Baton Rouge, Louisiana Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Baton Rouge rose 0.1 percentage points in December 2011 to 7.1%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.3 percentage points higher than the Louisiana rate. The unemployment rate in Baton Rouge peaked in May 2011 at 8.9% and is now 1.8 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 6.9% in September 2011, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.2 percentage points. You can also compare Baton Rouge unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	December 2011	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	8.5%	-0.2	-0.9
Louisiana	6.8%	-0.1	-0.9
Baton Rouge	7.1%	+0.1	-0.7

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with December 2011 data as January metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Baton Rouge, Louisiana, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Baton Rouge, Louisiana Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Baton Rouge peaked in May 2011 at 33,331. There are now 7,404 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 25,202 in September 2011, the number of unemployed has now grown by 725. Baton Rouge employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Baton Rouge, Louisiana) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	December 2011	Month/Month	Year/Year
Baton Rouge	25,927	+223	-3,836

Number of Unemployed Persons

Baton Rouge, Louisiana Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Louisiana Unemployment Rate	Baton Rouge Unemployment Rate	Baton Rouge Unemployed
January 2012	8.3%	—	—	—
December 2011	8.5%	6.8%	7.1%	25,927
November 2011	8.7%	6.9%	7.0%	25,704
October 2011	8.9%	7.0%	7.0%	25,543
September 2011	9.0%	6.9%	6.9%	25,202
August 2011	9.1%	7.2%	7.2%	26,371
July 2011	9.1%	7.6%	7.7%	28,533
June 2011	9.1%	7.8%	8.2%	30,480
May 2011	9.0%	8.2%	8.9%	33,331
April 2011	9.0%	8.1%	8.8%	33,122
March 2011	8.9%	8.1%	8.6%	32,649
February 2011	9.0%	7.9%	8.3%	31,425
January 2011	9.1%	7.8%	7.9%	30,014