(Stacker) — 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.
Experts are mixed in their 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 August 2023, the national unemployment rate remains relatively low at 3.8%—nearly the same as the same month last year, and up about 0.3 percentage points from July. Regional and state employment varies widely depending on local economies. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 1.7% in Maryland to 5.4% in Nevada.
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 August 2023, 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.
50. Beauregard Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
— 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points - Total labor force: 14,604 people (451 unemployed)
49. St. Martin Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.8 percentage points - Total labor force: 21,931 people (688 unemployed)
48. Terrebonne Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.9 percentage points - Total labor force: 43,565 people (1,344 unemployed)
47. Rapides Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points - Total labor force: 56,006 people (1,719 unemployed)
46. West Baton Rouge Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points - Total labor force: 14,199 people (454 unemployed)
45. Jefferson Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points - Total labor force: 209,307 people (6,743 unemployed)
44. East Baton Rouge Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Down 0.7 percentage points - Total labor force: 236,253 people (7,630 unemployed)
43. East Feliciana Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
— 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points - Total labor force: 7,998 people (261 unemployed)
42. Vermilion Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points - Total labor force: 23,931 people (789 unemployed)
41. Grant Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points - Total labor force: 8,307 people (280 unemployed)
40. Jefferson Davis Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points - Total labor force: 12,301 people (416 unemployed)
39. Acadia Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points - Total labor force: 23,775 people (811 unemployed)
38. Sabine Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points - Total labor force: 9,304 people (326 unemployed)
37. Ouachita Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points - Total labor force: 69,965 people (2,450 unemployed)
36. Caldwell Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points - Total labor force: 3,659 people (130 unemployed)
35. Claiborne Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.8 percentage points - Total labor force: 5,392 people (199 unemployed)
34. Pointe Coupee Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Down 0.7 percentage points - Total labor force: 9,905 people (367 unemployed)
33. Evangeline Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Down 0.9 percentage points - Total labor force: 11,913 people (440 unemployed)
32. Lincoln Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points - Total labor force: 20,563 people (766 unemployed)
31. Caddo Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Down 0.7 percentage points - Total labor force: 101,133 people (3,788 unemployed)
30. Union Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
— 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points - Total labor force: 9,135 people (345 unemployed)
29. Iberia Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
— 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points - Total labor force: 27,410 people (1,039 unemployed)
28. Winn Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points - Total labor force: 4,761 people (187 unemployed)
27. Allen Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points - Total labor force: 8,071 people (313 unemployed)
26. Vernon Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
— 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: No change - Total labor force: 16,126 people (623 unemployed)
25. St. Mary Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.7 percentage points - Total labor force: 19,809 people (764 unemployed)
24. Catahoula Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
— 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points - Total labor force: 3,478 people (139 unemployed)
23. Bienville Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
— 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points - Total labor force: 5,063 people (201 unemployed)
22. Assumption Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 1.0 percentage points - Total labor force: 8,625 people (348 unemployed)
21. De Soto Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
— 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points - Total labor force: 10,909 people (438 unemployed)
20. Washington Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
— 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points - Total labor force: 16,912 people (672 unemployed)
19. St. Bernard Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points - Total labor force: 19,931 people (792 unemployed)
17. Iberville Parish (tie)
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.7 percentage points - Total labor force: 14,062 people (573 unemployed)
17. Webster Parish (tie)
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.7 percentage points - Total labor force: 14,121 people (573 unemployed)
16. Avoyelles Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Down 0.8 percentage points - Total labor force: 14,268 people (592 unemployed)
15. St. John the Baptist Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 1.0 percentage points - Total labor force: 18,912 people (780 unemployed)
14. Tangipahoa Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points - Total labor force: 56,847 people (2,352 unemployed)
13. Tensas Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
— 1-month change: Down 1.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.9 percentage points - Total labor force: 1,293 people (54 unemployed)
12. Richland Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points - Total labor force: 8,246 people (350 unemployed)
11. Natchitoches Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points - Total labor force: 16,399 people (690 unemployed)
10. St. Landry Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.7 percentage points - Total labor force: 31,565 people (1,327 unemployed)
9. Concordia Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
— 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.8 percentage points - Total labor force: 6,873 people (294 unemployed)
8. St. James Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points - Total labor force: 8,900 people (403 unemployed)
7. Orleans Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
— 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points - Total labor force: 176,138 people (7,864 unemployed)
6. West Carroll Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Down 0.8 percentage points - Total labor force: 3,360 people (164 unemployed)
5. Franklin Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points - Total labor force: 7,322 people (359 unemployed)
4. Madison Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
— 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points - Total labor force: 3,474 people (179 unemployed)
3. St. Helena Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
— 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points - Total labor force: 4,330 people (229 unemployed)
2. Morehouse Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.6%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: No change - Total labor force: 9,504 people (533 unemployed)
1. East Carroll Parish
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.7%
— 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 1.5 percentage points - Total labor force: 1,694 people (131 unemployed)
This story features data reporting by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
