Figure B
While hit hardest by the pandemic, the employment rate of prime-age Black and Hispanic parents rebounded quickly in 2023: Prime-age employment-to-population (EPOP) ratios for low-income parents with children by race and ethnicity, January 2020, April 2020, and December 2023
| Date | Jan 2020 | Apr 2020 | Dec 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 89.8% | 72.2% | 92.7% |
| Black | 88.6% | 55.9% | 88.9% |
| Hispanic | 94.7% | 67.7% | 91.6% |
Note: Race and ethnicity are mutually exclusive (i.e., white alone non-Hispanic, Black alone or in any combination non-Hispanic, Hispanic any race). Prime age refers to ages 25 to 54.
Source: Economic Policy Institute analysis of Current Population Survey data from EPI Microdata Extracts, Version 2025.5.8, https://microdata.epi.org.
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- Low-income families of color took a heavy hit during the last two recessions: Trump’s economic agenda, based on austerity for the poor and subsidies for the rich, will leave these families at risk of even more hardship in the next recession
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