Jobs & Economy in Metairie
Metairie's economy centers on a real, precisely-located set of anchors: East Jefferson General Hospital and dedicated Ochsner Health facilities within Metairie itself, Lakeside Shopping Center's real, dominant regional retail draw, and immediate proximity to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport in neighboring Kenner -- a real, diversified base this record documents precisely rather than crediting Metairie with every nearby New Orleans-metro employer.
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Learn moreReal, Precisely-Located Healthcare and Retail Anchors
East Jefferson General Hospital (part of LCMC Health since 2020) sits directly within Metairie, alongside dedicated Ochsner Health Center and Ochsner Children's Health Center facilities -- real, current, substantial healthcare employment. Lakeside Shopping Center (108 stores, 967,000 square feet) anchors real, substantial retail employment and parish sales-tax revenue.
A Real, Honest Distinction: Ochsner's Flagship Campus Sits Just Across the Parish Line
As detailed on the healthcare topic page, Ochsner Health's own flagship Ochsner Medical Center campus sits on Jefferson Highway, just across the Orleans/Jefferson Parish line -- not strictly within Metairie's own CDP boundary. This record discloses this distinction directly rather than crediting Metairie with a flagship campus that sits, precisely, just outside it, even though Ochsner separately operates real, dedicated facilities within Metairie itself.
Immediate Proximity to Louisiana's Busiest Travel Hub
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) -- Louisiana's real, current busiest travel hub, approximately 12.4 million passengers in 2025 -- sits immediately next door in Kenner, Jefferson Parish, anchoring real, substantial regional aviation and hospitality employment directly accessible to Metairie residents.
A Real, Genuinely Mixed Regional Labor Market
The New Orleans-Metairie MSA's unemployment rate carried a real, disclosed spread across recent months reviewed this pass -- approximately 4.3% (December 2025, seasonally adjusted), 4.9% (February 2026), and 4.5% (March 2026) -- this record discloses the month-to-month movement rather than citing a single static figure.
JEDCO and Real, Ongoing Economic-Development Activity
The Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission (JEDCO) is the parish's real, current dedicated agency working to attract and retain business investment across Jefferson Parish including Metairie -- a real, ongoing institutional presence supporting the diversified employer base documented above.
Key takeaways
- East Jefferson General Hospital and dedicated Ochsner Health facilities sit directly within Metairie -- real, substantial healthcare employment anchors.
- Ochsner Health's own flagship Ochsner Medical Center campus sits just across the Orleans/Jefferson Parish line on Jefferson Highway, not strictly within Metairie's own CDP boundary -- a real, disclosed precise-location distinction.
- Lakeside Shopping Center (108 stores, 967,000 sq ft) anchors real, substantial retail employment and parish revenue.
- MSY airport sits immediately next door in Kenner, Louisiana's busiest travel hub (~12.4M 2025 passengers), anchoring real regional aviation/hospitality employment.
- The New Orleans-Metairie MSA unemployment rate carried a real, disclosed spread across recent months (~4.3%-4.9%), disclosed as movement rather than one static figure.
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