Livingston Parish residents stand to benefit from continued job growth across the Baton Rouge region, where economist Loren Scott expects employers to add 16,500 jobs over the next two years.
That regional outlook carries particular weight in Livingston Parish. Scott's presentation showed that parish residents earned $5.443 billion in 2024, with $3.383 billion, or 62%, coming from jobs outside the parish.
Scott described Livingston as a "bedroom community" during his annual Outlook for the Economy presentation Tuesday, Oct. 13, before a packed Livingston Economic Development Council meeting at Forrest Grove in Denham Springs.
He forecast that the Baton Rouge metropolitan statistical area will add 8,500 jobs in 2027, a 1.9% increase, followed by 8,000 jobs in 2028, a 1.8% increase. His presentation ranked the Baton Rouge region first in absolute job growth and third in percentage growth among Louisiana's metropolitan areas.
Construction is expected to lead that growth. As of Sept. 25, Scott counted $27.5 billion in Baton Rouge-area industrial projects under construction, along with another $13.3 billion in announced projects that had not reached a final investment decision.
Projects already underway included Hut 8's $12.5 billion data center, Hyundai's $5.8 billion project, CF-Jera's $4 billion project, and Shintech's $3.4 billion expansion. The Hyundai project alone is expected to create 1,300 jobs, according to Scott's presentation.
Scott told the audience to watch large regional contractors including Turner Industries, Performance Contractors, MMR, Cajun Industries, and ISC as that work moves forward.
The Baton Rouge figures form part of a much larger industrial buildout across South Louisiana. Scott's presentation listed $97.5 billion in projects under construction in the Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and Lake Charles areas, with another $127.5 billion announced but awaiting final investment decisions.
The Lake Charles region accounted for the largest share, with $66 billion under construction and $64.3 billion announced. New Orleans had $4 billion under construction and $49.9 billion announced.
Closer to home, Scott highlighted Epic Piping's $25 million Livingston Parish expansion, which is expected to add 76 jobs and open in 2027.
He also pointed to several transportation projects that could support future economic growth. State road lettings in the parish totaled $42.7 million, compared with $42.1 million the previous year, according to his presentation.
Scott said the parish needs additional east-west corridors and continued work toward more Interstate 12 exits. His slides listed the Cook Road extension as 99% complete and the Juban Road connection to Florida Boulevard as 90% complete. DEMCO Drive was listed as the next project in line.
Scott also identified Ferrara-KME, U.S. Fire Pump, Martin Brower, and The Shaw Group as major employers providing a solid base within the parish.
Plans for a parish airport could provide another economic development asset, Scott said. Figures from the Livingston Parish Airport District included in his presentation showed that $380,000 in cumulative parish contributions had helped attract approximately $17.01 million in outside funding through 2026. That represents about $45 in outside funding for every $1 contributed by the parish.
Statewide, Scott forecast Louisiana will add 27,100 jobs in 2027, an increase of 1.3%, followed by 27,900 jobs in 2028, an increase of 1.4%.
His outlook for the national economy called for real gross domestic product growth of 2.1% in both 2026 and 2027, followed by 2.3% growth in 2028.
Scott identified deregulation and lower tax rates as positive forces for businesses, but he said tariffs had offset some of those benefits by increasing costs for American consumers. His presentation cited research using U.S. Census data that found 94% of tariff costs were passed to consumers.
Inflation remained one of the primary concerns in Scott's forecast. He projected Consumer Price Index growth of 3.2% for 2026, easing to 2.2% in 2027 and 2.1% in 2028.
Scott said persistent inflation also affects mortgage rates. Although the federal funds rate and mortgage rates do not move in lockstep, lenders consider where they believe inflation is headed when pricing mortgages, he explained.
The war involving Iran has added more uncertainty to the outlook, particularly for oil, refined fuels, and transportation costs. Scott said 138 vessels a day crossed the Strait of Hormuz before the war, but tanker traffic had fallen sharply.
His oil forecast put the average West Texas Intermediate price at $82 per barrel in 2026, $68 in 2027, and $64 in 2028. The range of possible outcomes remained wide, however, with his 2027 and 2028 forecasts allowing for prices as low as $40 or as high as $120 per barrel.
Scott cautioned that an end to the war and a drop in crude oil prices would not necessarily produce an equally large or immediate decline at the gas pump. The market for refined products remains tighter because of damage to refineries in the Persian Gulf and Russia, China's ban on refined-product exports, two U.S. refinery closures, and a lack of new refinery capacity.
He also warned against imposing price controls in response to higher fuel prices, pointing to the shortages that accompanied price controls during the 1970s.
Scott closed with a broader argument for market-based economic policies as the United States competes with China. He said the country could not beat China at its own game of "state capitalism."
The Outlook for the Economy presentation is an annual event hosted by the Livingston Economic Development Council.
