Lafayette, Louisiana Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Lafayette fell 0.2 percentage points in August 2018 to 5.2%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.2 percentage points higher than the Louisiana rate. The unemployment rate in Lafayette peaked in November 2010 at 7.4% and is now 2.2 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 4.4% in January 2018, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.8 percentage points. You can also compare Lafayette unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	August 2018	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	3.9%	0.0	-0.5
Louisiana	5.0%	+0.1	+0.1
Lafayette	5.2%	-0.2	-0.2

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with August 2018 data as September 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 5,450 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 1,490.

Unemployed Persons	August 2018	Month/Month	Year/Year
Lafayette	11,005	-447	-547

Number of Unemployed Persons

Lafayette, Louisiana Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Louisiana Unemployment Rate	Lafayette Unemployment Rate	Lafayette Unemployed
September 2018	3.7%	—	—	—
August 2018	3.9%	5.0%	5.2%	11,005
July 2018	3.9%	4.9%	5.4%	11,452
June 2018	4.0%	4.7%	5.2%	11,090
May 2018	3.8%	4.6%	4.8%	10,327
April 2018	3.9%	4.5%	4.8%	10,205
March 2018	4.1%	4.4%	4.6%	9,921
February 2018	4.1%	4.5%	4.4%	9,549
January 2018	4.1%	4.6%	4.4%	9,515
December 2017	4.1%	4.7%	4.8%	10,101
November 2017	4.1%	4.7%	4.8%	10,167
October 2017	4.1%	4.7%	4.9%	10,391