Parishes with the highest unemployment in Louisiana

The first jobs report under the new Trump administration showed a stable job market, with the unemployment rate ticking down from 4.1% to 4% in January, the lowest since last May, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics figures released Feb. 7.

The report marks 49 consecutive months of overall job growth, the second-longest recorded period since 1939.

Job losses that did occur were concentrated in the mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction industries, which declined by 8,000 jobs over the month. There was little change in employment in other major industries.

To get a glimpse of regional variations in employment, Stacker compiled a list of parishes with the highest unemployment rates Louisiana, using BLS data. Parishes are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in December 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.

Key takeaways: Jobs report reveals cooling labor market

January's job growth of 143,000 fell short of expectations, while the downward revision of 589,000 fewer jobs in 2024 suggests the labor market was weaker last year than initially thought.

Business leaders are starting to display more caution, with 67% of executives reporting higher stress levels heading into 2025, according to a survey of 1,000 executives by Sentry, a business insurance company. Among survey respondents, 47% citing economic uncertainty as their biggest concern.

"We have what I would describe as a robust but frozen labor market," Gregory Daco, chief economist at EY-Parthenon, told The New York Times, noting that while unemployment remains low, there's very little churn or employee turnover as "businesses are being cautious as to how they manage their work force."

Moody's Analytics projects monthly payroll gains could slow to around 100,000 by year-end.

The big story: Potential for economic headwinds grows

Behind the "Now Hiring" signs and modest unemployment rate, there's growing concern on Main Street that the economy might be more fragile than it appears.

"You've already got companies hiring as if they're in a recession—even if they're not laying people off," Oliver Allen, senior U.S. economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, told CNN. Average unemployment duration, a lagging indicator, rose from 20.8 weeks in January 2024 to 22 in January of this year.

Tightening trade regulations and federal trimming could also have an impact on the job market. Experts predict the U.S. gross domestic product could take a hit due to increased tariffs. The U.S. government is the country's largest employer and contributes 36% to the GDP.

Sudden cuts to federal spending advocated by the new administration could hit the economy hard. One example of the potential fallout is that if prices were to increase further due to higher tariffs, consumer purchasing power would decline, stymieing economic growth.

Whether the effects of slashing the workforce and the budget will be exceeded by Trump's plans to loosen business regulations and cut taxes remains to be seen.

To get a better idea of your community's current economy, read on to see the parishes with the highest unemployment in Louisiana.

50. St. Charles Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 24,368 people (917 unemployed)

49. East Feliciana Parish

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: 0.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,882 people (308 unemployed)

46. Calcasieu Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 90,556 people (3,600 unemployed)

46. St. Martin Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 21,843 people (868 unemployed)

46. Rapides Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 54,574 people (2,158 unemployed)

43. Red River Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: -0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,615 people (153 unemployed)

43. Acadia Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 23,684 people (991 unemployed)

43. Vermilion Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 23,849 people (1,004 unemployed)

40. Caddo Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 99,527 people (4,279 unemployed)

40. Grant Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,102 people (347 unemployed)

40. Plaquemines Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,701 people (414 unemployed)

36. Ouachita Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 68,085 people (2,985 unemployed)

36. Lincoln Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 20,980 people (914 unemployed)

36. Pointe Coupee Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,782 people (431 unemployed)

36. Beauregard Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,329 people (635 unemployed)

31. Natchitoches Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,036 people (762 unemployed)

31. Sabine Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,851 people (402 unemployed)

31. St. Bernard Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 19,654 people (892 unemployed)

31. Iberia Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 27,271 people (1,229 unemployed)

31. Iberville Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,835 people (626 unemployed)

25. Orleans Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 172,753 people (7,892 unemployed)

25. Washington Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,434 people (803 unemployed)

25. Evangeline Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,892 people (551 unemployed)

25. Union Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,910 people (412 unemployed)

25. Avoyelles Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,246 people (662 unemployed)

25. Jefferson Davis Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 12,224 people (563 unemployed)

23. Caldwell Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,649 people (170 unemployed)

23. Claiborne Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: -0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,275 people (248 unemployed)

19. Bienville Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: -0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,121 people (248 unemployed)

19. St. John the Baptist Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: -0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,667 people (904 unemployed)

19. De Soto Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,769 people (516 unemployed)

19. Tangipahoa Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 57,516 people (2,757 unemployed)

16. Allen Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,084 people (398 unemployed)

16. Richland Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,846 people (386 unemployed)

16. Webster Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,945 people (686 unemployed)

15. Catahoula Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,626 people (182 unemployed)

11. Assumption Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: 0.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,831 people (446 unemployed)

11. Winn Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,626 people (237 unemployed)

11. St. James Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,775 people (446 unemployed)

11. St. Landry Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 30,963 people (1,591 unemployed)

10. St. Mary Parish

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,935 people (938 unemployed)

8. St. Helena Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,260 people (243 unemployed)

8. Concordia Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.7%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,905 people (393 unemployed)

7. Franklin Parish

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,121 people (417 unemployed)

6. Vernon Parish

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.2%
--- 1-month change: +0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 15,538 people (963 unemployed)

5. Madison Parish

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.6%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,548 people (233 unemployed)

3. Morehouse Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,436 people (631 unemployed)

3. Tensas Parish (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.7%
--- 1-month change: -0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,293 people (87 unemployed)

2. West Carroll Parish

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.6%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,453 people (262 unemployed)

1. East Carroll Parish

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.8%
--- 1-month change: -0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,675 people (148 unemployed)

This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Ben Popken, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.