METROPOLITAN REPORT

Economic Indicators for the New Orleans Area

DIVISION OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC RESEARCH
Volume 25, No. 1

Forecasts for the 1st Quarter 2015 through the 4th Quarter 2016

April 2015

HIGHLIGHTS

After a disappointing first quarter in 2014 when the real GDP declined by 2%, the U.S. economy
bounced back at the end of June, and increased by about 4.6%. During the third quarter the economy
continued its recovery, and by the fourth quarter of 2014, the United States real output grew at an
annual rate of 2.2%.

Across the country, employment increased by 0.6% in the fourth quarter of 2014 adding about 850,000
jobs over the third quarter of 2014. By the end of 2016, national employment is expected to reach
roughly 145 million jobs.

Consistent with the positive current state of the U.S. job market, there were fewer Americans applying
for unemployment aid in 2014. In the last quarter of 2014, initial unemployment claims decreased by
3% over Q3 2014, and 16% over the Q4 2013. Recent data also indicates that the national
unemployment rate was 5.7%, down from 6.1% in Q3 2014 and 7.0% in Q4 2013.

Non-farm employment in the metro area remained strong at the end of 2014. The New Orleans MSA
economy added about 8,940 jobs (2%) over 2013.

Most noticeable employment gains, in terms of number of jobs added, were in Leisure and Hospitality
(3,350 jobs or 4%), Health Care and Social Assistance (2,820 jobs or 5%), and Professional and
Business Services (1,840 jobs or 3%).

Significant job losses were incurred in Government across all levels (1,920 jobs or -3%), and
Information (about 1,050 jobs or -7%).

Employment growth in the New Orleans area is likely to continue over the next two years. By the end
of 2016, the local area is projected to support over 576,000 jobs.

Unemployment in the New Orleans area seemed to be improving until the first half of 2014 when it
reached a low of 4.6%. However, a slight upward tick in the local unemployment rate occurred during
the last half of 2014. For the first time since Katrina, unemployment in the local area exceeded the
national figure. As of December 2014, the national rate was standing at 5.7%, down from 7.0% in the
fourth quarter of 2013. The New Orleans MSA rate was 6.2%, an increase from 5.1% which was seen
at the end of 2013.

The parishes that reported employment growth over the year in the most current quarter include
Orleans (9,019 jobs or 5.1%), St. Tammany (1,638 jobs or 2.0%), Plaquemines (335 jobs or 2.3%), and
St. John (189 jobs, or 1.3%).

In 2014 the New Orleans tourism industry continued to grow, as the city welcomed more visitors than
the previous year. Nearly 9.52 million visitors came to the New Orleans area in 2014, representing a
2.6% increase over the 9.28 million visitors who came in 2013. Spending estimates in the local area,
including gambling, were $6.82 billion, an increase of 5.4% from 2013 expenditure figures.

OVERVIEW
The UNO Forecasting Model provides current
indicators along with detailed forecasts of the
economic activity for the U.S. and the New
Orleans-Metairie-Kenner Metropolitan Statistical
Area (MSA).
Economic indicators are reported and analyzed
over the last five calendar quarters using the
latest data through the fourth quarter of 2014. The

latest available data on economic indicators for

individual parishes within the New Orleans MSA
are from the second quarter of 2014.
Yearly comparisons or FY correspond to a
calendar year. All percent changes in quarterly
activity reflect differences with respect to the
previous quarter and the same quarter in the prior
year.

THE NATIONAL ECONOMY

Consistent with the positive current state of the

U.S. job market, there were fewer Americans
applying for unemployment aid in 2014. In the last
quarter of 2014, initial unemployment claims
decreased by 3% over Q3 2014, and 16% over
Q4 2013. Recent data also indicates that the
national unemployment rate was 5.7%, down
from 6.1% in Q3 2014 and from 7.0% in Q4 2013
(Table 1).
Housing starts and personal income also
increased in 2014, by 4%, and 5% respectively.
Overall, in 2014 the U.S. economy remained

2015

2012

2009

2005

2002

1999

1996

10
8
6
4
2
0
-2
-4
-6
-8
-10

1993

Across the United States, employment increased

by 0.6% in the fourth quarter of 2014, adding
nearly 850,000 jobs over the third quarter of
2014. When compared against the fourth quarter
of 2013, growth figures translate to approximately
2.9 million jobs (2.1%) added across the U.S.
over the past year. By the end of 2016, national
employment is expected to reach roughly 145
million jobs (Figure 2).

Figure 1. Percent Change in Real GDP

Growth Rate (%)

1990

According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis,

the growth in real output was primarily driven by
an increase in personal consumption, exports,
nonresidential fixed investment, private inventory
investment, and spending by state and local
governments. Negative contributions were driven
by an increase in federal government spending
and imports. In the near future, growth in real
output is expected to stay in the 2% to 3% range.
(Figure 1)

strong displaying signs of healthy growth in many

of its sectors. Such growth is expected to
continue in the near future.

Source: Economic Forecasting Center, Georgia State University

(GSU) and Division of Business and Economic Research (DBER)

Figure 2. Total U.S. Employment

(Millions of Jobs)
180
150
120
90
60
30
0

1995
1996
1998
1999
2001
2002
2004
2005
2007
2008
2010
2011
2013
2014
2016

After a disappointing first quarter in 2014 when

the real GDP declined by 2%, the U.S. economy
bounced back at the end of June, and increased
by about 4.6%. In the fourth quarter of 2014, the
United States economy grew at an annual rate of
2.2%, as shown by BEAs most recent estimate.

Source: GSU and DBER

Table 1. U.S. Economic Indicators Quarterly Actuals, 2013:4 2014:4

Percent Change3
2014:3
2013:4
to
to
2014:4
2014:4

Economic Indicators*

2013:4

2014:1

2014:2

2014:3

2014:4

GDP Nominal ($Bill) Annual Rate1

GDP Real (2005 $Bill) Annual Rate1
Personal Income ($Bill) Annual Rate1
Total Non-Farm Employment (Mill Jobs) 1
Housing Starts (Thou) Annual Rate1
Unit Sales of Automobiles (Mil) Annual Rate

17,078
15,916
14,312
137.3
1,025
15.6

17,044
15,832
14,485
137.8
925
15.7

17,328
16,010
14,661
138.6
985
16.5

17,600
16,206
14,811
139.4
1,030
16.7

17,701
16,294
14,960
140.2
1,065
16.8

0.6
0.5
1.0
0.6
3.4
0.1

3.6
2.4
4.5
2.1
3.9
7.1

Unemployment Rate (%)1

Initial Unemployment Claims Weekly (thou) 1

7.0
344

6.6
331

6.2
316

6.1
298

5.7
289

-0.44
-2.9

-1.34
-15.9

Consumer Price Index-Urban (1982-84=100) 1

Industrial Production Manuf. Index (2007=100) 1
Prime Interest Rate (%)
Mortgage Interest Rate (%)

234.2
97.5
3.3
4.3

235.4
97.9
3.3
4.4

236.8
99.5
3.3
4.2

237.5
100.6
3.3
4.1

237.0
101.6
3.3
4.0

-0.2
0.9
0.0
-0.2

1.2
4.1
0.0
-0.3

Trade Weighted Value of $ (2005=100)2

Crude Oil Price ($ per barrel)
Natural Gas Price ($ per thou cft)
U.S. Rig Count

97.6
97.3
3.9
1,757

99.0
98.7
5.3
1,779

98.3
103.3
4.7
1,852

100.2
97.8
4.1
1,903

106.3
73.2
3.9
1,912

6.1
-25.2
-4.2
0.5

8.9
-24.8
-1.6
8.8

Value of Imports ($Bill) Annual Rate1

Value of Exports ($Bill) Annual Rate1
Merchandise Trade Balance ($Bill) Annual
Rate1

2,310
1,614

2,342
1,575

2,406
1,623

2,394
1,645

2,405
1,615

0.5
-1.9

4.1
0.0

-696

-766

-782

-749

-790

5.5

13.6

*These figures reflect only the advance estimates by BEA.

