Economy
The nine-parish region has over 344,000 residents as of 2007 with Rapides Parish the dominant parish with 130,079. The Alexandria metropolitan statistical area (MSA), which includes Rapides and Grant parishes, contains 44 percent of the region’s population. Growth has been stagnant for the region as a whole but varies drastically across parishes. The Alexandria MSA and Avoyelles and Allen parishes experienced growth while significant declines were found in Vernon (home of Fort Polk) and Winn. 
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Cenla Population 2002-2007
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|
Area
|
2002
|
2007
|
Change
|
% Change
|
|
Allen
|
25,124
|
25,524
|
400
|
1.6%
|
|
Avoyelles
|
41,374
|
42,169
|
795
|
1.9%
|
|
Catahoula
|
10,666
|
10,452
|
-214
|
-2.0%
|
|
Grant
|
18,672
|
19,758
|
1,086
|
5.8%
|
|
LaSalle
|
14,195
|
14,041
|
-154
|
-1.1%
|
|
Natchitoches
|
39,034
|
39,485
|
451
|
1.2%
|
|
Rapides
|
126,312
|
130,079
|
3,767
|
3.0%
|
|
Vernon
|
51,548
|
47,380
|
-4,168
|
-8.1%
|
|
Winn
|
16,439
|
15,521
|
-918
|
-5.6%
|
|
Cenla
|
343,364
|
344,409
|
1,045
|
0.3%
|
|
Louisiana
|
4,465,490
|
4,293,204
|
-172,286
|
-3.9%
|
|
Nation
|
288,125,973
|
302,193,898
|
14,067,925
|
5%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source: Census Bureau, 2008
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Cenla has a lower concentration of people in the working age cohort than does the nation as a whole, as reflected in the location quotients shown ibelow. Location quotient (LQ) is a way of quantifying how concentrated a particular industry, cluster, occupation or demographic group is in a region, as compared to the nation. It can reveal what makes a particular region unique in comparison to the national average. A location quotient of 1 means that the region mirrors the national concentration. The bars in the chart that are below 1 (the dark horizontal line) have a lower concentration of population compared to the nation, above 1, a higher concentration. All age cohorts between 30 and 64 years old are below the national average. As can be seen by the bars on the left side of the chart, Cenla has higher concentrations in younger cohorts.
The Cenla economy strengthened over 2002-2007 in terms of unemployment, number of jobs and average earnings. The improvements in unemployment occurred in all nine parishes with the overall rate falling from 6.6 percent to 4.2 percent in 2007 (Table 1.5). That level of unemployment suggests a tight labor market, an assessment borne out by our discussions with the region’s leading employers. Government provides the highest average earnings per worker (EPW) at $53,674. (Note that EPW includes salaries, fringe benefits and all employer contributions and provides a better measure of job quality than salaries alone). Other leading sectors in terms of earnings include manufacturing, information and construction.
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Industry Size and Growth 2002-2007
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|
Description
|
2002 Jobs
|
2007 Jobs
|
Growth
|
% Growth
|
Earnings per worker
|
||
|
Agriculture, natural resources, and mining
|
9,074
|
9,145
|
71
|
1%
|
$27,699
|
||
|
Construction
|
9,563
|
11,623
|
2,061
|
22%
|
$37,035
|
||
|
Manufacturing
|
9,347
|
9,881
|
534
|
6%
|
$48,881
|
||
|
Trade, transportation, and utilities
|
25,563
|
27,929
|
2,366
|
9%
|
$31,167
|
||
|
Information
|
1,774
|
1,881
|
107
|
6%
|
$39,057
|
||
|
Financial activities
|
7,836
|
9,093
|
1,257
|
16%
|
$30,329
|
||
|
Professional and business services
|
10,594
|
16,502
|
5,908
|
56%
|
$34,511
|
||
|
Education and health services
|
19,100
|
21,954
|
2,855
|
15%
|
$34,020
|
||
|
Leisure and hospitality
|
9,868
|
11,021
|
1,153
|
12%
|
$13,001
|
||
|
Other services
|
8,059
|
8,495
|
435
|
5%
|
$16,763
|
||
|
Government
|
47,814
|
42,836
|
(4,978)
|
(10%)
|
$53,674
|
||
|
|
158,592
|
170,361
|
11,768
|
7%
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
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Source: EMSI Complete Employment - Spring 2008 Release v. 2
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The percent concentration of jobs across major industries is shown below. Cenla’s industrial makeup differs significantly from the state and nation, with higher concentrations of jobs in government (partially due to Fort Polk), agriculture and natural resources (largely due to the forest industry, but also affected by significant concentrations in horticulture and mining). As is the case in the US economy, services dominate over goods production (manufacturing, construction and agriculture, natural resources and mining. This trend is expected to continue.
