A Quick Glance at Louisiana

Louisiana, whose nickname is The Pelican State, first obtained its statehood in 1813. With a population of 4,625,470 people, Louisiana is the twenty-fifth most populated state in the United States.

If you are considering starting your new business in Louisiana, you might want to look into one of Louisiana's top three most populous cities - New Orleans, Shreveport or Baton Rouge (which is also the state's capital).

Top Industry

The largest industry in the state of Louisiana is petroleum and coal products manufacturing.

• The gross domestic product (GDP), of this industry, is roughly $14.3 billion and accounts for 5.6% of Louisiana's GDP.
• Petroleum and coal products manufacturing also employs 0.6% of Louisiana's private workforce.

Small Businesses

In the United States, the more than 600,000 plus franchised small busineeses account for 40% of all retail sales and provide jobs for some 8 million people. According to the Small Business Administration (SBA), their standard definition of what constitutes as a small business includes a maximum of 500 employees or operations with and/or up to $7 million in revenue, depending on the industry.

• There are 910,366 small businesses, in the state, of Louisiana.
• Small businesses in Louisiana, make up 43% of the state's private workforce.

State and Local Taxes

Listed below are the state and local taxes, for the state of Louisiana, and how they rank against other states in the U.S.

California has the highest state tax rate in the United States at 7.25%, but Lousinana has the highest combined tax rate, overall, at 9.98%. Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon share the spot for lowest combined tax rates at 0%.

Additional Information

If you need additional information about how to start a business in Louisiana, their official state page might be a good place to start. If you are looking to own your own established franchise in Louisiana, we have collected a comprehensive list of companies that are actively looking to expand in Louisiana, for you to explore.