Lake Charles, Louisiana Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Lake Charles fell 0.2 percentage points in August 2018 to 3.9%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 1.1 percentage points lower than the Louisiana rate. The unemployment rate in Lake Charles peaked in November 2010 at 8.5% and is now 4.6 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.3% in January 2018, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.6 percentage points. You can also compare Lake Charles 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
Lake Charles	3.9%	-0.2	0.0

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: 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 7,768. There are now 3,226 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 3,795 in January 2018, the number of unemployed has now grown by 747. Lake Charles employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Lake Charles, Louisiana) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	August 2018	Month/Month	Year/Year
Lake Charles	4,542	-231	+120

Number of Unemployed Persons

Lake Charles, Louisiana Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Louisiana Unemployment Rate	Lake Charles Unemployment Rate	Lake Charles Unemployed
September 2018	3.7%	—	—	—
August 2018	3.9%	5.0%	3.9%	4,542
July 2018	3.9%	4.9%	4.1%	4,773
June 2018	4.0%	4.7%	4.0%	4,631
May 2018	3.8%	4.6%	3.7%	4,307
April 2018	3.9%	4.5%	3.6%	4,207
March 2018	4.1%	4.4%	3.4%	4,022
February 2018	4.1%	4.5%	3.3%	3,856
January 2018	4.1%	4.6%	3.3%	3,795
December 2017	4.1%	4.7%	3.5%	4,004
November 2017	4.1%	4.7%	3.5%	4,064
October 2017	4.1%	4.7%	3.6%	4,143