America Counts: Stories Behind the Numbers

Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Private and Public Employment

Since the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, total full- and part-time employment in state and local governments has never fully bounced back.

The number of state and local government employees took less of a hit than those in private industry, but the belt-tightening by state and local governments has not loosened up enough to return to pre-pandemic employment levels as of 2023.

From March 2019 to March 2023, the number of state and local government jobs declined by 101,000 or 0.5% to 19.6 million, according to U.S. Census Bureau statistics from the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll.

By contrast, private industry experienced a smaller percentage drop in employment and in March 2022 had rebounded beyond pre-pandemic levels with more employees (seasonally adjusted) than in March 2019.

Continue reading to learn more about:

• Government services hit the hardest
• Growth since the turnaround

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