8.2.24 – Stacker
Despite a relatively low unemployment rate, Americans continue to fear job losses amid ongoing economic uncertainty.
Stacker compiled a list of parishes with the highest unemployment rates in Louisiana using Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Parishes are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in June 2024, with initial ties broken by the number of unemployed people within that parish, though some ties may remain. Parish-level unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.
Economists forecast a waning risk of recession and predict that the U.S. may instead be headed for an incremental slowdown in growth known as a “soft landing.” Still, layoffs among major U.S. employers, from Google to Tesla, have sparked concern among Americans. What’s more, unemployment has spiked in over half the country’s states since last year, which often indicates a looming recession, a chief global economist at Piper Sandler told Business Insider. Unemployment is also up in a vast majority of U.S. metros.
Still, as of July 2024, the national unemployment rate remains relatively low at 4.3%, with only a slight increase from the previous month. For comparison, the Great Recession of 2007-09 sent unemployment rates up to 10% as of October 2009, and a full recovery took years. At the height of the COVID-19 recession in April 2020, unemployment hit 14.7%.
Regional and state employment range widely depending on local economies. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state vary, ranging from just 2% in South Dakota to 5.4% in Washington D.C.
Read on to see the parishes with the highest unemployment in Louisiana.
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#50. Red River Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
— 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,805 people (159 unemployed)
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#49. East Feliciana Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
— 1-month change: Up 0.8 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 7,994 people (337 unemployed)
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#48. Beauregard Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
— 1-month change: Up 0.9 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 14,857 people (627 unemployed)
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#47. Terrebonne Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
— 1-month change: Up 0.8 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 46,308 people (1,941 unemployed)
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#46. St. Tammany Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
— 1-month change: Up 0.9 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 119,838 people (5,069 unemployed)
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#45. East Baton Rouge Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
— 1-month change: Up 0.9 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 235,691 people (9,968 unemployed)
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#44. Rapides Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
— 1-month change: Up 0.9 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 55,323 people (2,368 unemployed)
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#43. Pointe Coupee Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
— 1-month change: Up 1.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 9,940 people (445 unemployed)
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#42. St. Martin Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
— 1-month change: Up 0.8 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 22,336 people (1,007 unemployed)
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#41. Vermilion Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
— 1-month change: Up 1.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 24,347 people (1,087 unemployed)
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#40. Sabine Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
— 1-month change: Up 0.7 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 9,560 people (443 unemployed)
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#39. Assumption Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
— 1-month change: Up 0.7 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 8,887 people (421 unemployed)
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#38. Acadia Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
— 1-month change: Up 0.9 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 24,289 people (1,147 unemployed)
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#37. Iberia Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
— 1-month change: Up 0.8 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 27,839 people (1,307 unemployed)
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#36. Ouachita Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
— 1-month change: Up 0.9 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 69,374 people (3,247 unemployed)
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#35. Grant Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
— 1-month change: Up 1.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 8,247 people (406 unemployed)
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#34. Jefferson Davis Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
— 1-month change: Up 1.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 12,435 people (610 unemployed)
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#33. Iberville Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
— 1-month change: Up 1.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 14,053 people (689 unemployed)
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#32. Caddo Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
— 1-month change: Up 0.9 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 101,909 people (5,008 unemployed)
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#31. De Soto Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.0%
— 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 11,001 people (554 unemployed)
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#30. Evangeline Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.0%
— 1-month change: Up 1.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 12,614 people (636 unemployed)
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#29. St. Bernard Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.0%
— 1-month change: Up 1.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 20,004 people (1,009 unemployed)
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#28. Claiborne Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
— 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 5,438 people (276 unemployed)
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#27. Union Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
— 1-month change: Up 0.8 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 9,144 people (462 unemployed)
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#26. Vernon Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
— 1-month change: Up 0.9 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 16,134 people (827 unemployed)
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#25. Bienville Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
— 1-month change: Up 0.9 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 5,124 people (268 unemployed)
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#24. Allen Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
— 1-month change: Up 1.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 8,408 people (435 unemployed)
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#23. Natchitoches Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
— 1-month change: Up 1.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 17,017 people (897 unemployed)
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#22. St. Mary Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
— 1-month change: Up 0.9 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 19,021 people (1,006 unemployed)
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#21. St. John the Baptist Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
— 1-month change: Up 1.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 18,947 people (1,011 unemployed)
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#20. Orleans Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
— 1-month change: Up 1.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 175,820 people (9,252 unemployed)
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#19. Webster Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.4%
— 1-month change: Up 1.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 14,267 people (769 unemployed)
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#18. Avoyelles Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.4%
— 1-month change: Up 1.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 14,575 people (794 unemployed)
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#17. Lincoln Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.4%
— 1-month change: Up 1.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 20,267 people (1,098 unemployed)
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#16. Tangipahoa Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.4%
— 1-month change: Up 1.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 57,824 people (3,121 unemployed)
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#15. Caldwell Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.5%
— 1-month change: Up 0.9 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,721 people (203 unemployed)
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#14. Richland Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.5%
— 1-month change: Up 0.9 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 8,213 people (452 unemployed)
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#13. St. James Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.5%
— 1-month change: Up 1.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 8,913 people (489 unemployed)
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#12. St. Landry Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.5%
— 1-month change: Up 1.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 32,378 people (1,781 unemployed)
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#11. Washington Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.6%
— 1-month change: Up 1.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 17,412 people (972 unemployed)
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#10. Catahoula Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.7%
— 1-month change: Up 1.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,714 people (213 unemployed)
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#9. Winn Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.8%
— 1-month change: Up 1.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,874 people (285 unemployed)
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#8. Franklin Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
— 1-month change: Up 0.9 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 7,380 people (435 unemployed)
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#7. Concordia Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.2%
— 1-month change: Up 1.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 7,075 people (441 unemployed)
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#6. Morehouse Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.4%
— 1-month change: Up 0.8 percentage points
— 1-year change: No change
– Total labor force: 9,535 people (610 unemployed)
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#5. Madison Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.5%
— 1-month change: Up 1.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,525 people (230 unemployed)
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#4. West Carroll Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.3%
— 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,517 people (257 unemployed)
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#3. St. Helena Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.3%
— 1-month change: Up 2.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,385 people (322 unemployed)
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#2. Tensas Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.5%
— 1-month change: Up 2.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 1,395 people (118 unemployed)
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#1. East Carroll Parish
– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 10.8%
— 1-month change: Up 1.9 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 1,679 people (182 unemployed)
This story features data reporting by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
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