Lake Charles, Louisiana Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Lake Charles fell 0.1 percentage points in May 2019 to 3.4%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 1.0 percentage points lower than the Louisiana rate. The unemployment rate in Lake Charles peaked in October 2010 at 8.4% and is now 5.0 percentage points lower. You can also compare Lake Charles unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	May 2019	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	3.6%	0.0	-0.2
Louisiana	4.4%	-0.1	-0.6
Lake Charles	3.4%	-0.1	-0.5

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with May 2019 data as June metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

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 November 2010 at 7,665. There are now 3,753 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	May 2019	Month/Month	Year/Year
Lake Charles	3,912	-61	-571

Number of Unemployed Persons

Lake Charles, Louisiana Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Louisiana Unemployment Rate	Lake Charles Unemployment Rate	Lake Charles Unemployed
June 2019	3.7%	—	—	—
May 2019	3.6%	4.4%	3.4%	3,912
April 2019	3.6%	4.5%	3.5%	3,973
March 2019	3.8%	4.7%	3.6%	4,133
February 2019	3.8%	4.9%	3.7%	4,257
January 2019	4.0%	4.9%	3.7%	4,264
December 2018	3.9%	4.9%	3.8%	4,279
November 2018	3.7%	4.9%	3.8%	4,268
October 2018	3.8%	4.9%	3.8%	4,274
September 2018	3.7%	4.9%	3.8%	4,336
August 2018	3.8%	4.9%	3.9%	4,419
July 2018	3.9%	5.0%	3.9%	4,490