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Baton Rouge’s metro population reached 880,000―the highest on record―a new report from the Baton Rouge Area Chamber indicates.
“This not only signals some momentum for the region,” the report’s authors write, “but also suggests Baton Rouge is attracting and retaining the workforce needed to support its growing industries.”
BRAC’s Quarterly State of the Region for the first quarter of 2025 also highlights a number of other Capital Region key metrics:
Health care: The health care sector added 2,400 new jobs the past year. Projects like Our Lady of the Lake’s expansion in Ascension Parish and Baton Rouge General’s new hospital in Livingston Parish signal continued job creation in the sector.
Construction industry: Specialty trade contractors are leading the way, with construction laborers up 9% in the past year. The recently announced $5.8 billion Hyundai steel plant in Ascension Parish will require thousands of workers, while additional projects like Exxon’s $100 million facility upgrade will keep construction demand high, the report concludes.
Leisure and hospitality: The sector has grown 4% over the past year, even before accounting for the expected $110 million economic impact of the U.S. Bowling Congress Open Championship.
