Baton Rouge leads November job gains across Louisiana metros

Baton Rouge’s job market showed renewed momentum in November, adding 2,700 nonfarm positions in a single month and lifting metro employment to 438,100—its highest level since last fall and above year-ago totals. 

The Capital Region also posted a lower unemployment rate of 3.9%, according to the latest figures available from Louisiana Works, down two-tenths of a point from November 2024, signaling tighter labor conditions alongside hiring gains.

The Baton Rouge rebound mirrored a strong statewide picture: Louisiana’s private sector employment hit a record 1.693 million jobs, extending a 56-month streak of year-over-year growth, while total nonfarm employment climbed to 2.02 million, just 100 jobs shy of its all-time high. Most major metros saw monthly job increases, with New Orleans, Lafayette and Lake Charles also posting gains. 

Statewide unemployment fell to 4.2% and the number of employed residents surpassed 2 million, even as federal shutdown disruptions left some October data unavailable. Together, the figures suggest both Baton Rouge and Louisiana are entering 2026 with solid hiring momentum. 

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