Capital Region unemployment drops to 7% in January

The unemployment rate in the Baton Rouge metro area fell from 7.6% at the end of 2012 to 7% at the close of January, according to a report released by the Louisiana Workforce Commission today. The state’s unemployment rate fell to 5.9% to open the year, down from 7% in December 2012. The state’s civilian labor force, meanwhile, grew in January to its largest level since 2005, according to the LWC figures, which the commission attributes to federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. The civilian labor force—or the number of people working plus those who are unemployed and looking for work—rose to approximately 2.1 million in January, the report says. That’s an increase of about 12,350 people compared to the year previous, and the highest level since November 2005. “The growth of our labor force and the high number of people who are working are indicators our economy is continuing to grow,” says LWC Executive Director Curt Eysink in a prepared statement. Inside the nine-parish region LWC includes in the Capital Region stats, the following are unemployment rates in January: East Baton Rouge, 6.8%; Ascension, 6.3%; East Feliciana, 8.2%; Iberville, 9.3%; Livingston, 6.6%; Pointe Coupee, 8.1%; St. Helena, 11.5%; West Baton Rouge, 7%; West Feliciana, 9%. LWC has more details on the January unemployment report here.