1 Seasonally adjusted.
2 Revised figures to match Economic Forecasting Center, Georgia State University data series.
3 Percent changes may not be exact due to rounding.
4 These figures represent percentage points.

Figure 3. Price of Oil and Natural Gas

$150

$ per barrel oil

$16

$125

$12

$100
$75

$8

$50

$4

$25

Oil (left)

2014

2012

2010

2008

2006

$0

2004

$0

2002

Oil prices averaged $73 per barrel in the fourth

quarter of 2014, a 25% decrease over the
average price of about $97 in the same quarter of
2013 (Figure 3). While various hypotheses were
formed to explain such a sudden drop in oil
prices, it appears that one dominates in analysts
opinion. Excess supply from Non-OPEC
producing countries such as the U.S. and Russia,
coupled with a refusal by OPEC to rethink
production, lead oil prices to plummet at the end
of 2014. Natural gas followed a similar trend, and
was down 2% in the last quarter of 2014 when
compared to the same period in 2013.

Gas (right)

Source: Energy Information Administration (EIA) and DBER

Trade
In 2014 the U.S. trade balance began to increase
once more, after a short contraction in 2013. In
the last quarter of 2014, the trade deficit was up
5.5% from Q3 2014, and almost 14% from Q4
2013. The most recent forecast indicates a period
of decrease in trade balance in 2015, followed by
another increase throughout 2016.

Forecast
Table 2, on the next page, includes a forecast of
the national economic indicators for the next two
years. Overall, indicators predict a relatively
normal growth of the economy in the upcoming
quarters.

$ per thou cft gas

Oil and Gas

Table 2. U.S. Economic Indicators Quarterly Forecast and Model Assumptions, 2014:4 2016:4
Economic Indicators

Actual
2014:4

2015:1

2015:2

2015:3

Forecast
2015:4 2016:1

2016:2

2016:3

2016:4

GDP Nominal ($Bill) Ann. Rate

GDP Real (2005 $Bill) Ann. Rate
Personal Income ($Bill) Ann. Rate
Total Non-Farm Employment (Mill Jobs)

17,701
16,294
14,960
140.2

17,884
16,418
15,125
140.9

18,090
16,525
15,259
141.7

18,308
16,630
15,397
142.3

18,492
16,725
15,559
142.9

18,687
16,827
15,758
143.4

18,881
16,935
15,938
144

19,092
17,057
16,118
144.8

19,303
17,167
16,306
145.5

Housing Starts (Thou) Ann. Rate

Unit Sales of Automobiles (Mill) Ann. Rate

1,065
16.8

1,087
16.4

1,118
16.4

1,125
16.5

1,169
16.6

1,191
16.6

1,213
16.6

1,264
16.5

1,275
16.4

Unemployment Rate (%)

Consumer Price Index-Urban (1982-84=100)
Industrial Production Manuf. Index
(2007=100)
Prime Interest Rate (%)
Mortgage Interest Rate (%)

5.7
237.0

5.6
235.7

5.5
236.8

5.5
238.0

5.4
239.3

5.3
240.6

5.3
241.7

5.3
243.1

5.3
244.6

101.6
3.3
4.0

101.7
3.3
3.8

102.6
3.2
3.6

103.7
3.3
3.8

104.5
3.5
4.2

105.6
3.8
4.6

106.4
4.0
4.9

107.3
4.0
5.2

108.1
4.2
5.3

Trade Weighted Value of $ (2005=100)

Crude Oil Price ($ per barrel)
Natural Gas Price ($ per thou cft)

106.3
73.2
3.9

108.0
49.2
3.0

108.5
42.6
3.0

108.7
52.9
3.2

108.4
58.8
3.4

107.4
62.4
3.5

106.3
65.2
3.4

105.5
72.5
3.6

105.2
73.6
3.8

Value of Imports ($Bill) Ann. Rate

Value of Exports ($Bill) Ann. Rate
Merchandise Trade Balance ($Bill) Ann.
Rate

2,405
1,615

2,328
1,607

2,313
1,625

2,340
1,647

2,371
1,666

2,406
1,692

2,442
1,718

2,474
1,745

2,516
1,773

-790

-721

-688

-693

-705

-714

-724

-729

-743

Source: GSU, U.S. Energy Information Administration.

THE NEW ORLEANS AREA ECONOMY

Overview

Non-farm employment in the metro area

remained strong at the end of 2014. The New
Orleans MSA economy added about 8,940 jobs
(2%) over 2013. Most noticeable employment
gains, in terms of number of jobs added, were in
Leisure and Hospitality (3,350 jobs or 4%), Health
Care and Social Assistance (2,820 jobs or 5%),
and Professional and Business Services (1,840
jobs or 3%). Significant job losses were incurred
in Government (1,920 jobs or -3% across all
levels), and Information (about 1,050 jobs or 11%).
Employment growth in the New Orleans area is
likely to continue over the next two years. By the

end of 2016, the area is projected to support over

576,000 jobs. (Figure 4)
Figure 4. Total New Orleans MSA
Employment
(Thousands of Jobs)
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0

1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016

Employment figures for the New Orleans area in

the fourth quarter of 2014 include final estimates
for December prepared by the Bureau of Labor
Statistics (BLS).

