(Stacker)— Unemployment rates, while significantly lower than the alarming pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, remain a subject of concern, notably as economic experts bandy around the idea of a potential recession by 2023. The last economic recession—the Great Recession of 2008-2010—sent rates up to 10% as of October 2009. It was not until the spring of 2019 that unemployment finally went down to the same level it sits at now.

As of May of this year, national unemployment is at 3.6%—as it was in both March and April, marking a three-month stagnation—following a steady drop since that aforementioned COVID-affected peak. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 1.9% in Nebraska and Utah, to 5.3% in New Mexico and 5.8% in the District of Columbia. Further breakdown by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows yet another county-based spectrum within each state.

To that end, Stacker compiled a list of parishes with the highest unemployment rate in Louisiana using data from the BLS. Parishes are ranked by unemployment rate in April 2022, which as of this writing is the most current Bureau data.

50. Beauregard Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 2.65%
  — 1 month change: -0.3%
  — 1 year change: -1.6%
• Total labor force: 15,112 (401 unemployed)

49. Lafayette Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 2.72%
  — 1 month change: -0.3%
  — 1 year change: -2.1%
• Total labor force: 118,035 (3,209 unemployed)

48. East Feliciana Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 2.81%
  — 1 month change: -0.4%
  — 1 year change: -2.0%
• Total labor force: 7,805 (219 unemployed)

47. Lafourche Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 2.83%
  — 1 month change: -0.4%
  — 1 year change: -1.7%
• Total labor force: 40,687 (1,152 unemployed)

46. West Baton Rouge Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 2.94%
  — 1 month change: -0.3%
  — 1 year change: -2.4%
• Total labor force: 13,813 (406 unemployed)

45. Jefferson Davis Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 2.98%
  — 1 month change: -0.3%
  — 1 year change: -2.2%
• Total labor force: 12,873 (384 unemployed)

44. Natchitoches Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 2.98%
  — 1 month change: -0.2%
  — 1 year change: -1.5%
• Total labor force: 16,786 (501 unemployed)

43. Vernon Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 3.03%
  — 1 month change: -0.3%
  — 1 year change: -1.3%
• Total labor force: 15,849 (481 unemployed)

42. St. Charles Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 3.04%
  — 1 month change: -0.3%
  — 1 year change: -2.1%
• Total labor force: 24,804 (754 unemployed)

41. Acadia Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 3.04%
  — 1 month change: -0.3%
  — 1 year change: -2.2%
• Total labor force: 24,261 (738 unemployed)

40. Caldwell Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 3.11%
  — 1 month change: -0.2%
  — 1 year change: -1.6%
• Total labor force: 3,701 (115 unemployed)

39. Union Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 3.11%
  — 1 month change: -0.4%
  — 1 year change: -1.8%
• Total labor force: 9,088 (283 unemployed)

38. Vermilion Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 3.12%
  — 1 month change: -0.3%
  — 1 year change: -2.3%
• Total labor force: 24,508 (764 unemployed)

37. Claiborne Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 3.13%
  — 1 month change: -0.4%
  — 1 year change: -1.8%
• Total labor force: 5,400 (169 unemployed)

36. DeSoto Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 3.17%
  — 1 month change: -0.3%
  — 1 year change: -1.9%
• Total labor force: 11,054 (350 unemployed)

35. Winn Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 3.19%
  — 1 month change: -0.3%
  — 1 year change: -1.8%
• Total labor force: 4,641 (148 unemployed)

34. Ouachita Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 3.29%
  — 1 month change: -0.3%
  — 1 year change: -2.1%
• Total labor force: 69,458 (2,283 unemployed)

33. East Baton Rouge Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 3.34%
  — 1 month change: -0.3%
  — 1 year change: -2.3%
• Total labor force: 230,904 (7,720 unemployed)

32. Catahoula Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 3.38%
  — 1 month change: -0.3%
  — 1 year change: -2.1%
• Total labor force: 3,522 (119 unemployed)

31. Richland Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 3.41%
  — 1 month change: -0.4%
  — 1 year change: -1.9%
• Total labor force: 8,333 (284 unemployed)

30. Calcasieu Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 3.42%
  — 1 month change: -0.3%
  — 1 year change: -2.8%
• Total labor force: 99,288 (3,395 unemployed)

29. St. Martin Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 3.46%
  — 1 month change: -0.3%
  — 1 year change: -2.7%
• Total labor force: 22,433 (776 unemployed)

28. Avoyelles Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 3.49%
  — 1 month change: -0.2%
  — 1 year change: -1.8%
• Total labor force: 14,685 (513 unemployed)

