Parishes with the highest unemployment in Louisiana
While today's unemployment rates are significantly lower than the COVID-19 pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, the fear of job losses remains as workers stare down an uncertain economic future.
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 March 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.
Experts have mixed views of a potential recession. The return of student loan payments, continually high gas prices, persistent inflation, and insurance price escalations are just a few of the factors that could limit consumer spending and potentially prompt another recession.
The last economic recession before the pandemic—the Great Recession of 2007-09—sent unemployment rates up to 10% as of October 2009, and a full recovery took years.
But as of April 2024, the national unemployment rate remains relatively low at 3.9%—up slightly from the previous month. Regional and state employment varies widely depending on local economies. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 2% in North Dakota to 5.3% in California.
Read on to see the parishes with the highest unemployment in Louisiana.
#50. East Feliciana Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,054 people (336 unemployed)
#49. Plaquemines Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,662 people (403 unemployed)
#48. Pointe Coupee Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,873 people (412 unemployed)
#47. Beauregard Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,659 people (612 unemployed)
#46. Terrebonne Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 45,543 people (1,903 unemployed)
#45. St. Tammany Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 119,458 people (5,058 unemployed)
#44. Red River Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,805 people (163 unemployed)
#43. Rapides Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 55,048 people (2,342 unemployed)
#42. Evangeline Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 12,546 people (570 unemployed)
#41. St. Martin Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 22,117 people (993 unemployed)
#40. Grant Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,170 people (374 unemployed)
#39. Iberville Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,068 people (653 unemployed)
#38. Natchitoches Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,567 people (805 unemployed)
#37. Lincoln Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 21,749 people (995 unemployed)
#36. Vermilion Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 24,156 people (1,111 unemployed)
#35. Assumption Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,840 people (412 unemployed)
#34. Acadia Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 23,881 people (1,115 unemployed)
#33. Ouachita Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 69,159 people (3,263 unemployed)
#32. Allen Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,137 people (391 unemployed)
#31. Caddo Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 101,089 people (4,923 unemployed)
#30. Sabine Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,482 people (475 unemployed)
#29. Jefferson Davis Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 12,169 people (612 unemployed)
#28. Avoyelles Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,495 people (720 unemployed)
#27. Iberia Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 27,608 people (1,394 unemployed)
#26. St. Bernard Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 19,865 people (1,005 unemployed)
#25. Tangipahoa Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 57,682 people (2,970 unemployed)
#24. Vernon Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,214 people (843 unemployed)
#23. St. John the Baptist Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,864 people (978 unemployed)
#22. St. Landry Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 31,931 people (1,656 unemployed)
#21. Orleans Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 175,189 people (9,086 unemployed)
#20. Winn Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,837 people (258 unemployed)
#19. De Soto Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,888 people (574 unemployed)
#18. Washington Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,384 people (929 unemployed)
#17. St. Mary Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,854 people (993 unemployed)
#16. Catahoula Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,618 people (196 unemployed)
#15. Union Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,997 people (482 unemployed)
#14. St. James Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,847 people (490 unemployed)
#13. Claiborne Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 2.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,416 people (306 unemployed)
#12. Webster Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,166 people (796 unemployed)
#11. Caldwell Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 2.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,710 people (215 unemployed)
#10. Bienville Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,091 people (298 unemployed)
#9. Richland Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,053 people (473 unemployed)
#8. Franklin Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,207 people (429 unemployed)
#7. St. Helena Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,361 people (275 unemployed)
#6. Concordia Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 2.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,862 people (431 unemployed)
#5. Morehouse Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,562 people (657 unemployed)
#4. Madison Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 2.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,424 people (243 unemployed)
#3. Tensas Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 2.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,274 people (95 unemployed)
#2. East Carroll Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 9.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,595 people (154 unemployed)
#1. West Carroll Parish
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 10.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 2.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,491 people (351 unemployed)
This story features data reporting by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