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and DBER

Table 3. New Orleans MSA Employment Quarterly Actuals, 2013:4 2014:4

Percent Change2
2013FY
2014:3
2013:4
to
to
to
2014FY
2014:4
2014:4
0.9
0.8
1.6
-2.0
1.7
4.5
-3.1
-3.9
-1.4

Sectors1

2013:4

2014:1

2014:2

2014:3

2014:4

Total Nonfarm Employment

Mining and Logging
Construction

563,567
7,900
31,400

559,833
7,967
31,000

566,167
8,033
31,567

563,367
8,200
31,133

568,167
8,033
30,167

Manufacturing
Durable Goods
Transportation Equipment
Nondurable Goods
Chemical Manufacturing

31,867
14,067
4,100
17,800
5,067

31,433
13,667
3,667
17,767
5,033

31,300
13,567
3,467
17,733
5,033

31,067
13,100
3,267
17,967
5,100

30,267
12,633
3,100
17,633
5,000

-2.6
-3.6
-5.1
-1.9
-2.0

-5.0
-10.2
-24.4
-0.9
-1.3

-2.7
-7.0
-26.8
0.7
1.3

Wholesale Trade
Retail Trade
Grocery Stores
General Merchandise Stores
Transport, Warehousing, and Utilities
Information
Financial Activities
Depository Credit (banking)

23,433
62,800
10,167
13,567
28,067
9,767
27,833
5,967

23,467
61,100
10,267
12,733
27,900
8,267
27,733
6,133

23,433
61,767
10,133
13,167
28,133
8,633
28,300
6,200

23,767
62,533
10,133
13,900
28,300
7,900
28,333
6,300

23,833
64,933
10,300
14,533
28,667
8,267
28,033
6,300

0.3
3.8
1.6
4.6
1.3
4.6
-1.1
0.0

1.7
3.4
1.3
7.1
2.1
-15.4
0.7
5.6

1.5
2.9
3.6
6.3
2.0
-11.3
2.2
7.9

Professional and Business Services

Professional, Scientific, Technical
Management of Companies
Admin, Support, Waste Mgmt.

74,067
32,400
8,233
33,433

73,833
32,867
7,667
33,300

74,933
33,067
7,733
34,133

73,967
32,800
7,700
33,467

74,467
33,533
7,700
33,233

0.7
2.2
0.0
-0.7

0.5
3.5
-6.5
-0.6

2.5
3.6
-4.2
3.2

Educational Services
Health Care and Social Assistance
Ambulatory Health Care
Hospitals (private)
Leisure and Hospitality
Arts, Entertainment, and Rec.
Accommodation
Food Services and Drinking Places

28,433
59,867
23,000
20,000
80,167
10,967
13,667
55,533

28,167
59,967
23,167
19,767
81,467
11,000
13,900
56,567

28,267
60,533
23,167
20,200
83,167
11,267
14,200
57,700

27,433
61,567
23,533
20,533
82,900
11,333
14,067
57,500

29,933
61,733
23,433
20,833
82,433
10,333
13,833
58,267

9.1
0.3
-0.4
1.5
-0.6
-8.8
-1.7
1.3

5.3
3.1
1.9
4.2
2.8
-5.8
1.2
4.9

5.0
4.9
6.3
6.4
4.2
2.5
1.6
5.2

Other Services
Government
Federal Government
State Government
Local Government
Unemployment Rate (%)
Unemp Claims weekly Initial
Unemp Claims weekly Continued

22,900
75,067
11,967
14,500
48,600
5.1
535
5,644

22,967
74,567
11,900
14,000
48,667
4.6
528
5,364

23,167
74,933
11,833
14,233
48,867
5.1
623
4,880

23,100
73,167
11,800
14,067
47,300
6.3
577
5,667

23,200
74,200
11,833
14,233
48,133
6.2
501
4,931

0.4
1.4
0.3
1.2
1.8
-0.13
-13.2
-13.0

1.3
-1.2
-1.1
-1.8
-1.0
1.03
-6.3
-12.6

1.1
-2.5
-1.9
-8.8
-0.7
-0.63
-11.6
-14.4

1 Some industries are volatile or subject to seasonality including information and educational services.
2 Percent changes may not be exact due to rounding.
3 These figures represent percentage points.

Figure 5. Unemployment Rate (%)

16

U.S. Seasonally Adj.

New Orleans MSA
2 per. Mov. Avg. (New Orleans MSA)

12
8
4

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

Source: BLS and DBER

Employment Changes in the Last Year

Full Year Analysis
(2014 FY vs. 2013 FY)
Leisure and Hospitality was the industry with the
highest gain of about 3,350 new positions added
over the last year. This industry is vital for the
local area economy because it provides a
significant number of jobs to New Orleans area
residents. As of December 2014, this industry
supported more than 14% of the total nonfarm
employment in the New Orleans area. Out of the
total number of new jobs added, nearly 2,850
were accounted for in the Food Services and
Drinking Places subsector. Another 267 jobs
were created in the Arts, Entertainment, and
Recreation subsector, and a similar gain of 225
jobs was recorded in Accommodation (Table 3,
previous page).
Health Care and Social Assistance had the
second biggest gain in terms of jobs added with
approximately 2,820 new positions created in
2014. This includes jobs added in various private
institutions such as hospitals, nursing and
residential care facilities, ambulatory services,
and social assistance.
Professional and Business Services represents
the second largest hiring sector in the New
Orleans area after Leisure and Hospitality.
Throughout 2014, Professional and Business
Services gained about 1,840 (3%) new jobs. Out
of that figure, about 63%, or 1,150 jobs belonged
to one of its primary subsectors, Professional,
Scientific, and Technical.
The most significant job losses in the New
Orleans area economy occurred in the following
sectors: Information and Government (all levels).
About 1,050 jobs were lost in the Information
sector over the course of 2014. However, this
sector remains fairly volatile in the local economy.
As a result of continuous budget constraints, the
Government sector continued to downsize, and
experienced a loss of approximately 1,920 jobs or

3% over 2013. Out of that total, the State

Government lost about 1,360 jobs. The other two
branches, Federal and Local Governments lost
approximately 225 and 333 jobs, respectively.
Despite some of these losses, the job market in
the New Orleans area remained solid during
2014. While still displaying a fair amount of
volatility on a quarterly basis, the local nonfarm
employment remains on an upward trend.
Quarterly Analysis
(2014 Q4 vs. 2013 Q4)
When analyzing the employment figures on a
quarterly basis, in the fourth quarter of 2014, New
Orleans added over 4,600 jobs (1%) when
compared to the same quarter in 2013. Industries
with major employment gains included Leisure
and Hospitality (2,260 jobs or 3%), Retail Trade
(2,130 jobs or 3%), and Health Care and Social
Assistance (1,860 jobs or 3%)
Job losses in the New Orleans area relative to the
same quarter in 2013 were most notable in
Manufacturing (1,600 jobs or -5%), and
Information (1,500 jobs or -15%).
Unemployment
Unemployment in the New Orleans area seemed
to be improving until the first half of 2014 when it
reached a low of 4.6%. However, as it can be
seen in Figure 5 (pg. 5), there was a slight upward
tick in the local unemployment rate during the last
half of 2014. For the first time since Katrina,
unemployment in the local area exceeded the
national figure. As of December 2014, the
national rate was standing at 5.7%, down from
7.0% in the fourth quarter of 2013. The New
Orleans MSA rate was 6.2%, an increase from
5.1% recorded at the end of 2013.
On the other hand, positive signs from the labor
market can be seen in the local initial and
continued unemployment claims. Initial claims
were down 6% over the same quarter in 2013,
while continued claims were down by 13%.

at the MSA level, the State Government incurred

another 9% loss and continued to reduce its work
force. At the national level, State Government
employment remained relatively flat. The number
of jobs in Federal Government continued to
decrease as well. While the nation lost about 2%
of these jobs, the metro area was also down by
about 2%.

