To identify which states’ workforces are experiencing the quickest recovery from COVID-19, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across three metrics based on changes in unemployment claims. Below, you can see highlights from the report, along with a WalletHub Q&A. To see the states most recovered since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, click here.
| Most Recovered Last Week | Least Recovered Last Week |
| 1. New Jersey | 42. Massachusetts |
| 2. South Carolina | 43. Alaska |
| 3. West Virginia | 44. Florida |
| 4. Pennsylvania | 45. Louisiana |
| 5. Wyoming | 46. Illinois |
| 6. Oregon | 47. Virginia |
| 7. Connecticut | 48. Indiana |
| 8. District of Columbia | 49. Colorado |
| 9. South Dakota | 50. Kansas |
| 10. Arkansas | 51. New Mexico |
To view the full report and your state’s rank, please visit:
https://wallethub.com/edu/states-unemployment-claims/72730/.
WalletHub Q&A
How will Thanksgiving and Black Friday impact unemployment?
“Thanksgiving and Black Friday should have a positive impact on unemployment because this is one of the busiest shopping periods during the year. Though some people may spend less than usual due to the COVID-19 pandemic, more than half of merchants expect holiday sales to increase this year compared to last year, according to the National Retail Federation,” said Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub analyst. “Businesses should get a big influx of revenue, especially through online shopping, which should put them in a better position to hire new employees or rehire those who were already laid off.”
What does the recent vaccine news from Moderna mean for unemployment?
“The fact that Moderna announced that their vaccine is nearly 95% effective should be a big encouragement to people who are unemployed. Since two companies, Moderna and Pfizer, both have demonstrated an effective vaccine, we can expect to see a larger quantity of doses become available initially, assuming both vaccines are approved,” said Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub analyst. “The sooner we can get the majority of Americans vaccinated, the sooner we can proceed to a full reopening. Once businesses are allowed to operate at full capacity, we can expect to see more aggressive hiring.”
Should the government step in to help industries like movie theaters avoid going bankrupt?
“The government should take actions to prevent highly-impacted industries such as movie theaters from going bankrupt. Government restrictions on capacity, though essential for safety, have caused many places to become unprofitable. We should protect businesses against bankruptcy to prevent another rise in unemployment,” said Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub analyst. “In order to receive assistance, companies and landlords in danger of bankruptcy should also be willing to share in the cost. The government can’t be solely responsible for bailing everyone out.”
How do red states and blue states compare when it comes to recovery?
“With an average rank of 24 among the most recovered states, red states had a better recovery from unemployment claims last week than blue states, which rank 29 on average,” said Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub analyst. “The lower the number of the ranking, the bigger the state’s recovery was.”
How has unemployment in Texas – the state with the most COVID-19 cases – recovered?
“Texas’ unemployment claims have experienced the 23rd quickest recovery in the U.S. For the week of November 16, Texas had 37,680 new unemployment claims, an 88% decrease from the peak during the coronavirus pandemic,” said Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub analyst.
Long overdue for sure!
New Mexico unveils ‘Red to Green’ system that enables counties to reopen
Much damage has been done to the State!
Rev. Franklin Graham praises 3 Trump-appointed Supreme Court justices after New York religious case