Jobless rate back over 4% in St. Mary

St. Mary’s unemployment rate followed a statewide and regional trend in May, jumping back over 4.0%.

The rate is not seasonally adjusted and includes all nonfarm workers, according to the Louisiana Workforce Commission.

In May, St. Mary’s jobless rate was 4.4%, up from 3.7% in April 2023 and 4.1% from May 2022.

The number of employed in St. Mary fell by 61 to 19,039 month over month, but is up by 603 jobs from May 2022.

The number of unemployed people here rose 144 to 875 from April to May. Eighty-one more people were unemployed this May than in May 2022.

In Assumption, the May unemployment rate was 4.8%, up from 4.0% in April and from 4.4% a year ago. Employment was down 68 to 8,453 month over month.

St. Martin’s unemployment rate rose 6/10ths of a point to 3.8% from April to May. Employment was down 259.

Statewide, the unemployment rate was 3.9% in May, up from 3.2% in April and 3.7% from May 2022.

The state added 5,700 jobs April to May and 46,300 in the last year.

The economic sector with the biggest gain was private health and education, which gained 1,800 jobs month to month and 17,100 over the last year. Leisure and hospitality, which has shown some resilience after pandemic losses, lost 700 jobs April to May but is up 6,900 from a year ago.