Tri-Parish jobless rates change little

Unemployment rates dipped slightly in St. Landry and Evangeline parishes and edged up in Acadia Parish compared to rates a year ago in July.
The state’s unemployment rate declined by 0.4 percentage points to 6.6 percent, according to not seasonally adjusted data. The national jobless rate was 5.6 percent in July, down from 6.5 percent in July 2014.
The July 2005 state unemployment rate was 6.2 percent.
The Louisiana Workforce Commission reported not seasonally adjusted data released Tuesday by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In St. Landry Parish, the unemployment rate in July was 8.1 percent, down from 8.3 percent a year ago in July. There were 32,710 people working in July, up from 32,423 in July 2014. There were 2,900 people looking for work in the parish in July, down from 2,930 in July a year ago. The jobless rate in June was 8.3 percent.
Ten years ago in July, the St. Landry Parish jobless rate was 6.2 percent with 34,860 people employed and 2,305 people looking for a job.
In Evangeline Parish, the July unemployment rate was 7.7 percent, down from 8.2 percent a year ago in July. There were 12,485 people working in Evangeline Parish in July, up from 11,918 in July 2014. There were 1,041 people seeking a job in July compared to 1,061 a year ago in July. The June jobless rate was 8.1 percent.
In July 2005, Evangeline Parish’s unemployment rate was 6.9 percent. There were 11,381 people employed and 847 people looking for employment.
Acadia Parish’s July unemployment rate was 6.8 percent up from 6.5 percent a year ago. The number of employed was 25,996, up form 25,903 a year ago in July. The number of people looking for a job was 1,910, up from 1,801 a year ago. In June, the unemployed rate was 7.3 percent.
In July 2005, Acadia Parish unemployment rate was 5.9 percent. There were 23,070 people working and 1,451 people looking for a job 10 years ago in July.
Louisiana added 13,400 more jobs over the year, the Louisiana Workforce Commission news release stated. Baton Rouge and Lake Charles led the state with 6,600 more jobs and 5,600 more jobs, respectively in July, according to a Bureau of Labor Statistics survey of 7,000 Louisiana employers. Baton Rouge has added jobs over the year for 55 consecutive months and Lake Charles has added jobs over the year for 49 consecutive months.
In Baton Rouge, sectors that added the most jobs over the year were professional and business services with 4,200 and construction with 3,200. The leisure and hospitality and construction sectors led Lake Charles in over-the-year growth with 2,500 and 1,400 new jobs, respectively.
In a normal seasonal pattern, Louisiana lost 16,800 nonfarm jobs over the month, the commission reported. Driven by a large decrease in the number of unemployed people in Louisiana, the civilian labor force declined by 14,708 individuals.
Nonfarm job losses in Houma and Lafayette are largely attributable to the decline in mining and logging jobs due to the low price of oil. Out of 1,100 jobs lost over the year in Houma, 700 were in mining and logging. In Lafayette, mining and logging lost 2,200 jobs; but, with gains in other sectors, the area netted a loss of 1,800 jobs overall.
Not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates and over-the-year changes in nonfarm employment for each metro area are as follows:
— Alexandria: 6.8 percent, down from 7.3 percent in June; 200 fewer jobs than July 2014.
— Baton Rouge: 5.7 percent, down from 6.2 percent; 6,600 more jobs over the year.
— Hammond: 7.4 percent, down from 8.0 percent; 1,000 more jobs over the year.
— Houma, 5.6 percent, down from 6.0 percent; 1,100 fewer jobs over the year.
— Lafayette: 6.4 percent, down from 6.8 percent; 1,800 fewer jobs over the year.
— Lake Charles: 5.5 percent, down from 5.8 percent; 5,600 more jobs over the year.
— Monroe: 6.9 percent, down from 7.5 percent; 700 fewer jobs over the year.
— New Orleans: 6.4 percent, down from 6.7 percent; 3,800 fewer jobs over the year.
— Shreveport: 7.2 percent, down from 7.7 percent; 500 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, released Aug. 21, are useful for comparisons among states and the nation.
Contact Harlan Kirgan at harlan.kirgan@eunicetoday.com.