New Orleans MSA and U.S. Employment

In 2014, the overall rate of employment growth in
the U.S. (1.9%) was marginally higher than the
New Orleans metropolitan area (1.6%). Figure 6
illustrates the contrast in employment growth
across sectors between the U.S. and the New
Orleans MSA.
The most significant decrease for the New
Orleans area was observed in Information jobs
which declined about 11% in 2014. This
employment sector remains very volatile in the
local area. The U.S. as a whole had a marginal
loss of 0.4% in this particular sector. In addition,

Employment growth in the local area outpaced

the nation in several sectors, such as Food
Services and Drinking Places, Educational
Services, Health Care and Social Assistance, and
Leisure and Hospitality.

Figure 6. Employment Growth in New Orleans MSA vs. U.S.

2014 FY over 2013 FY
Food Services and Drinking Places
Educational Services
Health Care and Social Assistance
Nat. Resources and Mining
Leisure and Hospitality
Admin, Support, Waste Mgmt
Retail Trade
Professional and Business Services
Financial Activities
Accommodation
1.9%
1.6%

TOTAL NONFARM (Not S.A.)

Wholesale Trade
Other Services
Nondurable Goods
Local Government
Construction
Federal Government
Manufacturing
Management of Enterprises
Durable Goods
State Government
Information
-15%

-10%
U.S.

-5%

0%

5%

10%

New Orleans MSA

Source: BLS and DBER

Other Economic Indicators

Table 4 below includes additional economic indicators for the New Orleans MSA. Overall, estimates indicate
that the area continues to recover from the effects of Katrina along with the national recession.
Table 4. Other New Orleans MSA Economic Indicators Quarterly Actuals, 2013:4 2014:4
Percent Change6

73.2
3.9
111
16,739
488

2014:3
to
2014:4
-25.2
-4.2
-2.1
-2.2
-0.8

2013:4
to
2014:4
-24.8
-1.6
2.0
-5.0
-8.3

7,877
3,837
4,040
10,727

8,898
4,141
4,758
11,567

13.0
7.9
17.8
7.8

24.3
54.1
6.4
3.2

27.4
37.7
19.6
-4.7

363.0
336.1
1,284

272.4
271.2
1,160

265.1
276.5
1,280

-2.7
2.0
10.4

9.2
-28.4
7.0

13.6
-12.0
6.2

1,898
146.2
54.1
92.2

1,737
138.7
53.3
85.4

1,812
131.3
51.6
79.7

1,745
136.3
51.7
84.5

-3.7
3.8
0.3
6.0

-0.2
0.9
4.3
-1.1

-1.8
-1.0
-5.3
1.9

577
275
302
103

326
160
166
58

303
166
136
81

418
215
203
124

407
228
179
130

-2.6
6.0
-11.8
4.4

-29.5
-17.1
-40.9
26.3

-50.4
-16.5
-66.0
-38.4

3,961
761
3,200
3,810
1,219

3,880
738
3,142
3,757
1,136

2,914
601
2,313
2,863
605

2,727
541
2,186
2,465
863

2,621
610
2,011
2,291
1,156

-3.9
12.7
-8.0
-7.0
34.0

-33.8
-19.9
-37.2
-39.9
-5.2

-9.6
4.2
-12.6
-18.1
-7.6

1,222

1,223

1,224

1,224

1,225

0.1

0.3

0.7

45,288
959
477

45,829
950
487

46,371
889
559

46,912
905
557

47,296
523

0.8
-6.1

4.4
9.8

3.9
0.1
1.2

Economic Indicators

2013:4

2014:1

2014:2

2014:3

Crude Oil Price ($ per barrel)

Natural Gas Price ($ per thou cft)
Louisiana Rig Count
Louisiana Oil Production (Thou bbls)
Louisiana Natural Gas Production (Bill cft)

97.3
3.9
109
17,618
532

98.8
5.3
108
16,876
498

103.
4.7
110
17,210
505

97.8
4.1
114
17,107
492

Foreign Trade (Thou short tons)

Imports (Thou short tons)
Exports (Thou short tons)
Air Freight Cargo (Thou short tons)

7,157
2,687
4,471
11,207

7,599
3,169
4,430
11,012

6,613
3,330
3,283
10,919

Hotel Sales ($Mill)1

Convention Room Nights (Thou)
Passenger Deplanements (Thou)e

242.9
386.4
1,197

317.2
309.6
1,169

Casino Admissions (Thou)

Total Gambling Revenues ($Mill)
Riverboat Casino Revenues ($Mill)
Harrah's Casino Revenues ($Mill)

1,748
135.1
49.6
85.5

Construction Contracts Awarded ($Mill)2

Residential ($Mill)
Non-Residential ($Mill)
Non-Building ($Mill)
Construction Contracts in Progress
($Mill)2
Residential ($Mill) WIP
Non-Residential ($Mill) WIP
Non-building ($Mill) WIP
Housing Starts2
Population (Thou)3,e
Per Capita Personal Income ($) Ann
Rate4,e
Average weekly wage ($, 8 parish area)
Motor Vehicle Sales ($Mill)5

2014:4

2013FY
to
2014FY
-4.7
17.8
2.6
-5.4
-17.6

1 Hotel sales include Orleans and Jefferson parishes only.

2 Construction figures are supplied by McGraw Hill Construction, Dodge.
3 Population figures were revised for 2010 Census data released in April 2011 and Census Intercensal Estimates released in April 2014. Quarterly
figures are a combination of data produced by U.S. Department of Census and UNO estimates using data from the Greater New Orleans Community
Data Center.
4 Per capita personal income was revised to include Census Intercensal Estimates figures released in April 2014.
5 Motor vehicle sales are for all 7 parishes.
6 Percent changes may not be exact due to rounding.
e Due to lag in data, figures are preliminary estimates.

Motor-Vehicle Sales
Figure 8. Motor Vehicle Sales - Quarterly

Airport Traffic
After a sharp drop in airport activity in 2006 due
to Hurricane Katrina, traffic has been increasing
gradually every year. Both enplanements and
deplanements are growing, indicating a higher
traffic for the International Airport of New Orleans.
In 2014, the airport reached figures recorded prior
to the storm at 4.9 million passengers enplaned
and another 4.9 million passengers deplaned.
This is a good indicator for the number of tourists
who visit the metro area every year. It also shows
the amount of travel consumed by New Orleans
area residents. A higher airport traffic also
corresponds to more travel activity by locals.

800

800

600

600

400

400

200

200

0
2003 2004 2006 2007 2009 2011 2012 2014

U.S. (left)

New Orleans MSA (right)

Millions of bbl

25

Figure 9. Louisiana Oil (Field) and Natural Gas

Production - Quarterly
900

20

750
600

15

450

10

300

150

Billions of c ft

Source: LA Department of Public Safety

Oil & Gas Production

The effects of the disturbance in the oil global
markets were also felt in the production of oil and
gas in Louisiana. In 2014, oil production in
Louisiana fell by 5% compared to 2013, as the
excess supply, and record low prices have
impacted state revenues. Louisianas economy is
still very dependent on oil, as almost 15% of its
state budget revenue comes from taxing oil
extraction according to Bloomberg (Figure 9).
Natural gas production was also down almost
18% from 2013. Despite an increase of almost
3% in the number of rigs, production of natural
gas in Louisiana continued on the downward
trend that started in early 2012.

