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For the first time in five years, Louisiana has more jobs than it did before the COVID-19 pandemic.
That’s according to the First Quarter 2025 Economic Dashboard released on Tuesday by the newly formed Leaders for a Better Louisiana. The report is described by Better Louisiana as a “data-driven look” at the state’s economy and ongoing challenges.
Jobs were up 1.1% over the past year, the report says, and up 2.2% over the past two years. The state currently has about 4,100 more jobs than it did in February 2020.
Better Louisiana calls the recovery a “key milestone in the state’s long road back to economic stability.” Despite the achievement, CEO Adam Knapp says there is still much work to be done, as Louisiana continues to lag most other Southern states when it comes to long-term job growth.
“Reaching this milestone for economic recovery is also a call to action,” a statement from Knapp reads. “We’re no longer losing ground—but we’ve got a long way to go.”
Even so, eight of the state’s 10 metros did see job growth over the past year—including the Baton Rouge metro. The health care, education and government sectors saw healthy growth over that period, though sectors like logistics, finance and technology saw slower expansion.
Other key takeaways from the report:
- Wages in Louisiana have risen 19% over the past four years. While slightly below the average of 20% for Southern states, Better Louisiana calls that “overall strong growth.”
- The cost of living in Louisiana remains below the national average, though New Orleans is an exception.
- Louisiana has seen 13% growth in new business establishments over the past four years, lower than the average of 22% for Southern states.
- Residential construction remains slow. That’s something that Better Louisiana says is limiting housing supply and impacting affordability.
- After years of population decline, Louisiana’s population grew in 2024. The Baton Rouge and Lafayette metros saw the strongest growth.
