Louisiana Business Resources |
| The southern state of Louisiana lies north of the Gulf of Mexico and along the Mississippi River. Agriculture has been an important economic activity since the 18th century because of Louisiana’s semitropical climate and alluvial soil. In the early 20th century, petroleum and natural gas were discovered, fueling the development of an extraction industry. The industry grew rapidly until the mid 1980’s when prices fell significantly. Though not as prominent as it once was, energy is still a vital component of the state economy. Louisiana currently leads the nation in the production of sulfur and salt, and ranks high in crude petroleum, natural gas, and natural gas liquids production. Tourism is another important contributor to the state's economy; many visitors are drawn to the southern city of New Orleans because of its unique Cajun culture and famous Mardi Gras celebration. |
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Business Data |
| Per Capita Real GDP | $32,923 Rank: 38/50 (2006) |
| Population | 4,468,980 Rank: 22/50 (2000) |
| Per Capita Personal Income | $30,952 Rank: 41/50 (2006) |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.00% Rank: 17/50 (2008) |
| Business Tax Climate Index | Rank: 32/50 (2008) |
| Corporate Tax Rate | 4% - 8% |
| Individual Tax Rate | 2% - 6% |
| Sales Tax Rate | 4% |
Business Tax Climate Index |
| Individual Income Tax Index Rank | 28 |
| Sales Tax Index Rank | 47 |
| Unemployment Insurance Tax Index Rank | 8 |
| Property Tax Index Rank | 21 |
| Business Tax Climate Index | 32 |
| Corporate Tax Index Rank | 18 |
State Information |
| Abbreviation | LA |
| Capital | Baton Rouge |
| Nick Name | Pelican State |
| State Web Site | http://www.louisiana.gov |
| Motto | Union, justice, and confidence |
Top 5 Export Partner Countries | Japan, China, Mexico, Canada, Netherlands |
Top 5 Export Merchandise | Petroleum and Coal Products Sales
Chemicals Sales
Electrical Equipment Manufacturing
Computers and Electronic Products
Chemicals Manufacturing |
Major Cities | Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Shreveport |
GDP |
| Total Gross Domestic Product (USD Millions) | $216,146.00 (2007) |
| Per Capita Real GDP (USD) | $35,181.00 Rank: 27 (2007) |
Population Stats |
| Population |
4,410,796 Rank: 25 (2008) |
Age Distribution |
| Under 18 Population | 1,219,800 |
| Under 18 Percent of Total Population | 27% |
| 65 and older Population | 516,929 |
| 65 and older Percent of Total Population | 12% |
Gender Distribution |
| Male Population | 48.4% |
| Female Population | 51.6% |
| Non-English Speaker (at home) | 331,255 |
| Net International Immigration | 20,174 |
| Birth Rate | 14.5% |
| Percent of People Under Poverty Level | 19.8% |
| Rank | 2 |
Expenditure |
| Per Capita State Spending | $40,453 |
| Rank | 42 |
| Energy Expenditures per Person | $7,884 |
| Expenditures of State and Local Government Employee-Retirement Systems | $2,642,032 |
Revenue |
| Personal Income | $39,712 |
| Rank | 41 |
| State Internal Revenue Collection | $33,676,593 |
| Rank | 27 |
| Cash and Deposits by State Government | $1,145,680 |
| Per Capita State Tax Collection | $2,209 |
| Rank | 28 |
Education |
| High School Graduation Rate | 57.5% |
| Rank | 46 |
| Percent of Population with a Bachelor's Degree | 13.3% |
| Rank | 46 |
| Percent of Population with an Advanced Degree | 6.8% |
| Rank | 46 |
Largest Universities | Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge
Southeastern Louisiana University
University of Louisiana, Lafayette |
| High School Graduation Rate | 57.5% |
Logistics |
| Public Road Length (Mile) | 60,925 |
| Gas Tax Rate (%) | 20% |
| Highway Planning and Construction (USD Thousands) | 513,048 |
| Number of Public Airports | 75 |
Main Airports | BTR: Baton Rouge
MSY: New Orleans International
SHV: Shreveport |
Ports | Baton Rouge
Lake Charles
New Orleans
Plaquemines
South Louisiana |
Weather
| Map
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State Business Links |
| Nola.com |
| http://www.nola.com/ |
Secretary of State |
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Small Business Administration |
| Louisiana Small Business Administration |
| http://www.sba.gov/localresources/district/la/index.html |
| The New Orleans District Office serves 64 parishes (counties) of Louisiana, an area of approximately 44,521,000 square miles. Louisiana is known for rolling hills and marshy wetlands, from serene lake bayous to the mighty Mississippi River and the vast Gulf of Mexico. |
Top 10 Business Links |
| BayouBuzz |
| http://www.bayoubuzz.com/News/Business/Default.asp |
| In addition to business news, BayouBuzz also provides state, national, political, and technology news. |
| Louisiana Department of Labor – Labor Market Information |
| http://www.laworks.net/LaborMarketInfo/LMI_MainMenu.asp |
| This site provides some labor/workforce related information, such as a licensing guide, a monthly employment bulletin, employment projections by occupation and industry, occupational wage data, and more. Forms for employers are also available. |
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| Louisiana International Trade Statistics |
| http://www.wtcno.org/tradestats/index.html |
| This site supplies Louisiana export statistics by county, industry, and commodity with written discussions. International trade information is also available. |
| Louisiana Small Business Development Center |
| http://www.lsbdc.org/ |
| The Louisiana SBDC aims to help small businesses in Louisiana. For new businesses, there is free business counseling, training sessions, information on the forms of organization, and help with business plan writing. For established businesses, information is provided for strength/weakness analysis, strategic planning, financial analysis, marketing, and employee management. Services are either free or at an affordable rate. |
| Louisiana Workforce Commission |
| http://www.laworkforce.net/ |
| This site provides information on various programs related to workforce development, as well as a number of occupational forecast publications and reports. For example, users can find workforce forecasts for a specific region that include information for different industries, such as how much employment in landscaping will increase or decrease. |
| New Orleans City Business |
| http://www.neworleanscitybusiness.com/ |
| This is the online version of the New Orleans City Business magazine. The site provides detailed business articles, as well as archived past articles, as contained in the printed edition, plus up-to-the-minute news and legal notices. |
| New Orleans Louisiana Local & Small Business News |
| http://www.nola.com/business/ |
| This site provides Louisiana-specific business news. Most other typical news categories are also covered. |
| U.S. Export Assistance Center of New Orleans |
| http://www.buyusa.gov/neworleans/ |
| The Louisiana branch of the Department of Commerce specializes in helping small to medium sized companies develop and execute exporting strategies. Fees vary and are based on the service being provided. Access to a monthly newsletter and a list of local seminars and events is available free. |
| World Trade Center of New Orleans |
| http://www.wtc-no.org/ |
| WTC New Orleans is a non-profit member-based organization providing members with assistance in international trade. Members gain access to various training seminars at a reduced rate, access to an import/export information service, trade leads, networking, and more. |