1,000

Millions

1,000

Billions

After the local automobile sales reached a new

peak in the second quarter of 2014, they
decreased slightly in the following quarters.
However, for full-year 2014, automobile sales in
the New Orleans area were still up compared to
2013. Total motor vehicle sales for 2014 in the
local market were about $2.1 billion, an increase
of about 1% over 2013, and 14% from 2012.
Nationally, annual motor vehicle sales were up
10% from 2013, and another 18% from 2012.
Although indicators for both areas have grown
steadily since the recession, national motor
vehicle sales have recovered at a faster pace.
Figure 8 shows a continuous improvement of
national automobile sales that started in early
2009. It is important to note that the time series
for both indicators are not seasonally adjusted.

0
2003 2004 2006 2007 2009 2011 2012 2014

Oil (left)

Natural Gas (right)

Source: Energy Information Administration (EIA)

Figure 10. Enplanements/Deplanements

(Millions)
6.0
4.0
2.0
0.0
2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

2013

Enplanements
Deplanements
2 per. Mov. Avg. (Deplanements)
Source: Louis Armstrong International Airport (MSY)

Port
In 2014, foreign trade tonnage at the Port of New
Orleans was up 27% from 2013. While exports
increased 20% over 2013, imports were also up
by almost 38%. These trade indicators continue
to display a lot of volatility. However, data from
the last three years may suggest a change in the
trade deficit trend as it can be seen in Figure 11.
As of December 2014, the yearly trade deficit was
2.0 million stones, down 38% from 2013, and
61% from 2012. While it may be difficult to predict
the future performance of the trade deficit, it is
important to note a potential change in trend as
seen in the most recent figures.

Figure 11. Port of New Orleans Cargo Quarterly (Millions of Stones)

$3
$2
$1
$0
-$1
-$2
-$3
-$4
1992 1994 1997 2000 2003 2005 2008 2011 2014
Trade Deficit

Poly. (Trade Deficit)

Source: Port Of New Orleans

Gaming

Hotel Taxable Sales

(Jefferson and Orleans Parish)
Hotels in Orleans and Jefferson Parish benefited
greatly from a strong tourism industry that
developed in the New Orleans area over the past
couple of years. With an increasing number of
out-of-town visitors who are willing to spend more
money every year, hotels have experienced a
solid growth in room sales over the last decade.
As show in Figure 13, room sales have been
increasing yearly since 2006. In 2006, room sales
totaled nearly $0.6 billion, while in 2014 this
amount almost doubled, reaching $1.2 billion. In
terms of growth, hotel room sales were up 14% in
2014 compared to 2013, and 23 % compared to
2012. It is important to note that hotel sales are
not adjusted for inflation.

Figure 12. New Orleans MSA Casino ActivityQuarterly (Millions)

$200

3.0

$160

2.5
2.0

$120

1.5

$80

1.0

$40

0.5

$0
2003 2004 2006 2007 2009 2011 2012 2014
Revenue (left)
Admissions (right)

0.0

Source: Louisiana Gaming Comission

Figure 13. Hotel Taxable Sales

1.4
1.2

Billions

Admissions and revenues for New Orleans area

casinos continued to remain weak in 2014.
Although revenues improved by 4% in the fourth
quarter of 2014, they were down 1% over full year
2013, and down 4% when compared to full year
2012. With declining revenues, total admissions
at the New Orleans area casinos averaged about
7.2 million people in 2014. Counts were down 2%
from 2013 and 6% from the same period in 2012.
When considering pre-Katrina figures, casino
admissions remained at 63% of the levels seen
before the storm. Figure 12 shows a clear picture
of how casino revenues and admissions have
performed since 2003.

1.0
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Source: Louisiana Department of Revenue

10

Figure 14. New Orleans MSA Average Monthly Construction Contracts

($ Millions)
350

Non-building

300

Non-residential

250

Residential

200
150
100
50
0
2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Source: McGraw Hill Construction, Dodge

Construction

Tourism

According to the most recent employment report

from the BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics) the
New Orleans MSA construction industry reported
about 31,700 jobs as of December 2014. That
represents about 6% of the total nonfarm jobs in
the metro area, thus remaining an important
employment industry for residents.

In 2014, the New Orleans area tourism industry

continued to grow, as the city welcomed more
visitors than in 2013; this trend has persisted
since 2010. About 9.52 million visitors came to
the New Orleans area in 2014, representing a
2.6% increase over the 9.28 million visitors who
came in 2013. Spending estimates, including
gambling, were $6.82 billion.

Construction activity during 2013 looked very

similar to 2007 and 2011 when non-residential
contracts were predominant. Ongoing projects
such as the rebuilding of New Orleans public
schools, the University Medical Center, the
Veterans Affairs Hospital and the construction of
an ammonia plant by Dyno Nobel in Jefferson
Parish, continued to drive up non-residential
construction. Major non-building construction
projects were represented by general repairs of
streets in New Orleans which are expected to be
completed by early 2018 (Figure 14).
While in 2014, non-building construction topped
non-residential and residential projects similar to
2008, 2010, and 2012, activity for all three sectors
decreased substantially from previous years
records. According to the most recent Top
Construction Projects 2015 by New Orleans
CityBusiness, top construction projects in 2015 in
terms of the amount invested will be the New
Orleans Public Schools, the University Medical
Center, the Veterans Affairs Hospital, the Dyno
Nobel Ammonia Plant, and the new terminal at
the Louis Armstrong Airport.

The growth in the tourism industry continues to

benefit locals and businesses around the metro
area. Tourism-related employment opportunities
for New Orleans area residents are expanding
every year. Between 2006 and 2014, about
23,000 tourism-related jobs were added. In 2014,
about 82,000 people were working in the
hospitality industry.

Millions
12
10
8
6
4
2
0

Figure 15. New Orleans Visitors and

Spending (Full-Year)
Billions
$12
$10
$8
$6
$4
$2
$0

04' 06' 07' 08' 09' 10' 11' 12' 13' 14'

Visitors (left)

Spending (right)

Source: Hospitality Research Center (HRC)

*Before 2012, spending estimates exclude visitors' gambling
expenditures

11

Millions

Figure 16. New Orleans MSA Population

1.4
1.2
1.0
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0

'60 '70 '80 '90 '00 '02 '04 '06 '08 '10 '12 '14
Orleans Parish

Jefferson Parish

Other NOMSA Parishes

Source: U.S. Census, Greater New Orleans Community Data Center, and DBER

Population

PARISH DATA

Between 2006 and 2011, the New Orleans metro

area saw a strong recovery in population figures.
However, during the last couple of years,
population growth has stabilized. Most recent
November 2014 estimates indicate that
population was up 0.3% compared to November
2013. With over 1.2 million residents, the current
population is at 90% of the pre-Katrina
population. The distribution of New Orleans area
locals with respect to their parish of residence
remains similar. Most individuals live in the
parishes of Jefferson and Orleans. The
population in Orleans parish is 77% of what it was
prior to Katrina, while the rest of the population in
Jefferson parish and other parishes in the New
Orleans MSA have reached 95% and 99% of their
respective pre-Katrina population estimates.
(Figure 16)

The 7-parish area defined as the New OrleansMetairie-Kenner Metropolitan Statistical Area
contains Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, St.
Bernard, St. Charles, St. John the Baptist and St.
Tammany parishes. St. James used to be
considered part of the New Orleans MSA.
However, in 2003 it was removed from the New
Orleans MSA by the federal Office of
Management and Budget. St. James is still
included in the metro area for reporting of
average wage data.

