How many jobs were added in Louisiana last month?

Updated Apr. 14, 2026Refreshed monthly

Louisiana gained 1,400 jobs in January 2026, ranking it 34th among states in job growth. Those figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' state employment report, which tracks monthly job changes. Job numbers can swing month to month as local economies expand or contract, but over the past five years the state has averaged about 2,500 new jobs per month. These figures are often revised in later months as more complete data rolls in.

+1.4K

month to month change in number of jobs (January 2026)

34th

rank among states in monthly job growth (January 2026)

January 2026's gain of 1,400 jobs was the 4th consecutive month of positive job growth in Louisiana. Monthly job growth was down from the 4,700 new jobs in December 2025.

During the latest five year period (February 2021 to January 2026), Louisiana gained jobs in 45 out of 60 months. January 2026 had the 24th-lowest job growth during this period. The highest gains during this period occurred in October 2021 (+46,000) while job growth was weakest in September 2021 (-41,800).

There were 1,400 more jobs in January 2026 in Louisiana than the previous month.

Monthly change in nonfarm employment, February 2021–January 2026, seasonally adjusted

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Which Louisiana sectors and industries had the best and worst job growth in January 2026?

The three supersectors with the highest job growth in January 2026 were construction, accommodation and food services, and health care and social assistance. Construction added 2,100 jobs, more than the entire economy. Accommodation and food services gained 700 jobs, while health care and social assistance added 700. The remaining supersectors either posted smaller gains or lost jobs during the month.

The health care and social assistance sector gained 700 jobs during January 2026.

Change in jobs since previous month with circle size representing number of sector jobs in Louisiana (January 2026)

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How does Louisiana's job growth in 2025 compare to previous years?

In 2025, the state has gained an average of 1,900 jobs every month. That's higher than the 2024 average monthly increase of 1,600, and the highest since 2023. The 2025 average ranks as the eighth-highest in job growth since 2023.

When excluding the two pandemic-affected years of 2020 and 2021, job growth ranged from a loss of 5,200 on average every month in 2009 to a gain of 4,100 on average every month in 2007.

In 2025, Louisiana gained an average of 1,900 jobs every month.

Average monthly change in the number of jobs, seasonally adjusted

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Job growth among 10 metro areas at least partially in Louisiana during January 2026 ranged from a loss of 1,100 jobs in the New Orleans, LA area to a gain of 1,100 jobs in the Baton Rouge, LA area metro area.

Monthly job growth, by metro area

Metro areas where at least one of its primary counties are within Louisiana

Monthly job growth, by metro area
Metro area	Change in jobs
1.	New Orleans, LA area	-1,100
2.	Baton Rouge, LA area	+1,100
3.	Lafayette, LA area	+500
4.	Shreveport, LA area	+500
5.	Lake Charles, LA area	+0
6.	Slidell, LA area	+500
7.	Monroe, LA area	+0
8.	Houma, LA area	+200
9.	Alexandria, LA area	+100
10.	Hammond, LA area	+0

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Methodology

USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.

Page sources

USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.

Bureau of Labor Statistics
Current Employment Statistics