Useful Stats: A full recovery from COVID-induced unemployment?

Between March and April of 2020, the United States saw a massive drop in employment due to the COVID-19 pandemic: from approximately 151 million employees to fewer than 131 million. More than two years since the beginning of the pandemic, surveys suggest a near-complete recovery to pre-pandemic employment levels. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) through March 2022 (the most recent final data published by BLS) reveal an average decrease of just 1 percent in employment across the country as whole since February 2020. While the U.S. is approaching full employment recovery at the national level, 36 states and D.C. continue to lag while 14 and Puerto Rico have surpassed their pre-pandemic employment.

As of March 2022, 21 states and territories are within 1 percent of their pre-pandemic employment.

Puerto Rico and 14 states have greater employment than in February 2020. On a percentage basis, the regions with the greatest increase are led by Idaho (+5 percent) and Utah (+5 percent), while Texas (+263,000), Florida (+172,000) and North Carolina (+111,000) have seen the greatest absolute increases in employment.  

Of the 37 regions that continue to have fewer employees than in February 2020, Hawaii (-9 percent) is suffering the most on a percentage basis, while New York (-435,000) and California (-252,000) have seen the greatest total loss in employees.

The preliminary data for April 2022 suggests an even more positive overall image of employment gains than March. This data will likely be finalized later this week, when BLS is also expected to announce preliminary data for May.

Click here for the data used in this article.