THE FORECAST
Table 5 includes a forecast of all levels of
employment for the next two years. Estimates of
hotel sales are also included in the analysis.
As of the fourth quarter of 2014, the New Orleans
MSA had over 568,000 total nonfarm jobs. By the
same time in 2015, the number of jobs is
expected to increase by nearly 4,250 or 0.7%.
Segments that are expected to have a higher
growth (2015Q4 over 2014Q4) include Leisure
and Hospitality (1,473 jobs), and Educational
Services (1,320 jobs).

Data for individual parishes in the New Orleans

MSA are given in Tables 6 and 7. Labor data
available for individual parishes take longer to be
released than metropolitan area statistics. Due to
these reporting lags, this report includes data for
the third quarter of 2014 for all individual
parishes, and comparisons are made to the
previous quarter (2014 Q2) and the same period
of the previous year (2013 Q3).
The parishes that reported employment growth
over the year in the most current quarter include
Orleans (9,019 jobs or 5.1%), St. Tammany
(1,638 jobs or 2.0%), Plaquemines (335 or 2.3%),
and St. John (189 jobs, or 1.3%).
The remainder parishes lost jobs in the third
quarter of 2014 when compared to the same
period in 2013. St. Bernard lost just over 650 jobs
(-5.9%), while Jefferson lost approximately 332
jobs (-0.2%), and St. Charles lost 96 jobs (-0.4%).

Segments that are estimated to have larger job

losses include Manufacturing (-695 jobs), and
Government (-497 jobs).

12

Table 5. New Orleans MSA Employment and Economic Indicators Quarterly Forecasts, 2015:1 2016:4
Actual

Forecast

Percent Change1
2014:4
2015:4
to
to
2015:4
2016:4

Sectors

2014:4

2015:1

2015:2

2015:3

2015:4

2016:1

2016:2

2016:3

2016:4

Total Nonfarm Employment

568,167

564,691

569,015

566,526

572,415

569,108

573,180

570,708

576,214

0.7

0.7

Mining and Logging

Construction
Manufacturing
Durable Goods
Transportation Equipment
Nondurable Goods
Chemical Manufacturing

8,033
30,167
30,267
12,633
3,100
17,633
5,000

8,036
29,862
30,127
12,441
2,941
17,685
5,034

7,909
30,484
29,911
12,289
2,798
17,621
4,990

7,918
30,498
29,824
12,141
2,644
17,682
4,997

7,792
30,684
29,572
11,995
2,503
17,576
4,944

7,800
30,497
29,487
11,848
2,349
17,638
4,960

7,675
30,777
29,230
11,703
2,208
17,526
4,896

7,683
30,676
29,148
11,556
2,054
17,591
4,913

7,557
30,945
28,889
11,411
1,913
17,477
4,848

-3.0
1.7
-2.3
-5.1
-19.3
-0.3
-1.1

-3.0
0.9
-2.3
-4.9
-23.6
-0.6
-1.9

Wholesale Trade
Retail Trade
Grocery Stores
General Merchandise Stores
Transport, Warehousing, and Utilities

23,833
64,933
10,300
14,533
28,667

23,873
63,755
10,331
13,988
28,470

23,829
64,295
10,365
14,157
28,426

23,901
63,885
10,394
14,355
28,250

23,851
65,391
10,453
15,030
28,299

23,902
64,287
10,481
14,472
28,132

23,847
65,183
10,536
14,678
28,162

23,899
64,855
10,565
14,939
27,990

23,842
66,271
10,619
15,627
28,023

0.1
0.7
1.5
3.4
-1.3

0.0
1.3
1.6
4.0
-1.0

Information
Financial Activities
Depository Credit (banking)
Professional and Business Services
Professional, Scientific, Technical
Management of Companies
Administrative, Support, Waste Mgmt.

8,267
28,033
6,300
74,467
33,533
7,700
33,233

7,701
28,001
6,335
74,229
33,827
7,693
32,708

8,475
28,012
6,321
75,180
33,657
7,686
33,836

7,935
28,021
6,346
74,690
33,690
7,680
33,319

8,472
27,904
6,328
75,737
33,939
7,673
34,124

8,000
27,877
6,350
75,229
34,093
7,666
33,469

8,538
27,816
6,332
76,163
34,148
7,660
34,354

8,110
27,789
6,353
75,663
34,246
7,653
33,763

8,573
27,727
6,335
76,679
34,391
7,646
34,641

2.5
-0.5
0.4
1.7
1.2
-0.4
2.7

1.2
-0.6
0.1
1.2
1.3
-0.4
1.5

Educational Services
Health Care and Social Assistance
Ambulatory Health Care
Hospitals (private)

29,933
61,733
23,433
20,833

29,693
61,538
23,274
20,850

29,702
61,881
23,435
20,883

29,216
61,898
23,434
20,900

31,253
62,165
23,503
20,933

30,920
62,172
23,487
20,950

30,955
62,480
23,595
20,983

30,473
62,486
23,578
21,000

32,443
62,782
23,675
21,033

4.4
0.7
0.3
0.5

3.8
1.0
0.7
0.5

Leisure and Hospitality

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation
Accommodation
Food Services and Drinking Places
Other Services

82,433
10,333
13,833
58,267
23,200

82,509
10,318
13,581
58,610
23,443

83,454
10,570
13,716
59,168
23,512

83,604
10,723
13,560
59,321
23,700

83,906
10,281
13,720
59,905
23,761

83,979
10,292
13,571
60,116
23,955

84,991
10,554
13,733
60,704
24,018

85,147
10,665
13,583
60,899
24,212

85,171
9,944
13,745
61,482
24,275

1.8
-0.5
-0.8
2.8
2.4

1.5
-3.3
0.2
2.6
2.2

74,200
11,833
14,233
48,133
265.1
Hotel Sales ($Mil)2
1 Percent changes may not be exact due to rounding.
2 Orleans and Jefferson Parishes only.