Industrial Makeup 2007
|
Description
|
2007 Jobs
|
% Regional Jobs
|
|
Agriculture, natural resources, and mining
|
9,145
|
5%
|
|
Construction
|
11,623
|
7%
|
|
Manufacturing
|
9,881
|
6%
|
|
Trade, transportation, and utilities
|
27,929
|
16%
|
|
Information
|
1,881
|
1%
|
|
Financial activities
|
9,093
|
5%
|
|
Professional and business services
|
16,502
|
10%
|
|
Education and health services
|
21,954
|
13%
|
|
Leisure and hospitality
|
11,021
|
6%
|
|
Other services
|
8,495
|
5%
|
|
Government
|
42,836
|
25%
|
|
170,361
|
||
|
|
||
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Source: EMSI Complete Employment - Spring 2008 Release v. 2
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The production of wood products in Cenla is a textbook example of a fully articulated cluster. The raw product is grown and harvested in the region. Specialized transportation services developed around moving this product to market. The large number of producers of lumber, paper and other wood-based final products range from smaller locally-owned firms to large plants that are part of international supply chains for major multinational corporations. These companies sometimes sell intermediate and final products to each other. A specialized workforce developed surrounding the industry and companies and plants look to their regional competitors for technology changes. Finally, regional firms have developed internally or located as a market response to supply just-in-time parts, equipment and maintenance on the machinery used in the plants.
The cluster employs about 7,200 in 317 establishments, a 7 percent increase in jobs from 2002. The lead sectors within the cluster are shown below. The table reflects the depth of the cluster where all parts of the supply chain from harvesting lumber to manufacturing and wholesale distribution are represented. The number of establishments (companies and plants) also reflects the depth of the sectors with, for example, more than 15 locations manufacturing wood-based products. The average earnings per worker shows that the jobs are good quality. Finally, while some sectors declined in employment over the 2002-2007 period, cluster employment increased by 7 percent.
Lead Sectors in the Wood Products Cluster 2007
|
Description
|
2007 Jobs
|
% Change from 2002
|
Earnings per Worker
|
2007 Establishments
|
|
Logging
|
1,653
|
6%
|
$58,775
|
152
|
|
Sawmills
|
1,030
|
68%
|
$46,044
|
15
|
|
Hardwood veneer and plywood manufacturing
|
878
|
(1%)
|
$53,478
|
7
|
|
Paperboard mills
|
821
|
14%
|
$75,508
|
3
|
|
Softwood veneer and plywood manufacturing
|
722
|
(32%)
|
$42,974
|
5
|
|
Lumber and wood merchant wholesalers
|
305
|
44%
|
$41,848
|
5
|
|
Residential finish carpentry contractors
|
210
|
42%
|
$20,723
|
24
|
|
Wood preservation
|
189
|
(25%)
|
$43,145
|
6
|
|
Timber tract operations
|
159
|
(16%)
|
$69,524
|
10
|
|
Support activities for forestry
|
159
|
(37%)
|
$44,787
|
22
|
|
Totals including all sectors
|
7,177
|
7%
|
$50,398
|
317
|
|
Source: EMSI Complete Employment - Spring 2008 Release v. 2
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The last table in this section lists the fastest growing sectors over the 2002-2007 period. Of note is the strength of various parts of the construction and real estate industries. Second, as in all regions of the US, service sectors, as opposed to good-producing sectors, make up most of the employment growth. While several of the growing service sectors have good wages, many have average annual earnings under $20,000.
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Fastest Growing Sectors in Cenla, 2002-2007
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|
Description
|
2002 Jobs
|
2007 Jobs
|
Change
|
Change %
|
Earnings
|
|
Services to buildings and dwellings
|
1,803
|
3,077
|
1,274
|
71%
|
$17,423
|
|
Computer systems design & related services
|
244
|
1,384
|
1,140
|
467%
|
$33,709
|
|
Other specialty trade contractors
|
1,424
|
2,260
|
836
|
59%
|
$34,717
|
|
Employment services
|
828
|
1,634
|
806
|
97%
|
$18,443
|
|
Home health care services
|
828
|
1,544
|
716
|
86%
|
$28,999
|
|
Architectural and engineering services
|
672
|
1,381
|
709
|
105%
|
$47,585
|
|
Nonresidential building construction
|
771
|
1,350
|
579
|
75%
|
$46,809
|
|
Limited-service eating places
|
4,073
|
4,621
|
548
|
13%
|
$11,756
|
|
Colleges, universities
|
378
|
924
|
546
|
144%
|
$28,829
|
|
Individual and family services
|
643
|
1,183
|
540
|
84%
|
$14,166
|
|
Child day care services
|
1,679
|
2,151
|
472
|
28%
|
$8,477
|
|
General medical and surgical hospitals
|
3,991
|
4,457
|
466
|
12%
|
$48,653
|
|
Office administrative services
|
341
|
781
|
440
|
129%
|
$33,274
|
|
Lessors of real estate
|
1,330
|
1,709
|
379
|
28%
|
$29,698
|
|
Management & technical consulting services
|
610
|
989
|
379
|
62%
|
$42,061
|
|
HVAC and commercial refrigeration equipment
|
353
|
712
|
359
|
102%
|
$37,987
|
|
Sawmills and wood preservation
|
864
|
1,219
|
355
|
41%
|
$45,594
|
|
Other professional & technical services
|
899
|
1,245
|
346
|
38%
|
$53,649
|
|
Full-service restaurants
|
2,550
|
2,873
|
323
|
13%
|
$13,131
|
|
Source: EMSI Complete Employment - Spring 2008 Release v. 2
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