Tri-Parish unemployment rates are down from a year ago, but there are not as many people in the workforce as there were in August 2017.
In August, the workforce in St. Landry, Acadia and Evangeline parishes totaled 68,208 — down 976 people or 1.4 percent from August 2017, according to statistics released by the Louisiana Workforce Commission.
The workforce includes people working and those looking for a job.
Total August workforce numbers were:
— St. Landry Parish, 31,970, down 1.2 percent from 32,360 in August 2017.
— Acadia Parish, 23,992, down 1.3 percent from 24,297 in August 2017.
— Evangeline Parish, 12,246, down 2.2 percent from 12,527 in August 2017.
The employment numbers release Sept. 28 are no seasonally adjusted for factors such as holidays and weather.
Tri-Parish unemployment rates in August were:
— St. Landry Parish, 6.9 percent, down from 7.2 percent a year ago in August and down from 7.6 percent in July.
— Acadia Parish, 6 percent, down from 6.2 percent in August 2017 and 6.4 percent in July.
— Evangeline Parish, 6.3 percent, down from 6.4 percent in August 2017 and down from 7.2 percent in July.
From July, all nine metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) saw declines in their not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates. From August 2017, six of the nine MSAs saw declines in their not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates.
Not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates are below:
— Alexandria: 6.1 percent, down from 6.3 percent in July and down from 6.2 percent from August 2017.
— Baton Rouge: 5 percent, down from 5.3 percent in July, but up from 4.9 percent from August 2017.
— Hammond: 6.1 percent, down from 6.5 percent in July and down from 6.2 percent from August 2017.
— Houma: 5.4 percent, down from 5.8 percent in July and down from 5.7 percent from August 2017.
— Lafayette: 5.5 percent, down from 5.9 percent in July and down from 5.9 percent from August 2017.
— Lake Charles: 4.2 percent, down from 4.5 percent in July, but remained unchanged from August 2017.
— Monroe: 5.9 percent, down from 6.1 percent in July, but up from 5.7 percent from August 2017.
— New Orleans: 5.3 percent, down from 5.6 percent in July and down from 5.4 percent from August 2017.
— Shreveport: 5.9 percent, down from 6.2 percent in July and down from 6 percent from August 2017.
The statewide not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate declined 0.4 percentage points from July to 5.5 percent in August. The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased 0.1 percentage points from August 2017.
From August 2017, the total of not seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs increased by 16,600 to 1,978,200. This is the 11th-straight not seasonally adjusted nonfarm over-the-year increase. From July, the number of not seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs increased by 600 in August.
Not seasonally adjusted private-sector employment increased by 19,100 jobs from August 2017 to 1,664,500 in August. This is also the 11th-straight month not seasonally adjusted private-sector employment has added jobs over the year.
