Department of Numbers

New Orleans-Metairie, Louisiana Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for New Orleans rose 0.1 percentage points in November 2023 to 3.5%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.0 percentage points lower than the Louisiana rate. The unemployment rate in New Orleans peaked in April 2020 at 17.6% and is now 14.1 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.3% in September 2023, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.2 percentage points. You can also compare New Orleans unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate November 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.7% -0.1 +0.1
Louisiana 3.5% +0.2 -0.1
New Orleans 3.5% +0.1 -0.1
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with November 2023 data as December metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: New Orleans, Louisiana, National

New Orleans, Louisiana monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

New Orleans, Louisiana Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in New Orleans peaked in April 2020 at 100,042. There are now 79,134 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 19,796 in September 2023, the number of unemployed has now grown by 1,112. New Orleans employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in New Orleans, Louisiana) is also available.

Unemployed Persons November 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
New Orleans 20,908 +688 -138

Number of Unemployed Persons

New Orleans, Louisiana Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Louisiana
Unemployment Rate
New Orleans
Unemployment Rate
New Orleans
Unemployed
December
2023
3.7%
November
2023
3.7% 3.5% 3.5% 20,908
October
2023
3.8% 3.3% 3.4% 20,220
September
2023
3.8% 3.3% 3.3% 19,796
August
2023
3.8% 3.3% 3.4% 20,112
July
2023
3.5% 3.4% 3.5% 20,841
June
2023
3.6% 3.6% 3.7% 22,215
May
2023
3.7% 3.6% 3.8% 22,511
April
2023
3.4% 3.6% 3.7% 21,946
March
2023
3.5% 3.6% 3.6% 21,690
February
2023
3.6% 3.6% 3.6% 21,462
January
2023
3.4% 3.5% 3.6% 21,052

1. Metro area unemployment rates are now seasonally adjusted. The BLS has started publishing smoothed seasonally adjusted metropolitan area data which makes comparisons to state and national data more relevant than the unadjusted numbers.