Baton Rouge Metro up 10,500 jobs year-over-year
Baton Rouge, LA (September 8, 2022) – The Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC) today released its monthly economic indicator dashboard that examines and analyzes the state of the regional economy. To download this month’s indicator dashboard directly, click here.
“The Capital Region saw significant over-the-month job gains in fields ranging from office work to restaurant and bars, only two sectors continue to struggle: construction and government. All other major industries are at or above pre-pandemic job counts, with professional service jobs nearly 5% higher than March 2020,” said Andrew Fitzgerald, senior vice president of business intelligence for BRAC. “Considering the billions of dollars in announced capital expenditures from economic development wins over the past year-plus, there is strong reason for optimism regarding future construction jobs as well. While the economy has permanently changed in some ways, the region can expect its job count to right-size sooner than later.”
Key findings from this month’s dashboard include:
- Baton Rouge added 900 jobs in July, putting the metro up 10,500 jobs year-over-year;
- Professional Services, Education & Healthcare, and Leisure & Hospitality combined for big job gains this month; construction remains 17.1% below its pre-pandemic job count;
- Initial unemployment claims have fallen 48% since mid-July, so next month’s unemployment rate may be lower than the current 4.1%;
- Baton Rouge and three peer metros added jobs in July;
- Workplace travel was above pre-pandemic levels in Ascension and Livingston this month while remaining below in East Baton Rouge;
- Median pay for Louisiana workers was $53,200 in August, and pay has increased more for younger workers and workers who changed jobs.
BRAC’s Economic Indicator Dashboard looks at a number of data points to illustrate the economy’s current state. With data from a number of regional stakeholders, the dashboard is the most real-time analysis of the Baton Rouge metro economy available.
BRAC’s business intelligence team provides custom research services on a competitive fee-for-service basis, including labor market research, economic impact modeling, demographic and economic data, and general research and consulting. Interested businesses may contact Senior Vice President of Business Intelligence Andrew Fitzgerald at andrew@brac.org.
About the Baton Rouge Area Chamber
The Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC) is an aggressively ambitious regional economic development organization with a bias for action. BRAC seeks to push Baton Rouge beyond the status quo, unleash its potential, and support a vibrant business community that believes the finish line does not exist. BRAC seeks to accelerate economic opportunity in the Baton Rouge Area, for everyone, through BRING IT! Baton Rouge, its five-year, regional strategic plan. Learn more about BRAC at brac.org.
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