The Bossier Chamber presented its 2025 State of Community Report to a sold-out crowd yesterday. This annual report provides valuable economic information on several sectors.
Healthcare:
1. Caddo-Bossier healthcare employees represent 21% of the local employment
2. STATEWIDE Employment including hospitals is 319,541 with annual payroll of $18.3 billion
3. Overall Caddo-Bossier hospital economic impact is second in the state (NOLA is first)
Energy:
1. Oil & gas/mining employment is 29,572 with annual payroll of $3.3 billion
2. Severance tax collected in Bossier Parish was $53 million
3. and in Caddo Parish $114 million. (Parishes are capped at $1.254 million in severance tax income, the balance goes to the state budget.)
Transportation:
1. More than half of the local workers (65,318) live within 10 miles of their workplaces, 27,530 within 10-24 miles and 23.842 greater than 50 miles
2. Through Aug.2025, Shreveport Regional Airport and the busiest summer (May-Aug.) since 1981, and the fourth busiest summer in the airport’s 73-year history
3. The $128 million I-20 rehabilitation project completion date is early 2026
4. The $361 million Jimmie Davis Bridge Replacement has an estimated completion date of mid to late 2027.
Defense:
1. Barksdale has 5139 active duty, 2270 civilians, and 1596 reservists
2. FY 24 Barksdale surpassed one billion dollars in total economic impact for the first time
3. Barksdale payrolls--$446.5 million military, $175.8 million civilian –total $662 million
Cyber and Technology
1. National Cyber Research Park in Bossier has 2102 jobs in 2025 with 2885 projected by 2026
Education:
1. Caddo public school enrollment 33,058
2. Bossier public school enrollment 22,105
3. Caddo public school graduation rate 79.6%
4. Bossier public school graduation rate 86.%
5. Military students in Caddo 628
6. Military students in Bossier 3028
The report provides much-needed POSITIVE economic news about Caddo and Bossier. Hats off to Bossier Chamber for this report.
