Louisiana Adds Nearly 19,300 Jobs Year-Over-Year, but Monthly Hiring Dips Slightly

NewsData.io · United States · Aug 1, 2026

Louisiana's labor market posted solid annual gains in June, adding 19,300 nonfarm jobs compared to June 2025, with construction (+10,500), professional and business services (+4,600), and manufacturing (+4,100) leading year-over-year growth. Month-over-month, however, total nonfarm employment slipped by about 800 jobs on a seasonally adjusted basis, dragged down by losses in leisure and hospitality (-1,600) and other services (-1,000). The state's unemployment rate edged down to 4.4%, while labor force participation weakened slightly to 58.7%. Baton Rouge and the Slidell metro area both reached record employment levels.