count, while Metairie and Kenner contribute significant volume from Jefferson Parish.
Is New Orleans a good market for industrial investment?
The New Orleans metro has maintained strong industrial transaction activity, averaging over 100 sales per year since 2021 with total five-year dollar volume exceeding $494 million. The market benefits from its port infrastructure along the Mississippi River, proximity to the Gulf of Mexico energy sector, Louis Armstrong International Airport, and a relatively affordable price point compared to national industrial markets. Transaction counts have remained consistent in the 81-to-123 range annually.
How do I sell an industrial building in New Orleans?
Selling an industrial building in the New Orleans metro starts with an accurate valuation based on recent comparable sales. ELIFIN tracks every commercial sale across Orleans Parish and Jefferson Parish and maintains a proprietary database of 59,000+ properties and 41,000+ property owner contacts. Our specialized agents use targeted marketing to reach active industrial buyers — not a generic listing on a public portal. Request a free property valuation or contact ELIFIN to discuss your next transaction.
Buy or Sell Industrial Property in New Orleans
ELIFIN's specialized agents and proprietary data give you an edge in every industrial transaction. Whether you're acquiring your next facility or positioning a property for sale, start with the team that tracks every deal in the market.