St. Mary jobless rate says below 4%

St. Mary’s economy grew by 549 jobs over the year ending in April, according to figures from the Louisiana Workforce Commission.

The parish’s unemployment rate has remained below 4% for a year and was at 3.7% in April, unchanged from March, the statistics said.

Statewide, joblessness was at 3.4% in April after Louisiana gained 48,000 jobs year over year.

St. Mary employment was at 19,098 in April, down from 19,137 in March but 549 more than in April 2022.

In Assumption, the April jobless rate was 4.0% on employment of 8,520, unchanged from April 2022.

St. Martin unemployment was 3.2% in April on employment of 21,594, up 202 from the previous April.

In nearby metropolitan statistical areas, April joblessness in Terrebonne and Lafourche dipped to 2.9%. In the Lafayette area, unemployment was at 3.0% last month.

The private education and health sector was the biggest gainer in Louisiana in April, gaining 16,000 jobs from the previous year. About 13,000 of those jobs were in health.

Leisure and hospitality gained 10,700 jobs year over year; construction picked up 5,700 jobs; and manufacturing was up by 5,200 jobs.

The mining and logging sector, which includes many energy-related jobs, was up 2,700 year over year.

Declines were recorded in trade, transportation and utilities, down 3,500 since April 2022, and information, down 900 jobs in the last year.

The commission figures for April are not seasonally adjusted.