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News Release Information

23-2048-DAL
Wednesday, September 20, 2023

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (972) 850-4800

Parish Employment and Wages in Louisiana – First Quarter 2023

Employment rose in all seven of the largest parishes in Louisiana from March 2022 to March 2023, 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 2022.) Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Michael Hirniak noted that St. Tammany Parish had the largest over-the-year increase in employment at 3.5 percent. (See chart 1 and table 1.)

 

National employment increased 2.5 percent over the year, with 325 of the 360 largest U.S. counties reporting gains. Midland, TX, had the largest over-the-year increase in employment with a gain of 8.5 percent. Elkhart, IN, experienced the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment with a loss of 4.6 percent.

Among the seven largest parishes in Louisiana, employment was highest in East Baton Rouge Parish (265,200) in March 2023. 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 56.2 percent of total employment within the state. Nationwide, the 360 largest counties made up 73.0 percent of total 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 51 of the 57 smaller parishes were below the national average of $1,465 in the first quarter of 2023. (See table 2.)

Large parish wage changes

All seven large Louisiana parishes reported average weekly wage gains from the first quarter of 2022 to the first quarter of 2023. (See chart 2.) Six parishes had wage growth rates that were above the national rate of 6.6 percent. Lafayette Parish had the largest gain (+12.3 percent), followed by East Baton Rouge Parish (+10.7 percent). Over-the-year wage gains among Louisiana’s other five large parishes ranged from 9.8 percent to 6.4 percent.

 

Nationwide, wages increased by 6.6 percent over the year. Among the 360 largest counties in the United States, 353 had over-the-year wage increases. Clayton, GA, had the largest percentage wage increase (24.3 percent). Elkhart, IN, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease (-6.3 percent).

Large parish average weekly wages

Weekly wages in all seven large parishes in Louisiana were below the national average of $1,465 in the first quarter of 2023. Orleans Parish ($1,311, 149th) had average weekly wages ranked among the top half of counties and parishes nationwide.

Among the largest U.S. counties, 87 reported average weekly wages above the U.S. average in the first quarter of 2023. New York, NY, had the highest average weekly wage at $3,922. Average weekly wages were at or below the national average in the remaining 273 counties. At $782 a week, Hidalgo, TX, had the lowest average weekly wage.

Average weekly wages in Louisiana's smaller parishes

Among the 57 smaller parishes in Louisiana—those with employment below 75,000—six parishes reported an average weekly wage above the national average of $1,465. Cameron Parish ($2,721) reported the highest average weekly wage. Madison Parish ($679) reported the lowest average weekly wage in the state.

When all 64 parishes in Louisiana were considered, 9 reported average weekly wages of less than $800, 25 registered wages from $800 to $949, 11 had wages from $950 to $1,099, 9 had wages from $1,100 to $1,249, and 10 had wages of $1,250 or more. (See chart 3.) 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.

Additional statistics and other information

QCEW data for states have been included in this release in table 3. For additional information about quarterly employment and wages data, please read the Technical Note or visit www.bls.gov/cew.

Employment and Wages Annual Averages Online features comprehensive information by detailed industry on establishments, employment, and wages for the nation and all states. This publication is typically published in September of the following year of the reference period or shortly after the QCEW first quarter full data update. The Employment and Wages Annual Averages Online is available at www.bls.gov/cew/publications/employment-and-wages-annual-averages/.

The County Employment and Wages release for second quarter 2023 is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, November 21, 2023.
The County Employment and Wages full data update for the second quarter 2023 is scheduled to be released on Thursday, December 7, 2023.

County Changes for the 2023 County Employment and Wages News Releases

Counties with annual average employment of 75,000 or more in 2022 are included in this release and will be included in future 2023 releases. Five counties have been added to the publication tables: Napa, CA; York, ME; Gaston, NC; Orange, NC; and Merrimack, NH. No counties were dropped from the publication tables.


Technical Note

Average weekly wage data by county are compiled under the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program, also known as the ES-202 program. The data are derived from summaries of employment and total pay of workers covered by state and federal unemployment insurance (UI) legislation and provided by State Workforce Agencies (SWAs). The average weekly wage values are calculated by dividing quarterly total wages by the average of the three monthly employment levels of those covered by UI programs. The result is then divided by 13, the number of weeks in a quarter. It is to be noted, therefore, that over-the-year wage changes for geographic areas may reflect shifts in the composition of employment by industry, occupation, and such other factors as hours of work. Thus, wages may vary among counties, metropolitan areas, or states for reasons other than changes in the average wage level. Data for all states, Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), counties, and the nation are available on the BLS web site at www.bls.gov/cew. However, data in QCEW press releases have been revised and may not match the data contained on the Bureau’s web site.

QCEW data are not designed as a time series. QCEW data are simply the sums of individual establishment records reflecting the number of establishments that exist in a county or industry at a point in time. Establishments can move in or out of a county or industry for a number of reasons–some reflecting economic events, others reflecting administrative changes.

