The seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate for Louisiana decreased to 7.9 percent in
July from a revised 8.6 percent for June, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.
All metropolitan statistical areas in Louisiana experienced at least a 0.6 percent drop in their unemployment rates in July compared to the previous month. Metro areas with the largest decreases were Houma, from 6.2 percent to 5.4 percent, and Monroe, from 9.5 percent to 8.7 percent.
July unemployment rates for all of Louisiana's MSAs dropped from the revised June rates:
--Alexandria, 8.0 percent, down from 8.7 percent in June
--Baton Rouge, 8.0 percent, down from 8.7 percent §
--Houma, 5.4 percent, down from 6.2 percent § --Lafayette, 5.5 percent, down from 6.2 percent
--Lake Charles, 7.4 percent, down from 8.1 percent
--Monroe, 8.7 percent, down from 9.5 percent
--New Orleans, 8.1 percent, down from 8.7 percent §
--Shreveport, 7.7 percent, down from 8.4 percent
Across the state, 62 parishes experienced decreases in their July unemployment rates and only two parishes,
Concordia and Franklin, had increases.
Estimates based on a BLS survey of Louisiana households shows the civilian labor force - an estimate of the
number of people working or looking for work - increased over the prior 12 months by 32,350 to a seasonally unadjusted total of 2,116,855 in July. The number of people employed in July increased on an unadjusted basis by 14,286 over the month and 26,773 over the year to a total of 1,948,584 in July. The number of unemployed in July was 168,271, down 14,381 over the month but up 5,577 over the year.
A BLS survey of Louisiana employers shows the state had a seasonally unadjusted increase of 39,300 nonfarm
jobs over the year for a total of 1,930,800 in July. Private industry sectors lost 4,100 jobs over the month, but gained 38,300 jobs over the year, while government - local, state and federal combined -- shed 10,500 jobs over the month but gained 1,000 jobs over the year. Much of the decline in government jobs resulted from the seasonal closure of public schools and colleges for the summer.