New Orleans-Metairie, Louisiana Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for New Orleans rose 0.2 percentage points in March 2018 to 4.2%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.2 percentage points lower than the Louisiana rate. The unemployment rate in New Orleans peaked in November 2010 at 8.3% and is now 4.1 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 4.0% in January 2018, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.2 percentage points. You can also compare New Orleans unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	March 2018	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	4.1%	0.0	-0.4
Louisiana	4.4%	-0.1	-1.2
New Orleans	4.2%	+0.2	-0.8

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with March 2018 data as April metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: New Orleans, Louisiana, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

New Orleans, Louisiana Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in New Orleans peaked in November 2010 at 47,759. There are now 22,567 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 24,115 in January 2018, the number of unemployed has now grown by 1,077. New Orleans employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in New Orleans, Louisiana) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	March 2018	Month/Month	Year/Year
New Orleans	25,192	+926	-4,879

Number of Unemployed Persons

New Orleans, Louisiana Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Louisiana Unemployment Rate	New Orleans Unemployment Rate	New Orleans Unemployed
April 2018	3.9%	—	—	—
March 2018	4.1%	4.4%	4.2%	25,192
February 2018	4.1%	4.5%	4.0%	24,266
January 2018	4.1%	4.6%	4.0%	24,115
December 2017	4.1%	4.7%	4.2%	25,395
November 2017	4.1%	4.7%	4.3%	25,568
October 2017	4.1%	4.7%	4.3%	25,898
September 2017	4.2%	4.8%	4.5%	27,097
August 2017	4.4%	4.9%	4.7%	28,343
July 2017	4.3%	5.0%	4.8%	28,726
June 2017	4.3%	5.2%	4.8%	28,868
May 2017	4.3%	5.3%	4.9%	29,223