Though the Baton Rouge metro area lost an estimated 2,700 jobs between June and July, new figures released by the Louisiana Workforce Commission show the Capital Region gained 9,400 jobs year-over-year in July.
The largest job losses came in the government sector, which declined by 2,400 in July, while construction shed 900 jobs, and education and health services lost 500 jobs, according to the non-seasonally adjusted figures.
The Baton Rouge unemployment rate in July was at 5.9%, which was lower than the Louisiana rate of 6.9% but higher than the U.S. rate of 4.9%. The Baton Rouge rate in June was 6%, and 5.7% in July last year.
Louisiana’s total nonfarm employment was estimated at 1.96 million in July, a loss of nearly 9,900 jobs since July 2015. The Baton Rouge metro area—which includes Ascension, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Livingston, Pointe Coupee, St. Helena, West Baton Rouge and West Feliciana parishes—had approximately 411,800 jobs in July. Â
Of the state’s nine metro areas, the Capital Region had the second lowest unemployment rate in July, with only the Lake Charles area having a lower rate, 5.5%. The rate in both Alexandria and Houma-Thibodaux was 7.2%; Shreveport was at 7.3%; Hammond and Lafayette were at 7.8%; Monroe was at 6.8%; and New Orleans 6.4%
Year-over-year, the largest job gains in the Capital Region in July came in the trade, transportation and utilities sectors, which grew by 2,800 jobs. Retail gained 2,200 jobs over the year, while education and health services added 2,600 jobs; health care and social assistance saw an uptick of 2,100 jobs; construction rose by 1,900; and professional and business services added 1,800.
