Economic Indicators Report St. James Parish and St. John the Baptist Parish Louisiana

The report examines the economic landscape of the Louisiana River Parishes, highlighting a paradox where high industrial activity from petrochemical plants masks significant unemployment, worker outflow, and high household debt. It finds that while median incomes are higher than the state average, they fall below the regional living wage for families, and the population is experiencing a gradual decline. The workforce is characterized by a high concentration of low-skill 'Tier 3' jobs and a reliance on commuting outside the community for employment.

• The River Parishes exhibit a workforce that is willing to work but unable to find local employment, evidenced by a labor force participation rate of 60 percent (slightly above the state's 59 percent) paired with an unemployment rate of 4.5 percent, which is 0.9 percentage points higher than Louisiana's 3.6 percent.
• The region is a net exporter of workers; in 2020, 75 percent of private workforce residents found jobs outside the community, while 69 percent of the private workforce within the parishes were non-residents.
• Despite a median household income of $63,200—which is nearly $10,000 higher than the Louisiana state median of $53,500—residents face severe debt burdens. In St. John the Baptist Parish, the average household income-to-debt ratio is 1.82, and in St. James Parish, it is 1.01.
• Median incomes in the River Parishes are insufficient to meet the living wage for a two-child family, which is estimated at $79,700.
• The population of the River Parishes is declining and aging; between 2015 and 2021, the region lost over 2,300 people (a 3.0 percent decrease), with growth driven primarily by residents aged 55 and older.
• Housing burdens are significantly higher for renters than homeowners; 40 percent of renters spend 35 percent or more of their income on housing, compared to only 15 percent of homeowners.
• The region's job market is dominated by low-skill positions, with over 48 percent of workers categorized as 'Tier 3' workers who must hold multiple jobs to achieve a living wage for a family of four.

APA

Clean Air Task Force (2024). Economic Indicators Report St. James Parish and St. John the Baptist Parish Louisiana. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/12131600/james-john-parish-economic-indicator.pdf

Chicago

Clean Air Task Force. Economic Indicators Report St. James Parish and St. John the Baptist Parish Louisiana. 2024. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/12131600/james-john-parish-economic-indicator.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Clean Air Task Force |title=Economic Indicators Report St. James Parish and St. John the Baptist Parish Louisiana |date=June 2024 |url=https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/12131600/james-john-parish-economic-indicator.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cleanairtaskforce2024economic, author = {{Clean Air Task Force}}, title = {{Economic Indicators Report St. James Parish and St. John the Baptist Parish Louisiana}}, institution = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2024}, month = jun, url = {https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/12131600/james-john-parish-economic-indicator.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }