2025 Jobs Report

The labor force participation rate measures the share of working-age residents who are employed or actively seeking work – a key indicator of the region’s available talent base.

In 2025, the New Orleans-Metairie MSA posted a participation rate of 60.7%, remaining above the state average (58.2%) but slightly below its 2024 peak of 61.0%. Similar small declines occurred at both the state and national levels, suggesting a broader leveling off rather than a region-specific setback.

The region’s recent gains mark a meaningful recovery from pandemic-era lows, when participation hovered below 59%. However, participation still trails the national average (62.7%), underscoring a persistent gap in labor market engagement.

Overall, the data suggest that while workforce participation has strengthened in recent years, momentum has cooled slightly – highlighting both progress made and continued opportunity to expand the region’s active labor force.

The unemployment rate measures the share of the labor force that is jobless but actively seeking work, offering insight into overall labor market conditions.

In 2025, the Greater New Orleans unemployment rate held steady at 4.4%, unchanged from 2024 and in line with its pre-pandemic level. This stability follows the sharp volatility of 2020 and the rapid recovery that brought unemployment down to 3.6% in 2023.

At the state level, Louisiana’s unemployment rate edged up slightly to 4.3%, while the national rate rose more noticeably to 4.5%. The increase nationally suggests broader labor market cooling, even as the regional rate remained flat year over year.

Overall, the data indicate that the region’s job market has stabilized after several years of fluctuation. While unemployment remains moderate, the slight upward trend at the state and national levels signals a more competitive and slower-growth environment ahead, reinforcing the importance of sustained job creation and workforce engagement to maintain economic momentum.

Educational attainment remains central to the region’s economic competitiveness and workforce strength.

In 2025, 33.6% of adults in New Orleans hold at least a bachelor’s degree, outperforming Louisiana (27.0%) but still trailing the national average (35.5%). This reinforces the region’s position as a statewide leader in degree attainment, while highlighting a remaining gap with the U.S.

At the same time, associate degree attainment lags both the state and nation, and a meaningful share of residents have some college but no credential (21.2%). Strengthening degree completion, expanding technical credentials, and improving high school attainment will be critical to broadening opportunity and sustaining long-term economic growth.

Average weekly wages in Greater New Orleans reached $1,430 in 2025, continuing a steady upward trend since 2019. Over six years, weekly wages have increased by more than $400 – a gain of roughly 41% – reflecting sustained income growth across the region.

The most recent jump from 2024 to 2025 marks one of the strongest year-over-year increases in the period, signaling continued tightening in the labor market and upward pressure on pay.

While rising wages strengthen household earning power and support regional economic growth, the key question remains how well income gains are keeping pace with inflation and overall cost-of-living increases. Maintaining real wage growth will be critical to improving affordability and long-term economic resilience.

Understanding macro-level regional data on factors is crucial for crafting equitable policies that reflect the diverse needs and opportunities across different communities.

Women represent a slight majority of the region’s population, a dynamic that should be reflected across industries and occupations. However, many high-demand and top-paying careers remain gender-skewed. Closing those gaps – particularly in fields where one gender is underrepresented – presents an opportunity to better align workforce participation with the region’s population and strengthen overall economic performance.

Greater New Orleans’ racial and ethnic diversity is one of the region’s defining strengths, and a key driver of its economic potential. However, workforce representation in many high-growth industries does not fully reflect the region’s population. Closing those gaps will require expanding access to education, training, and career pathways across communities.

Ensuring broader economic mobility is essential to building a more competitive, inclusive, and resilient regional economy.

The region maintains a balanced core workforce, with adults ages 30–39 (13.6%) and 40–49 (13.0%) representing the largest cohorts. Young adults (20–29) account for 11.9%, while those 50–59 make up 11.5%, reflecting relative stability across prime working years.

However, the population is skewing older. Residents 65 and over comprise 19.3% of the population, slightly exceeding children under 14 (18.0%). Including those ages 60–64 (6.4%), nearly one-quarter of residents are at or nearing retirement age.

This demographic shift signals rising workforce replacement needs in the coming years, making talent attraction, retention, and strong entry pathways for younger workers increasingly critical to sustaining regional growth.