27. Webster Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 3.50%
  — 1 month change: -0.3%
  — 1 year change: -2.2%
• Total labor force: 14,339 (502 unemployed)

26. Allen Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 3.63%
  — 1 month change: -0.3%
  — 1 year change: -2.5%
• Total labor force: 8,298 (301 unemployed)

25. Evangeline Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 3.66%
  — 1 month change: -0.3%
  — 1 year change: -1.7%
• Total labor force: 12,090 (443 unemployed)

24. Terrebonne Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 3.70%
  — 1 month change: -0.4%
  — 1 year change: -1.9%
• Total labor force: 44,961 (1,665 unemployed)

23. Pointe Coupee Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 3.72%
  — 1 month change: -0.3%
  — 1 year change: -2.2%
• Total labor force: 9,772 (364 unemployed)

22. Bienville Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 3.82%
  — 1 month change: -0.2%
  — 1 year change: -2.2%
• Total labor force: 5,309 (203 unemployed)

21. Jefferson Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 3.83%
  — 1 month change: -0.3%
  — 1 year change: -2.7%
• Total labor force: 211,687 (8,107 unemployed)

20. Washington Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 3.85%
  — 1 month change: -0.3%
  — 1 year change: -2.2%
• Total labor force: 16,891 (651 unemployed)

19. Concordia Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 4.08%
  — 1 month change: -0.4%
  — 1 year change: -1.8%
• Total labor force: 7,017 (286 unemployed)

18. Franklin Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 4.11%
  — 1 month change: -0.3%
  — 1 year change: -1.8%
• Total labor force: 7,550 (310 unemployed)

17. Caddo Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 4.14%
  — 1 month change: -0.3%
  — 1 year change: -2.5%
• Total labor force: 103,702 (4,292 unemployed)

16. Tangipahoa Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 4.29%
  — 1 month change: -0.4%
  — 1 year change: -2.3%
• Total labor force: 56,805 (2,435 unemployed)

15. St. Landry Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 4.36%
  — 1 month change: -0.3%
  — 1 year change: -2.1%
• Total labor force: 32,321 (1,408 unemployed)

14. Tensas Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 4.41%
  — 1 month change: -0.2%
  — 1 year change: -1.3%
• Total labor force: 1,362 (60 unemployed)

13. St. Bernard Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 4.46%
  — 1 month change: -0.4%
  — 1 year change: -3.0%
• Total labor force: 20,222 (901 unemployed)

12. Iberia Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 4.51%
  — 1 month change: -0.4%
  — 1 year change: -2.9%
• Total labor force: 28,321 (1,276 unemployed)

11. West Carroll Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 4.55%
  — 1 month change: -0.7%
  — 1 year change: -1.9%
• Total labor force: 3,603 (164 unemployed)

10. St. Mary Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 4.66%
  — 1 month change: -0.3%
  — 1 year change: -2.7%
• Total labor force: 19,244 (896 unemployed)

9. Madison Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 4.75%
  — 1 month change: -0.3%
  — 1 year change: -1.9%
• Total labor force: 3,496 (166 unemployed)

8. St. James Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 4.94%
  — 1 month change: -0.5%
  — 1 year change: -2.8%
• Total labor force: 8,973 (443 unemployed)

7. Iberville Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 5.00%
  — 1 month change: -0.4%
  — 1 year change: -2.6%
• Total labor force: 13,886 (694 unemployed)

6. Assumption Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 5.02%
  — 1 month change: -0.4%
  — 1 year change: -2.5%
• Total labor force: 8,698 (437 unemployed)

5. New Orleans

• Current unemployment rate: 5.46%
  — 1 month change: -0.4%
  — 1 year change: -3.9%
• Total labor force: 179,065 (9,783 unemployed)

4. Morehouse Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 5.50%
  — 1 month change: -0.6%
  — 1 year change: -2.0%
• Total labor force: 10,111 (556 unemployed)

3. St. John the Baptist Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 5.90%
  — 1 month change: -0.5%
  — 1 year change: -2.9%
• Total labor force: 19,330 (1,141 unemployed)

2. St. Helena Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 6.01%
  — 1 month change: -0.6%
  — 1 year change: -3.8%
• Total labor force: 4,277 (257 unemployed)

1. East Carroll Parish

• Current unemployment rate: 7.35%
  — 1 month change: -0.8%
  — 1 year change: -2.5%
• Total labor force: 1,715 (126 unemployed)

Article has been re-published pursuant to a CC BY-NC 4.0 License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/?ref=chooser-v1