73,422
11,767
13,878
47,776
320.3

73,958
11,785
13,996
48,176
358.0

73,170
11,716
13,635
47,818
268.2

73,703
11,732
13,752
48,218
260.2

72,915
11,663
13,390
47,861
313.0

73,449
11,680
13,507
48,261
349.2

72,659
11,610
13,145
47,903
262.7

73,194
11,627
13,263
48,303
255.0

-0.7
-0.9
-3.4
0.2
-1.8

-0.7
-0.9
-3.6
0.2
-2.0

Government
Federal Government
State Government
Local Government

13

Table 6: Jefferson, Orleans, St. Bernard, and St. Charles Parishes Quarterly Concurrent Economic Indicators, 2013:3 2014:3
Jefferson

2013:3
Total Employment1

2014:2

2014:3

192,711 193,849 192,379

Orleans
Percent Chg3
Last
Last
Qtr
Year

-0.8

2013:3

2014:2

St. Bernard

Percent Chg3
Last
Last
2014:3
Qtr Year

-0.2 177,470 187,006 186,489

St. Charles

2013:3

2014:2

Percent Chg3
Last
Last
2014:3
Qtr Year

2013:3

2014:2

Percent Chg3
Last
Last
2014:3
Qtr Year

-0.3

5.1

11,114

10,448

10,463

0.1

-5.9

25,347

26,374

25,251

-4.3

-0.4

-20.8
1.7
0.5
3.7
-1.2

27.0
5.9
1.1
7.6
3.4

19
107
2,061
1,329

10
85
1,054
1,382

13
86
1,023
1,407

26.7
0.8
-3
1.8

-33.3
-19.9
-50.4
5.9

93
873
4,112
4,628

87
847
4,554
4,650

93
816
3,381
4,713

6.9
-3.7
-25.8
1.4

-0.4
-6.5
-17.8
1.8

Agriculture/Fishing
Mining
Utilities
Construction
Manufacturing

36
1,411
1,262
13,773
11,024

41
1,292
1,263
13,373
10,244

42
1,260
1,276
13,141
9,839

1.6
-2.5
1.0
-1.7
-3.9

16.7
-10.7
1.1
-4.6
-10.7

68
2,446
922
5,604
4,048

109
2,547
928
5,814
4,238

86
2,589
933
6,031
4,187

Wholesale Trade
Retail Trade
Transport & Warehous.
Information

10,594
28,170
8,684
3,106

10,166
28,109
8,671
4,041

10,224
28,282
8,795
3,314

0.6
0.6
1.4
-18.0

-3.5
0.4
1.3
6.7

3,533
13,723
8,524
3,981

3,697
14,394
9,023
3,538

3,845
14,965
9,049
3,442

4.0
8.8
4.0
9.0
0.3
6.2
-2.7 -13.5

390
1,581
656
64

357
1,528
651
72

355
1,489
654
70

-0.6
-2.6
0.5
-3.2

-8.9
-5.8
-0.2
9.4

2,425
1,603
2,215
135

2,469
1,563
2,223
146

2,478
1,610
2,265
151

0.3
3.0
1.9
3.2

2.2
0.5
2.2
12.1

Finance and Insurance

Real Estate and Rental
Profess. & Tech. Svcs
Mgmt. of Enterprises
Admin. & Waste Svcs

8,485
3,898
10,184
3,081
14,663

8,695
3,672
10,769
3,109
16,046

8,755
3,676
10,700
3,003
15,223

0.7
0.1
-0.6
-3.4
-5.1

3.2
-5.7
5.1
-2.5
3.8

5,107
2,679
15,924
3,076
9,906

5,614
2,907
16,099
2,613
10,816

5,570
2,963
15,990
2,609
10,846

-0.8
9.1
1.9 10.6
-0.7
0.4
-0.2 -15.2
0.3
9.5

134
142
123
100
228

156
154
143
111
213

156
136
131
119
216

0
-11.5
-8.6
6.9
1.4

16.7
-4.2
6.5
19.4
-5.3

247
185
1,034
1,074

249
265
1,428
1,091

259
269
1,419
1,067

4.0
1.6
-0.6
-2.2

4.9
45.4
37.3
-0.7

Educational Services
Health & Soc. Assist.

30,583

29,693

30,117

1.4

-1.5

21,371
20,246

22,568
22,522

21,950
22,867

-2.7
1.5

2.7
12.9

978

1,016

1,066

4.9

9.0

1,678

1,665

1,729

3.9

3.1

Arts/Entertainment
Accommodation & Food
Other Services
Public Administration

4,606
19,933
5,864
6,134

4,485
20,651
5,721
6,109

4,527
20,981
5,724
6,090

0.9
1.6
0.1
-0.3

-1.7
5.3
-2.4
-0.7

5,246
33,354
5,432
12,111

5,877
35,826
5,542
12,211

5,722
35,214
5,495
11,965

-2.6
-1.7
-0.8
-2.0

9.1
5.6
1.2
-1.2

152
1,019
158
766

141
1,206
183
787

142
1,322
146
792

0.7
9.6
-20.3
0.6

-6.8
29.8
-7.6
3.3

375
1,183
325
824

338
1,069
351
808

417
1,063
331
814

23.6
-0.6
-5.8
0.7

11.2
-10.2
1.7
-1.3

Total Earnings ($Mill)

Avg. Weekly Wage

2,107
841

2,107
836

2,138
855

1.5
2.3

1.5
1.7

2,097
909

2,217
912

2,257
931

1.8
2.1

7.6
2.4

120
827

112
822

112
820

-0.1
-0.2

-6.7
-0.8

378
1,147

403
1,174

381
1,161

-5.3
-1.1

0.8
1.2

Est. Population (Thou)

434.8

435.6

435.8

0.0

0.2

378.7

380.4

380.3

0.0

0.4

43.5

43.9

43.9

0.1

1.0

52.6

52.8

52.8

0.1

0.4

8.0

6.0

7.6

6.5

5.2

6.2

1.0

-0.3

6.1

4.8

5.8

1.0

-0.34

Unemployment Rate (%)

Unemployment Claims
(Initial)
Unemployment Claims
(Continued)
Construction Contracts:
Res. ($Mil)2
Res. In-Progress($Mil)
Non-Res. ($Mil)2
Non-Res. In- Progress
($Mill)
Motor Vehicle Sales ($)

6.1

4.7

5.8

1.1

-0.2

1.6

-0.4

3150

2941

2679

-8.9

-15

262.2

242.2

231.3

-4.5 -11.8

58

59

50

-15.3

-13.8

323

314

306

-2.5

-5.3

2,352

1,813

2,013

11.0

-14.4

2,663

1,803

2,266

25.7 -14.9

64

43

41

-3.9

-34.9

242

185

213

14.8

-12.1

12.0
57.5
819.2

17.6
68.0
19.0

24.0
58.7
51.1

36.4
-13.7
168.9

100.0
2.1
-93.8

145.9
215.4
168.8

42.1
228.4
82.3

92.0
182.7
85.4

118.5 -36.9
-20.0 -15.2
3.8 -49.4

3.8
7.5
2.7

1.5
6.1
2.6

2.3
5.9
0.0

53.3
-3.3
-100

-39.5
-21.3
-100

10.0
21.8
0.8

4.1
21.6
8.6

6.5
19.5
5.2

58.5 -35.0
-9.7 -10.6
-39.5 550.0

1,042.9
195.0

1,021
201.1

1,042.5
200.6

2.1
-0.3

0.0
2.8

1,799.5
118.4

1,060.1
126.1

871.7
123.7

-17.8 -51.6
-1.8
4.5

70.8
14.3

14.6
14.4

14.6
14.2

0.0
-0.9

-79.4
-0.5

29.1
31.2

60.6
30.8

43.7
27.8

-27.9
-9.7

1 The number of jobs and corresponding wages for establishments subject to unemployment insurance taxation. Notable exclusions are employees of very small businesses (under 4 employees), self-employed persons
and salespersons on commission-only bases.
2 Construction figures are supplied by McGraw Hill Construction, Dodge.
3 Percent changes may not be exact due to rounding.
4 These figures represent percentage points.

