Lafayette, Louisiana Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Lafayette rose 0.2 percentage points in January 2020 to 5.0%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.3 percentage points lower than the Louisiana rate. The unemployment rate in Lafayette peaked in October 2010 at 7.3% and is now 2.3 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 4.2% in May 2019, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.8 percentage points. You can also compare Lafayette unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	January 2020	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	3.6%	+0.1	-0.4
Louisiana	5.3%	+0.1	+0.6
Lafayette	5.0%	+0.2	+0.2

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with January 2020 data as February 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 16,305. There are now 5,683 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 8,977 in June 2019, the number of unemployed has now grown by 1,645.

Unemployed Persons	January 2020	Month/Month	Year/Year
Lafayette	10,622	+330	+346

Number of Unemployed Persons

Lafayette, Louisiana Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Louisiana Unemployment Rate	Lafayette Unemployment Rate	Lafayette Unemployed
February 2020	3.5%	—	—	—
January 2020	3.6%	5.3%	5.0%	10,622
December 2019	3.5%	5.2%	4.8%	10,292
November 2019	3.5%	5.2%	4.6%	9,862
October 2019	3.6%	5.2%	4.5%	9,474
September 2019	3.5%	5.1%	4.3%	9,205
August 2019	3.7%	4.9%	4.3%	9,095
July 2019	3.7%	4.7%	4.3%	9,047
June 2019	3.7%	4.6%	4.2%	8,977
May 2019	3.6%	4.5%	4.2%	9,003
April 2019	3.6%	4.5%	4.4%	9,251
March 2019	3.8%	4.5%	4.6%	9,728