Louisiana Near Worst In Country For Number Of People Leaving
According to newly released data from the Census Bureau, another fourteen thousand residents have left Louisiana in the period from 2022 to 2023.
In an article from the Louisiana Radio Network we learn that Louisiana has now had a total population reduction of more than 84,000 in the last three years alone. Only New York has seen more of its population shrink.
Why Is Louisiana's Population Shrinking So Badly?
According to demographer, Greg Rigamer, the population reduction is largely due to Louisiana's poor state of economy and he adds that it’s not a good sign.
“Louisiana is a poor state. The average household income is about two-thirds that of the United States. Our poverty rate is about fifty percent higher than the United States.”
Rigamer adds that in order for Louisiana's population to stop hemorrhaging, Governor-Elect Jeff Landry is going to have to work extensively to fix Louisiana's economy. "When you’re trying to attract new industries and investment, this is not a great track record so they have to do something to maintain a competitive profile relative to economic investment and industrial investment."
When People Leave Louisiana, Where Do They Go?
Considering the limited opportunity for employees to garner higher paying jobs, Rigamer suggests that residents have left Louisiana for better opportunities in regards to employment and education.
“You look at our educational statistics they’re really pretty close to the bottom in many categories. So young families moving to Texas and Florida and Georgia have better opportunities to income and better public schools.”
Is The Economy The Only Factor Involved With This Mass Exodus?
Apparently, Louisiana's population also took a huge hit in this time period due to the state's high death rate during the COVID pandemic when it's estimated that nearly 57,000 people died in the first two years of the pandemic.