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Labor Markets Are Tight, but Conditions Vary across States

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Abstract

A record 4.4 million employees quit their jobs in September 2021, and many businesses are struggling to fill open positions. Although at a national level the labor market appears historically tight, we show that labor market tightness differs widely across states. Most states have tighter labor markets than before the pandemic, but others have struggled to recover.

Suggested Citation

  • Johannes Matschke & Sai Sattiraju, 2021. "Labor Markets Are Tight, but Conditions Vary across States," Economic Bulletin, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, issue Dec 22, 2, pages 1-4, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedkeb:93607
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jun Nie & Shu-Kuei X. Yang, 2021. "What Has Driven the Recent Increase in Retirements?," Economic Bulletin, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, issue August 11, pages 1-4, August.
    2. Sarah Albert & Andrew T. Foerster & Pierre-Daniel G. Sarte, 2021. "Employment Effects of COVID-19 across States, Sectors," FRBSF Economic Letter, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, vol. 2021(32), pages 1-05, November.
    3. Christopher A. Pissarides, 2000. "Equilibrium Unemployment Theory, 2nd Edition," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262161877, December.
    4. Murat Tasci & Caitlin Treanor, 2018. "Labor Market Tightness across the United States since the Great Recession," Economic Commentary, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, vol. 2018(01), pages 1-6, January.
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • J18 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Public Policy
    • J20 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - General
    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure

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