Policy investments meant the best two-year stretch of job creation in nearly 40 years: Level and percent change in two-year average job growth, December over December, 1979–2022

Level change Percent change  
1979 3131 3.6%
1980 1136 1.3%
1981 111.5 0.1%
1982 -1086 -1.2%
1983 667.5 0.7%
1984 3668 4.0%
1985 3189.5 3.4%
1986 2201 2.3%
1987 2526 2.5%
1988 3194.5 3.1%
1989 2587.5 2.5%
1990 1134 1.1%
1991 -254 -0.2%
1992 164.5 0.2%
1993 1993 1.8%
1994 3335 3.0%
1995 3003 2.6%
1996 2489 2.1%
1997 3114.5 2.6%
1998 3226.5 2.6%
1999 3111.5 2.5%
2000 2556.5 2.0%
2001 105 0.1%
2002 -1118.5 -0.8%
2003 -197 -0.2%
2004 1076 0.8%
2005 2280.5 1.7%
2006 2312.5 1.7%
2007 1621.5 1.2%
2008 -1205 -0.9%
2009 -4302 -3.2%
2010 -2008.5 -1.5%
2011 1554 1.2%
2012 2125 1.6%
2013 2238.5 1.7%
2014 2652.5 1.9%
2015 2862 2.1%
2016 2519 1.8%
2017 2216 1.5%
2018 2203 1.5%
2019 2130 1.4%
2020 -3662 -2.5%
2021 -1274.5 -0.8%
2022 5623 3.9%
Economic Policy Institute

Source: EPI analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics' Current Employment Statistics public data series.

View the underlying data on epi.org.