BATON ROUGE, La. – For the first time since Sept. 2019, the not seasonally adjusted preliminary unemployment rate in all nine of Louisiana’s Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA’s) went down both over the month and over the year. Louisiana’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for July 2021 is 6.3 percent, a decrease of 3.7 percentage points from the July 2020 not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 10.0 percent. The rate also shows a decrease of 1.1 percentage points from the June 2021 rate of 7.4 percent. Historically, the average over-the-month change in the not seasonally adjusted rate for July is -0.4 percentage points.

Louisiana’s not seasonally adjusted number of employed individuals also improved over the month for the sixth consecutive time. Since June 2021, the number of not seasonally adjusted employed individuals increased by 21,636 from 1,936,121 to 1,957,757 in July 2021. When compared to July 2020, the number of not seasonally adjusted employed individuals increased by 172,241.

Since July 2020, the number of not seasonally adjusted unemployed individuals decreased by 65,603 from 198,185 to 132,582 in July 2021. When compared to June 2021, the number of not seasonally adjusted unemployed individuals decreased by 22,608 individuals.

The July 2021 not seasonally adjusted civilian labor force, or the number of people employed or looking for work, is 2,090,339, an increase of 106,638 from the July 2020 figure of 1,983,701. The series is down 972 individuals from the June 2021 revised figure of 2,091,311.

Not seasonally adjusted July 2021 unemployment rates for Louisiana’s nine MSAs are as follows:

• Alexandria: 4.3 percent, down from 5.1 percent in June and down from 7.2 percent in July 2020.

• Baton Rouge: 5.8 percent, down from 6.8 percent in June and down from 9.2 percent in July 2020.

• Hammond: 7.4 percent, down from 8.4 percent in June and down from 11.8 percent in July 2020.

• Houma: 5.3 percent, down from 6.2 percent in June and down from 8.6 percent in July 2020.

• Lafayette: 5.6 percent, down from 6.6 percent in June and down from 9.2 percent in July 2020.

• Lake Charles: 6.3 percent, down from 7.5 percent in June and down from 10.0 percent in July 2020.

• Monroe: 5.5 percent, down from 6.5 percent in June and down from 8.6 percent in July 2020.

• New Orleans: 7.6 percent, down from 8.9 percent in June and down from 11.9 percent in July 2020.

• Shreveport: 6.1 percent, down from 7.2 percent in June and down from 9.5 percent in July 2020.

Since July 2020, not seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment increased by 66,100 jobs from 1,773,900 to 1,840,000 in July 2021. When compared to June 2021, not seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment decreased by 1,600 jobs.

Since July 2020, not seasonally adjusted private sector employment increased by 65,300 jobs from 1,472,200 to 1,537,500 in July 2021. When compared to June 2021, not seasonally adjusted private sector employment increased by 3,700 jobs.

Industries that showed the largest gains for not seasonally adjusted jobs for July 2021:

Leisure and Hospitality gained 30,000 jobs from July 2020.

Education and Health Services gained 13,200 jobs from July 2020.

Professional and Business Services gained 11,000 jobs from July 2020.

Trade, Transportation, and Utilities gained 6,000 jobs from July 2020.

About the Louisiana Workforce Commission

The Louisiana Workforce Commission is an agency of state government that administers programs designed to enhance workforce growth and provide family-sustaining jobs for Louisiana residents. The commission monitors employment, administers unemployment compensation and tax funds, provides training resources for employers and employees and oversees worker compensation benefits. The agency also gathers and supplies information on the labor market and occupational sectors in Louisiana.