Jane Fontenot of Fontenot's Cajun Seafood passes out Mardi Gras beeds to customers for there support during the 75th Annual Shrimp and Petroleum Festival in Morgan City, Louisiana.
Sean Gardner | Getty Images
| Category | Score | 2018 Rank | 2017 Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Workforce | 201 | 35 | 28 (Tie) | C |
| Infrastructure | 177 | 38 | 39 | C- |
| Cost of Doing Business | 243 | 7 | 4 (Tie) | A+ |
| Economy | 123 | 40 | 49 | D+ |
| Quality of Life | 82 | 49 | 49 | F |
| Technology & Innovation | 61 | 44 | 47 | F |
| Education | 55 | 46 | 48 | F |
| Business Friendliness | 46 | 41 | 40 | D |
| Access to Capital | 44 | 27 | 31 | C- |
| Cost of Living | 34 | 17 | 20 | B |
| [[link#105237323#Overall]] | 1066 | 44 | [[link#104395353#44]] | - |
Economic Profile
Governor: John Bel Edwards, Democrat
Population: 4,684,333
GDP growth (Q4 2017): 2.2 percent
Unemployment rate (May 2018): 4.6 percent
Top corporate tax rate: 8 percent
Top individual income tax rate: 6 percent
Gasoline tax: 20.01 cents/gallon
Bond rating (Moody's/S&P): Aa3, negative/AA-, negative
Major private employers: Ochsner Health System, CenturyLink
Economic profile sources: U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federation of Tax Administrators, American Petroleum Institute (excluding 18.40 cent/gallon federal tax), Moody's Investor Service, S&P Global Market Intelligence
