Where It Really Hurts: Job Losses for Low-Skill Workers by State

This fact sheet, by the Urban Institute’s Unemployment and Recovery Project, depicts the changes in employment and low-skill employment by State between 2007 and August of 2011. While the employment-to-population ratio has remained relatively constant since its sharp decline in 2009, new jobs have only been able to keep up with population growth. Employers have not been able to replace the jobs lost as a result of the recession. The employment losses have been felt more intensely by America’s low-skilled workers who have seen a 15.3 percent decline in employment since 2007, as compared to a 5.6 percent decline for workers of all skill levels. This fact sheet shows great disparities among States with regards to their employment losses for low-skill workers and workers of all skill levels, suggesting distinct recovery needs.