High-pressure labor markets narrow race-based gaps in hours worked: Changes in annual household hours worked in response to a 1-percentage-point increase in the specified labor market indicator, by race
| Category | White hours | Black hours | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment | -1.104863% | -2.71235% | -1.60818% |
| EPOP, ages 16+ | 1.283161 | 2.315459 | 1.029516 |
| Prime-age EPOP | 1.0219164 | 2.151484 | 1.125367 |
| LFPR | 1.37196 | 2.111201 | 0.734952 |
Notes: Each bar is the coefficient of the regression of the race-specific log of average annual household-level hours worked on the overall labor market tightness outcome. Regressions include state and year fixed effects. Additional details and estimates are provided in the appendix. EPOP refers to the employment-to-population ratio; prime-age refers to adults ages 25–54; and LFPR refers to the labor force participation rate of people ages 16 and older.
Source: Authors’ analysis of annual, state-level aggregations of Current Population Survey data, 1979–2016