Jobless rates decline

August unemployment rates fell in St. Landry and Evangeline parishes, and held steady in Acadia Parish compared to rates a year ago.
Unemployment rates declined in all nine Louisiana metro areas in August for the second month in a row, according to not seasonally adjusted data released Tuesday by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The state’s unemployment rate was 6.3 percent in August, down from 7.4 percent a year ago.
The national jobless rate in August was 5.2 percent, down from 6.3 percent a year ago.
The August unemployment rates were:
St. Landry Parish, 7.7 percent, down from 8.6 percent a year ago.
Evangeline Parish, 7.5 percent, down from 8.1 percent a year ago.
Acadia Parish, 6.7 percent, unchanged from a year ago.
The number of people working in St. Landry Parish was 31,944 in August, up from 31,915 a year ago. There were 2,672 people looking for work in the parish in August, down from 3,017 a year ago.
In Evangeline Parish, there were 12,313 people working, in August up from 11,948 a year ago. The parish had 955 people looking for work in August, down from 1,056 a year ago.
In Acadia Parish, there were 25,434 people working in August, down from 25,630 a year ago. There were 1,827 people unemployed in August, down from 1,850 a year ago.
“The Baton Rouge and Lake Charles metro area labor markets continue to lead the state,” LWC Executive Director Curt Eysink said. “The Houma and Lafayette markets are feeling the greatest effect of job losses caused by the low price of crude oil.”
Job losses related to the low price of oil continued in the Lafayette and Houma metropolitan areas, which have lost 2,400 and 900 jobs in the mining and logging sector, respectively, over the past 12 months.
The Baton Rouge metropolitan area added 5,200 nonfarm jobs over the month and 7,300 jobs over the 12-month period to reach the highest level of nonfarm employment in the area’s history. Professional and business services had the largest over-the-year increase with 4,700 more jobs than in August 2014, an upturn of 10 percent. The construction sector added 2,600 jobs over the year.
Nonfarm employment in the Lake Charles metropolitan area increased by 3,800 jobs over the last 12 months, marking 50 consecutive months of over-the-year increases there. Leisure and hospitality led the area in over-the-year growth with 2,400 new jobs since August 2014.
Not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates and over-the-year changes in nonfarm employment for each metro area are as follows:
Alexandria: 6.5 percent, down from 6.8 percent in July and 7.9 percent in August 2014; 200 fewer jobs than August 2014.
Baton Rouge: 5.5 percent, down from 5.7 percent in July and 6.8 in August 2014; 7,300 more jobs over the year.
Hammond: 7.1 percent, down from 7.4 percent in July and 8.6 in August 2014; 500 more jobs over the year.
Houma, 5.5 percent, down from 5.6 percent in July and 5.7 in August 2014; 2,300 fewer jobs over the year.
Lafayette: 6.2 percent, down from 6.4 percent in July and at the same level same as August 2014; 3,000 fewer jobs over the year.
Lake Charles: 5.3 percent, down from 5.5 percent in July and 6.9 percent in August 2014; 3,800 more jobs over the year.
Monroe: 6.8 percent, down from 6.9 percent in July and 8.1 percent in August 2014; 800 fewer jobs over the year.
New Orleans: 6.1 percent, down from 6.4 percent in July and 7.4 percent in August 2014; 2,200 fewer jobs over the year.
Shreveport: 6.9 percent, down from 7.2 percent in July and 8.1 percent in August 2014; 1,900 fewer jobs over the year.
Not seasonally adjusted data are useful for comparing trends in parishes and metropolitan statistical areas, and for comparing them to the state. Seasonally adjusted data, which we released Sept. 18, are useful for comparisons among states and the nation.