The preliminary QCEW data presented in this release may differ from data released by the individual states as well as from the data presented on the BLS web site. These potential differences result from the states’ continuing receipt, review and editing of UI data over time. On the other hand, differences between data in this release and the data found on the BLS web site are the result of adjustments made to improve over-the-year comparisons. Specifically, these adjustments account for administrative (noneconomic) changes such as a correction to a previously reported location or industry classification. Adjusting for these administrative changes allows users to more accurately assess changes of an economic nature (such as a firm moving from one county to another or changing its primary economic activity) over a 12-month period. Currently, adjusted data are available only from BLS press releases.

For more information see the Technical Note for the County Employment and Wages News Release.

Information in this release will be made available to individuals with sensory impairments upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1.

Chart 3. Average weekly wages by parish in Louisiana, first quarter 2023

(U.S. average = $1,465)

Table 1. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and the seven largest parishes in Louisiana, first quarter 2023
Area Establishments,
first quarter
(thousands)
Employment Average weekly wage (1)
March 2023
(thousands)
Percent change,
March
2022–23 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)
First quarter
2023
National ranking
by level (3)
Percent change,
first quarter
2022–23 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)

United States (4)

11,883.2 151,418.1 2.5 -- $1,465 -- 6.6 --

Louisiana

152.7 1,882.2 1.9 -- 1,150 40 9.1 9

Caddo

8.0 106.0 0.3 314 1,074 310 9.8 62

Calcasieu

5.9 88.6 1.9 174 1,214 207 9.7 68

East Baton Rouge

19.0 265.2 0.6 300 1,243 189 10.7 31

Jefferson

15.8 183.2 1.4 226 1,195 223 9.6 72

Lafayette

11.7 133.6 2.6 109 1,089 299 12.3 15

Orleans

17.0 186.6 2.4 129 1,311 149 6.4 251

St. Tammany

10.5 94.4 3.5 51 1,135 267 9.5 79

(1) Average weekly wages were calculated using unrounded data.
(2) Percent changes were computed from employment and pay data adjusted for noneconomic county reclassifications.
(3) Ranking does not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.
(4) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.

Note: Data are preliminary. Covered employment and wages includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.

Table 2. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and all parishes in Louisiana, first quarter 2023
Area Establishments Employment March 2023 Average weekly wage (1)

United States (2)

11,883,196 151,418,052 $1,465

Louisiana

152,689 1,882,156 1,150

Acadia

1,433 14,606 803

Allen

444 7,254 868

Ascension

3,739 48,356 1,333

Assumption

322 3,604 1,013

Avoyelles

908 9,481 734

Beauregard

840 8,845 987

Bienville

323 3,701 923

Bossier

3,544 44,496 975

Caddo

7,958 106,016 1,074

Calcasieu

5,896 88,574 1,214

Caldwell

227 2,203 721

Cameron

173 4,006 2,721

Catahoula

266 2,068 733

Claiborne

281 3,009 867

Concordia

492 5,156 863

De Soto

634 8,232 1,299

East Baton Rouge

19,049 265,187 1,243

East Carroll

175 1,439 806

East Feliciana

394 4,947 971

Evangeline

650 8,090 759

Franklin

481 4,694 690

Grant

279 3,288 952

Iberia

1,923 23,067 1,086

Iberville

822 15,489 1,620

Jackson

307 3,640 989

Jefferson

15,766 183,161 1,195

Jefferson Davis

818 7,805 837

Lafayette

11,694 133,608 1,089

Lafourche

2,165 33,710 1,246

LaSalle

463 4,598 850

Lincoln

1,500 18,715 887

Livingston

2,959 31,144 850

Madison

267 3,055 679

Morehouse

582 6,147 801

Natchitoches

1,054 13,788 816

Orleans

16,972 186,593 1,311

Ouachita

5,258 69,601 928

Plaquemines

861 11,267 1,499

Pointe Coupee

519 5,465 936

Rapides

4,048 56,674 939

Red River

192 2,549 989

Richland

562 6,273 838

Sabine

593 5,501 808

St. Bernard

982 10,952 1,191

St. Charles

1,430 23,503 1,834

St. Helena

133 1,575 851

St. James

458 7,647 1,533

St. John the Baptist

1,008 12,909 1,458

St. Landry

2,066 23,429 891

St. Martin

1,105 11,951 1,001

St. Mary

1,445 20,860 1,149

St. Tammany

10,451 94,424 1,135

Tangipahoa

3,595 46,847 860

Tensas

131 804 752

Terrebonne

3,315 47,174 1,154

Union

450 5,063 777

Vermilion

1,313 12,166 890

Vernon

1,055 12,883 873

Washington

867 10,785 838

Webster

1,003 11,219 918

West Baton Rouge

829 13,062 1,219

West Carroll

222 1,931 748

West Feliciana

301 5,829 1,679

Winn

343 4,439 897

(1) Average weekly wages were calculated using unrounded data.
(2) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.

