May 2025 | Released June 24, 2025

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United States Employment Snapshot

• In May, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 13, rose in 14, and remained unchanged in 24.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.9 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 1.8 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate remained unchanged in May.

• In May, payroll jobs rose in 37 states and fell in 11. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.4 percent in Montana. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.4 percent in Connecticut.

Louisiana Employment Snapshot

• In May, Louisiana added 1,700 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.5 percent. In the prior month, Louisiana added 1,200 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Louisiana added 19,800 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.4 percentage points from 4.1 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 139,000 in May, or 0.1 percent. Louisiana is tied for 18th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In May, Louisiana’s private sector added 1,300 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 16,800 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Louisiana added 800 net private payroll jobs.

• In May, employment in Louisiana rose by 367, and over the past 12 months it fell by 12,532.

• Louisiana’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 57.9 percent in May and is tied for 46th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.3 percentage points.

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Louisiana Payroll Employment

• Louisiana added 1,700 net payroll jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during May. In the prior month, Louisiana added 1,200 jobs. Louisiana nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 139,000 in May, or 0.1 percent. Louisiana is tied for 18th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Louisiana added 1,300 private sector jobs, or 0.1 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during May. In the prior month, Louisiana added 800 jobs. Louisiana private sector payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 140,000 jobs in May, or 0.1 percent. Louisiana is tied for 21st in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• The best performing sectors on a seasonally adjusted basis during May were Education and Health Services (1,400) and Professional and Business Services (1,100).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-800) and Leisure and Hospitality (-1,200).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (11,300) and Other Services tied with Government (3,000).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Construction (-1,200) and Financial Activities (-2,100).

Louisiana Labor Force

The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16 and older who are employed or actively looking for work.

• The labor force participation rate in Louisiana remained unchanged at 57.9 percent in May.

• Louisiana is tied for 46th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Louisiana was 60.5 percent in May 2015, and the 10-year low was 55.2 percent in April 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.2 percentage points to 62.4 percent in May.