Louisiana reached a record 2.01 million nonfarm jobs in May, staying above 2 million for a fourth straight month after adding 16,700 jobs from a year earlier.
Construction drove the gains, contributing 9,300 jobs as major industrial projects advanced across the state; Baton Rouge led metro growth, with Monroe and Lake Charles also boosted by big builds.
Louisiana ranked fourth among the South’s 16 states in both year-over-year nonfarm job growth and real GDP growth, underscoring a strong second quarter.
The state still faces longer-term risks: new business formation trails most Southern peers, unemployment remains slightly above the regional average, and homeowners’ insurance costs stay among the nation’s highest.