U.S. labor market inches back from the COVID-19 shock, but recovery is far from complete
Here’s how the COVID-19 recession is affecting labor force participation and unemployment among American workers a year after its onset.
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Economic Conditions
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In the pandemic, India’s middle class shrinks and poverty spreads while China sees smaller changes
The course of the pandemic in India and China will have a substantial effect on changes in the distribution of income at the global level.
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The Pandemic Stalls Growth in the Global Middle Class, Pushes Poverty Up Sharply
The global middle class consisted of 54 million fewer people in 2020 than the number projected prior to the onset of the pandemic.
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A majority of Americans expect it will be at least a year before life returns to the way it was before COVID-19
Just 9% of the public says it will be less than six months before most public activities operate about as they did before the outbreak.
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Long-term unemployment has risen sharply in U.S. amid the pandemic, especially among Asian Americans
About four-in-ten unemployed workers had been out of work for more than six months in February 2021, about double the share in February 2020.
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Amid a pandemic and a recession, Americans go on a near-record homebuying spree
The number of American homeowners increased by an estimated 2.1 million over the past year, according to the Census Bureau.
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A Year Into the Pandemic, Long-Term Financial Impact Weighs Heavily on Many Americans
About a year since the coronavirus recession began, there are some signs of improvement in the U.S. labor market, and Americans are feeling somewhat better about their personal finances than they were early in the pandemic.
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In Their Own Words, Americans Describe the Struggles and Silver Linings of the COVID-19 Pandemic
The outbreak has dramatically changed Americans’ lives and relationships over the past year. We asked people to tell us about their experiences – good and bad – in living through this moment in history.
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Unemployed Americans are feeling the emotional strain of job loss; most have considered changing occupations
About half of U.S. adults who are currently unemployed and are looking for a job are pessimistic about their prospects for future employment.
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As the pandemic persisted, financial pressures became a bigger factor in why Americans decided to move
Recent pandemic migrants are more likely than those who moved earlier in the outbreak to have relocated due to financial stress.
