At a glance: Louisiana Louisiana is the 25th most populous state in the U.S., with 4,573,749 residents across its 51,840 square miles, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The state ranked No. 47 for business in 2024 by CNBC. Louisiana boasts the highest number of oil refineries per capita in the United States and is the third biggest producer of petroleum. Healthcare and agriculture are also large contributors to the state’s economy. Energy Louisiana ranks No. 6 among states for most energy production, with its leading production sources being natural gas and crude oil, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Louisiana ranks No. 2 for most energy consumption. The leading energy sources consumed by Louisianans is natural gas; hydrocarbon gas liquids, such as ethane, propane and ethylene; and other petroleum products. Louisianans’ residential electricity rate is $0.119/kWh, cheaper than the national average. Commercial electricity rate is also cheaper; Louisiana commercial users pay a rate of $0.1045/kWh, compared to the national average commercial rate of $0.1259/kWh. Industrial users pay $0.0588/kWh, below the national average industrial electricity rate of $0.0804/kWh. Louisianans’ residential natural gas price is $16.22 per thousand cubic feet, above the national average of $14.75, according to the most recently available data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Environment Annual carbon emissions increased 32.5 percent since 1970, while the state’s population changed 37.6 percent during the same span. The federal government lists 27 species in Louisiana as threatened or endangered.
