Employment rose in four of the seven largest parishes in Louisiana from March 2023 to March 2024, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (Large counties and parishes are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2023.) Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Michael Hirniak noted that East Baton Rouge Parish had the largest over-the-year increase in employment at 3.8 percent. (See chart 1 and table 1.)

  

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Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in covered employment among the largest parishes in Louisiana, March 2024

County	Percent change, March 2024
East Baton Rouge	3.8
St. Tammany	1.2
Lafayette	0.4
Orleans	0.2
Calcasieu	-0.1
Caddo	-0.3
Jefferson	-0.9

National employment increased 1.3 percent over the year, with 300 of the 369 largest U.S. counties reporting gains. Monterey, CA, and St. Johns, FL, had the largest over-the-year increases in employment, with gains of 4.8 percent each. Elkhart, IN, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment (-4.9 percent).

Among the seven largest parishes in Louisiana, employment was highest in East Baton Rouge Parish (270,300) in March 2024. Within East Baton Rouge Parish’s private industry, health care and social assistance accounted for the largest employment. Together, the seven largest Louisiana parishes accounted for 56.0 percent of total employment within the state. Nationwide, the 369 largest counties made up 73.3 percent of total covered U.S. employment.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 57 parishes in Louisiana with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in 52 of the 57 smaller parishes were below the national average of $1,527 in the first quarter of 2024. (See table 2.)

All seven large Louisiana parishes reported average weekly wage gains from the first quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024. (See chart 2.) East Baton Rouge Parish had the largest gain (+5.4 percent). Over-the-year wage gains among Louisiana’s remaining six large parishes ranged from 3.3 percent to 1.9 percent.

  

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Chart 2. Over-the-year percent change in covered average weekly wages among the largest parishes in Louisiana, first quarter 2023

County	Percent change, first quarter 2023
Lafayette	12.3
East Baton Rouge	10.7
Caddo	9.8
Calcasieu	9.7
Jefferson	9.6
St. Tammany	9.5
Orleans	6.4

Nationwide, wages increased by 4.2 percent over the year. Among the 369 largest counties in the United States, 357 had over-the-year wage increases. Santa Clara, CA, had the largest percentage wage increase (+14.6 percent). Saginaw, MI, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease (-3.4 percent).

Weekly wages in all seven large parishes in Louisiana were below the national average of $1,527 in the first quarter of 2024. Orleans Parish ($1,354, 156^th) had an average weekly wage ranked among the top half of counties and parishes nationwide.

Among the largest U.S. counties, 85 reported average weekly wages at or above the U.S. average in the first quarter of 2024. San Mateo, CA, had the highest average weekly wage ($4,385). Average weekly wages were below the national average in the remaining 284 counties. Hidalgo, TX, had the lowest average weekly wage ($807).

Among the 57 smaller parishes in Louisiana—those with employment below 75,000— five parishes reported an average weekly wage above the national average. Cameron Parish ($2,862) reported the highest average weekly wage. Catahoula Parish ($710) reported the lowest average weekly wage in the state.

When all 64 parishes in Louisiana were considered, 8 reported average weekly wages of less than $800, 23 registered wages from $800 to $949, 11 had wages from $950 to $1,099, 9 registered wages from $1,100 to $1,249, and 13 had average weekly wages of $1,250 or higher. (See map 1.) The higher-paying parishes were concentrated around the metropolitan areas of Baton Rouge, Lake Charles, and New Orleans. The lowest-paid parishes, those with weekly wages under $800, were concentrated in non-metropolitan areas in the state’s northeastern quadrant.