The pandemic brought on dramatic and instrumental changes to employment and the labor markets, some of which may be substantially lasting. Work at home positions have become widely accepted and commonplace now, as have transient workers migrating from city to city, and state to state. Many companies today allow their employees to essentially work from anywhere, any city, any state, establishing a true virtual work environment.
Nearly five years after the pandemic, migration from various states has been consistent. California and New York combined, lost over half a million workers to other states from 2020 to 2024, while Texas took in one million new workers during the same period. Florida also saw a dramatic increase with over 750,000 new workers flooding into the state. Cost of living, taxes, and housing are among some of the reasons for the migrations. As a result of the worker migrations, California has seen its unemployment rate rise to 5.3%, the highest in the nation, while New Jersey saw its unemployment rate hit 4.8%.
Sources: Department of Labor
Print Version: States Lose Workes April 2024