Louisiana’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for December 2019 rose to 4.9%, ranking it fifth highest among all states and Washington, D.C., according to the latest numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Alaska had the highest unemployment at 6.1%, followed by Mississippi (5.7), Washington, D.C., (5.3%), and West Virginia (5%).
The national unemployment rate was 3.5%. The lowest unemployment rate was reported in South Carolina, Utah and Vermont, all at 2.3%.
Louisiana’s December rate rose from 4.7% the month before, and 4.5% in October 2019—but was consistent with the 4.9% rate reported in December 2018. Louisiana and Pennsylvania had the largest month-to-month rate increases, at 0.2 percentage points each.
The state’s civilian labor force also grew by roughly 3,300 people, reaching roughly 2.1 million, between November and December.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics is expected to release the metropolitan area unemployment data for December 2019 on Feb. 5.
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