Note: Data are preliminary. Covered employment and wages includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.

Table 3. Covered establishments, employment, and wages by state, first quarter 2023
State Establishments,
first quarter
(thousands)
Employment Average weekly wage (1)
March 2023
(thousands)
Percent change,
March
2022–23
First quarter
2023
National ranking
by level
Percent change,
first quarter
2022–23
National ranking
by percent change

United States (2)

11,883.2 151,418.1 2.5 $1,465 -- 6.6 --

Alabama

153.8 2,055.3 2.6 1,164 38 8.9 12

Alaska

25.1 311.3 2.4 1,301 24 10.3 1

Arizona

214.7 3,143.1 2.7 1,330 21 7.5 27

Arkansas

102.2 1,272.5 3.1 1,127 44 6.4 41

California

1,790.3 17,842.7 0.9 1,735 5 5.5 46

Colorado

261.7 2,838.6 2.5 1,559 9 7.1 33

Connecticut

145.6 1,641.7 1.4 1,817 4 5.9 44

Delaware

41.0 462.3 3.0 1,431 15 4.8 50

District of Columbia

49.5 754.0 1.1 2,341 1 5.1 48

Florida

883.1 9,640.2 4.1 1,330 21 9.3 6

Georgia

376.4 4,775.6 3.0 1,376 17 6.1 43

Hawaii

55.1 634.3 3.3 1,218 30 7.2 31

Idaho

91.8 818.1 1.6 1,084 47 10.1 2

Illinois

409.8 5,936.4 2.1 1,567 8 5.5 46

Indiana

191.0 3,124.3 1.8 1,203 33 6.2 42

Iowa

110.7 1,526.1 0.9 1,176 36 8.3 15

Kansas

97.7 1,405.6 2.6 1,155 39 7.6 24

Kentucky

148.0 1,956.2 2.9 1,138 43 9.3 6

Louisiana

152.7 1,882.2 1.9 1,150 40 9.1 9

Maine

63.9 616.7 1.7 1,188 34 7.7 22

Maryland

189.1 2,647.5 2.0 1,541 10 9.0 10

Massachusetts

294.5 3,583.5 1.8 1,917 3 5.0 49

Michigan

311.0 4,305.8 2.0 1,308 23 6.8 35

Minnesota

207.8 2,836.9 1.9 1,461 14 6.5 40

Mississippi

84.7 1,153.8 1.6 944 51 7.2 31

Missouri

243.5 2,854.3 2.4 1,224 29 8.5 14

Montana

64.3 498.1 2.6 1,079 49 9.3 6

Nebraska

75.9 990.7 2.5 1,165 37 8.0 18

Nevada

106.3 1,497.2 3.8 1,246 27 7.4 28

New Hampshire

64.2 671.9 1.8 1,462 13 7.4 28

New Jersey

329.7 4,169.3 2.3 1,699 7 5.7 45

New Mexico

69.4 844.1 2.8 1,105 46 8.9 12

New York

693.2 9,368.7 2.9 2,015 2 2.1 51

North Carolina

366.3 4,782.7 3.1 1,348 18 6.8 35

North Dakota

34.9 413.0 2.9 1,216 31 9.8 3

Ohio

338.0 5,392.9 1.7 1,265 25 7.3 30

Oklahoma

128.2 1,660.1 3.6 1,109 45 9.0 10

Oregon

193.8 1,959.8 1.4 1,339 19 6.7 37

Pennsylvania

391.2 5,898.8 2.0 1,408 16 7.6 24

Rhode Island

47.7 478.4 2.1 1,334 20 6.6 39

South Carolina

173.4 2,221.1 3.4 1,139 42 9.5 5

South Dakota

39.3 440.8 2.0 1,084 47 7.0 34

Tennessee

210.7 3,201.7 2.9 1,264 26 7.8 20

Texas

820.5 13,568.7 4.3 1,480 11 8.1 17

Utah

134.7 1,666.9 2.4 1,245 28 7.9 19

Vermont

31.5 304.6 2.3 1,188 34 7.6 24

Virginia

347.7 4,002.1 2.6 1,477 12 8.2 16

Washington

238.7 3,540.1 2.5 1,721 6 7.7 22

West Virginia

56.8 682.4 1.8 1,062 50 9.6 4

Wisconsin

202.0 2,874.3 1.9 1,211 32 6.7 37

Wyoming

30.2 270.6 2.4 1,145 41 7.8 20

Puerto Rico

51.7 936.1 1.8 640 (3) 10.2 (3)

Virgin Islands

3.8 36.1 2.2 971 (3) 3.6 (3)

(1) Average weekly wages were calculated using unrounded data.
(2) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.
(3) Data not included in the national ranking.

Note: Data are preliminary. Covered employment and wages includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.

 

Last Modified Date: Wednesday, September 20, 2023