Lake Charles, Louisiana Unemployment
The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Lake Charles rose 0.1 percentage points in November 2023 to 3.2%. 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 11.1 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.0% in August 2023, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.2 percentage points. You can also compare Lake Charles 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 |
| Lake Charles | 3.2% | +0.1 | -0.3 |
Unemployment Rate: Lake Charles, Louisiana, National
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 10,441 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 2,874 in September 2023, the number of unemployed has now grown by 211. Lake Charles employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Lake Charles, Louisiana) is also available.
| Unemployed Persons | November 2023 | Month/Month | Year/Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Charles | 3,085 | +115 | -217 |
Number of Unemployed Persons
Lake Charles, Louisiana Unemployment History
| Date | National Unemployment Rate |
Louisiana Unemployment Rate |
Lake Charles Unemployment Rate |
Lake Charles Unemployed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 2023 |
3.7% | — | — | — |
| November 2023 |
3.7% | 3.5% | 3.2% | 3,085 |
| October 2023 |
3.8% | 3.3% | 3.1% | 2,970 |
| 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 |
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. ↩
Department of Numbers
The Department of Numbers contextualizes public data so that individuals can form independent opinions on everyday social and economic matters.
