Louisiana’s unemployment rate totaled 7.1% in May, significantly above the national average of 5.8%, according to figures released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
However, all 50 states reported jobless rate decreases from a year earlier. Over the past year, Louisiana saw its unemployment rate drop by six percentage points, from 13.1% in May 2020 to 7.1% last month.
It was also among 14 states where nonfarm payroll employment increased over the same 12-month period. An additional 96,400 people were employed throughout Louisiana, with statewide employment reaching 1,829,200 in May—a 5.6% uptick since last year.
Last month, Hawaii had the highest unemployment rate in the U.S. (8.1%), followed by New Mexico (8.0%) and California (7.9%).
New Hampshire had the lowest jobless rate (2.5%), closely followed by Nebraska and Vermont, at 2.6% each.
