Lafayette, Louisiana Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Lafayette fell 0.0 percentage points in December 2018 to 4.9%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.0 percentage points lower than the Louisiana rate. The unemployment rate in Lafayette peaked in November 2010 at 7.4% and is now 2.5 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 4.4% in January 2018, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.5 percentage points. You can also compare Lafayette unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	December 2018	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	3.9%	+0.2	-0.2
Louisiana	4.9%	0.0	+0.3
Lafayette	4.9%	0.0	+0.1

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with December 2018 data as January metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Lafayette, Louisiana, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Lafayette, Louisiana Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Lafayette peaked in November 2010 at 16,455. There are now 6,214 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 9,515 in January 2018, the number of unemployed has now grown by 726.

Unemployed Persons	December 2018	Month/Month	Year/Year
Lafayette	10,241	-123	+140

Number of Unemployed Persons

Lafayette, Louisiana Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Louisiana Unemployment Rate	Lafayette Unemployment Rate	Lafayette Unemployed
February 2019	3.8%	—	—	—
January 2019	4.0%	4.9%	—	—
December 2018	3.9%	4.9%	4.9%	10,241
November 2018	3.7%	4.9%	4.9%	10,364
October 2018	3.8%	4.9%	4.9%	10,365
September 2018	3.7%	4.9%	5.0%	10,576
August 2018	3.8%	4.9%	5.2%	10,999
July 2018	3.9%	5.0%	5.4%	11,452
June 2018	4.0%	5.0%	5.2%	11,090
May 2018	3.8%	5.0%	4.8%	10,327
April 2018	3.9%	4.9%	4.8%	10,205
March 2018	4.0%	4.8%	4.6%	9,921