Mapping Unemployment

Mapping Unemployment was created by the  Economic Democracy Initiative (EDI).  EDI, led by Bard College, is the  Open Society University Network's  collaborative program focusing on economic democracy and basic economic rights as preconditions for economic stability, security, and opportunity in a global economy that works for all.

EDI's beta version of Mapping Unemployment includes labor market statistics for the United States from the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and U.S. Census Bureau estimates (2015-2019 American Community Survey 5-year).

Mapping Unemployment presents policy-relevant indicators of unemployment. Although national-level data is important and is generally the most commonly referenced when it comes to news clips and daily publications, data at this level oftens masks more than it reveals. We consider indicators of unemployment by geography, race, gender, and other socially-relevant groups to the fullest extent possible.

Despite substantial evidence that inequitable employment outcomes are a product of discrimination, segregation, and the dominant political and cultural norms of societies, conventional economics upholds that disparities are born by differences in ‘human capital’ across groups: skills, talents, education, and differential choices made between members of different groups, on average, explain racial disparities disparities in employment. Consequently, conventional labor market measures exhibit significant deficits that obscure important patterns in employment trends within and between groups. This is particularly true for the official unemployment rate.

Disaggregation of secondary data is necessary first step, allowing researchers and policy makers to explore the ways in which socially-assigned identity relates to labor market outcomes. If we do not disaggregate data correctly we cannot craft effective policies. Persistent social identity group-based discrimination and inequality makes it clear that effective policies must incorporate the intersectionality of identity and the impact of social stratification on labor market outcomes.

State resolution mapping of official unemployment rates across demographic groups. The maps feature labor market indicators from the U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Latest state unemployment rates from the BLS: March 2021.

Legend: use the button in the bottom left corner

The U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) provides statistics that allow for the construction of unemployment rates across social groups. The ACS, with a larger sample size, provides key insights into labor market dynamics for areas with smaller populations.

County resolution mapping of official unemployment rates across demographic groups.

These charts show the top 50 metro areas by unemployment rate for each group.