News alert: Capital Region unemployment falls to 6.6% in November

The unemployment rate in the nine-parish Baton Rouge MSA fell to 6.6% in November—down from 7.1% in October and 7.4% a year ago—according to a report released today by the Louisiana Workforce Commission. Total nonfarm employment for the Baton Rouge MSA was estimated at 366,200 for November, an increase of roughly 1,500 jobs from the month earlier and 500 from November 2010. Goods-producing employment showed a gain of 600 jobs from last month and 2,100 from last year, while the service-providing sector added 900 jobs on the month but lost 1,600 over the year. Ascension Parish enjoyed the lowest unemployment rate in the nine-parish region in November, at 5.7%. Livingston wasn’t far behind at 6.1%, followed by East Baton Rouge at 6.4%, West Baton Rouge at 7.5%, West Feliciana at 7.6%, Pointe Coupee at 7.9%, East Feliciana at 8.1%, Iberville at 10%, and St. Helena at 12.2%. Louisiana’s unemployment rate dropped to 6.9% in November—down from 7% in October and 7.7% in November a year ago—according to another report released today by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.