12.20.23 – Louisiana Radio Network
New Census Bureau estimates show a decline of 14 thousand Louisiana residents from 2022 to 2023. A third straight year the state’s population has dropped since the 2020 census. Demographer Greg Rigamer says it’s not a good sign and a reflection of the state’s economy.
“Louisiana is a poor state. The average household income is about two-thirds that of the United States. Our poverty rate is about fifty percent higher than the United States.”
The state had a total population drop of more than 84 thousand residents in the last three years. Only New York has a higher percentage decline.
Rigamer believes people leave the Bayou State for more viable opportunities in employment and education.
“You look at our educational statistics they’re really pretty close to the bottom in many categories. So young families moving to Texas and Florida and Georgia have better opportunities to income and better public schools.”
The state has also seen drastic drops in the past three years due to a high death rate during the pandemic. Nearly 57,000 people died in the first two years of the pandemic.
Rigamer says Governor-Elect Landry’s administration will have to turn around the state’s economy to be more competitive.
“When you’re trying to attract new industries and investment, this is not a great track record so they have to do something to maintain a competitive profile relative to economic investment and industrial investment.”