Louisiana
“The Pelican State”
What Makes Louisiana Beautiful
Louisiana pulses with a beauty both wild and cultural, from the mysterious bayous draped in Spanish moss to the vast coastal marshes that form North America's greatest wetlands. The Atchafalaya Basin is a primordial swamp paradise, while the live oak alleys of plantation country create cathedral-like canopies of green.
Key Metrics
4.7M
Population
$279.2B
GDP
+2.8%
GDP Growth (5yr)
$55.4K
Median Income
9.7%
Tax Burden
History
Louisiana Purchase doubles the size of the United States
Admitted as the 18th state
Battle of New Orleans; Andrew Jackson defeats the British
Oil discovered in Jennings, launching Louisiana's petroleum era
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans and the Gulf Coast
Top Cities
New Orleans
376K
Jazz birthplace; Mardi Gras; French Quarter
Baton Rouge
222K
State capital; LSU; petrochemical corridor
Shreveport
188K
Northwest Louisiana hub; Red River city
Lafayette
126K
Heart of Cajun country; Acadiana culture
Lake Charles
84K
LNG export hub; Creole Nature Trail
Economy & Industry
Core Industries
Natural Resources
Energy Portfolio
Budget & Fiscal Health
$38.5B
State Budget
$36.8B
State Revenue
$-1.7B
Fiscal Balance
Social Indicators
18.6%
Poverty Rate
24.9%
College Degree
7.8%
Uninsured
639/100K
Crime Rate
Where is Louisiana Headed?
GDP Projections ($B)
| Scenario | 1yr | 5yr | 10yr | 25yr | 50yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optimistic | $281B | $290B | $300B | $335B | $401B |
| Baseline | $281B | $287B | $295B | $321B | $369B |
| Pessimistic | $280B | $284B | $289B | $304B | $330B |
Political Landscape
R+12