Department of Numbers

Lake Charles, Louisiana Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Lake Charles fell 0.0 percentage points in September 2023 to 3.0%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.3 percentage points lower than the Louisiana rate. The unemployment rate in Lake Charles peaked in September 2020 at 14.3% and is now 11.3 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.0% in August 2023, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.0 percentage points. You can also compare Lake Charles unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate September 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.8% 0.0 +0.3
Louisiana 3.3% 0.0 -0.3
Lake Charles 3.0% 0.0 -0.4
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with September 2023 data as October metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Lake Charles, Louisiana, National

Lake Charles, Louisiana monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Lake Charles, Louisiana Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Lake Charles peaked in September 2020 at 13,526. There are now 10,652 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. Lake Charles employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Lake Charles, Louisiana) is also available.

Unemployed Persons September 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Lake Charles 2,874 -1 -386

Number of Unemployed Persons

Lake Charles, Louisiana Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Louisiana
Unemployment Rate
Lake Charles
Unemployment Rate
Lake Charles
Unemployed
October
2023
3.9% 3.3%
September
2023
3.8% 3.3% 3.0% 2,874
August
2023
3.8% 3.3% 3.0% 2,875
July
2023
3.5% 3.4% 3.1% 3,016
June
2023
3.6% 3.6% 3.4% 3,253
May
2023
3.7% 3.6% 3.4% 3,319
April
2023
3.4% 3.6% 3.4% 3,264
March
2023
3.5% 3.6% 3.4% 3,277
February
2023
3.6% 3.6% 3.4% 3,298
January
2023
3.4% 3.5% 3.4% 3,252
December
2022
3.5% 3.5% 3.5% 3,303
November
2022
3.6% 3.6% 3.5% 3,302

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.