14

50.2
-10.7

Table 7: St. John, St. Tammany, and Plaquemines Parishes Quarterly Concurrent Economic Indicators, 2013:3 2014:3
St. John

St. Tammany
Percent Chg3
Last
Last
Qtr
Year

Plaquemines
Percent Chg3
Last
Last
Qtr
Year

Percent Chg3
Last
Last
Qtr
Year

2013:3

2014:2

2014:3

2013:3

2014:2

2014:3

2013:3

2014:2

2014:3

14,315

14,266

14,504

1.7

1.3

81,312

82,644

82,950

0.4

2.0

14,683

14,906

15,018

0.7

2.3

Agriculture/Fishing
Mining
Utilities
Construction
Manufacturing

26
587
202
1,281
2,626

22
586
191
1,377
2,636

24
603
179
1,440
2,742

9.1
2.8
-6.3
4.6
4.0

-8.9
2.8
-11.6
12.4
4.4

110
1,537
345
4,694
3,820

118
1,731
342
4,845
3,780

141
1,812
347
5,010
3,773

19.5
4.6
1.5
3.4
-0.2

28.3
17.9
0.7
6.7
-1.2

56
1,499
370
1,137
1,921

78
1,577
371
1,175
1,693

71
1,600
372
1,164
1,698

-8.6
1.5
0.4
-0.9
0.3

27.5
6.8
0.5
2.4
-11.6

Wholesale Trade
Retail Trade
Transport & Warehous.
Information

606
1,697
761
152

647
1,764
771
143

652
1,752
806
138

0.8
-0.7
4.6
-3.5

7.5
3.2
5.9
-9.4

3,483
12,681
2,533
1,024

3,677
13,013
1,860
972

3,757
13,097
1,897
993

2.2
0.7
2.0
2.2

7.8
3.3
-25.1
-3.0

893
555
2,115
10

914
614
2,309
12

944
594
2,313
11

3.4
-3.3
0.2
-10.8

5.8
6.9
9.3
10

Finance and Insurance

Real Estate and Rental
Profess. & Tech. Svcs
Mgmt. of Enterprises
Admin. & Waste Svcs

511
143
335
163
619

305
129
260
177
716

302
127
245
144
745

-1.0
-1.3
-5.6
-18.8
4.1

-40.9
-11.2
-26.8
-11.7
20.4

2,719
961
4,180
1,164
3,795

2,864
1,000
4,303
1,149
3,598

2,867
984
4,259
1,183
3,689

0.1
-1.5
-1.0
3.0
2.5

5.5
2.4
1.9
1.7
-2.8

93
770
372
13
783

93
653
426
751

92
689
436
748

-1.1
5.6
2.4
-0.4

-1.1
-10.5
17.3
-4.5

Educational Services
Health & Soc. Assist.

1,202

1,159

1,136

-2.0

-5.5

14,372

14,629

14,677

0.3

2.1

1,042
354

1,136
364

1,108
369

-2.4
1.6

6.4
4.2

Arts/Entertainment
Accommodation & Food
Other Services
Public Administration

239
1,046
214
801

189
1,077
280
774

218
1,011
290
854

15.1
-6.1
3.6
10.4

-8.8
-3.3
35.9
6.7

1,636
10,031
2,222
3,209

1,637
10,578
2,177
3,165

1,682
10,519
2,235
3,156

2.7
-0.6
2.6
-0.3

2.8
4.9
0.6
-1.6

83
851
318
1,442

98
902
314
1,397

100
876
329
1,482

2.0
-2.8
4.9
6.1

20.4
2.9
3.4
2.8

168
902

187
1,011

174
924

-7.0
-8.6

3.8
2.4

839
794

847
789

880
816

3.9
3.4

5.0
2.8

217
1,137

223
1,151

226
1,156

1.2
0.4

4.0
1.7

43.8
8.1

43.8
6.2

43.8
7.5

0.0
1.34

0.1
-0.64

242.3
5.2

243.5
4.4

243.7
5.3

0.1
0.94

0.6
0.14

23.6
5.7

23.7
5.0

23.4
6.0

-1.2
1.04

-0.6
0.44

511

437

391

-10.5

-23.5

1,030

1,105

971

-12.1

-5.7

71

92

102

10.9

43.7

354

270

325

20.3

-8.3

765

710

747

5.2

-2.3

48.1

55

61.5

11.9

28.0

11.2
18.7
2.0
4.6
20.5

3.1
19.3
0.0
3.3
22.5

1.4
10.5
10.1
13.4
23.6

-54.8
-45.6
306.1
4.7

-87.5
-43.9
405.0
191.3
14.9

112.6
303.8
14.4
128.7
138.2

94.1
244.1
23.8
123.1
144.1

81.0
248.2
50.1
169.7
146.9

-13.9
1.7
110.5
37.9
1.9

-28.1
-18.3
247.9
31.9
6.3

7.8
21.1
17.2
63.7
21.1

3.7
13.5
0.0
30.4
20.3

8.0
15.4
0.6
30.5
20

116.2
14.1
0.3
-1.5

2.6
-27.0
-96.5
-52.1
-5.4

Total Employment1

Total Earnings ($Mill)

Avg. Weekly Wage
Est. Population (Thou)
Unemployment Rate (%)
Unemployment Claims
(Initial)
Unemployment Claims
(Continued)
Construction Contracts:
Res. ($Mil)2
Res. In-Progress($Mil)
Non-Res. ($Mil)2
Non-Res. In- Progress ($Mill)
Motor Vehicle Sales ($)

1 The number of jobs and corresponding wages for establishments subject to unemployment insurance taxation. Notable exclusions are employees of very small businesses (under 4 employees), self-employed
persons and salespersons on commission-only bases.
2 Construction figures are supplied by McGraw Hill Construction, Dodge.
3 Percent changes may not be exact due to rounding.
4 These figures represent percentage points.

15

METROPOLITAN REPORT:
Economic Indicators for the New Orleans Area
Published by the Division of Business and Economic Research
College of Business Administration
University of New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana 70148
Telephone 504.280.6240
Dr. John A. Williams, Dean
Maria J. Ortiz, Project Manager
Marius M. Mihai, Research Analyst
Karen B. Brakel, Project and Budget Coordinator

Send address changes to kbrakel@uno.edu

Copyright 2015. All rights reserved.

Division of Business and Economic Research

University of New Orleans
Lakefront, New Orleans, LA 70148
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