Appendix Figure A
The Midwest’s unemployment rate has been lower than the U.S. average for the past 13 years: Unemployment rate by region and for the U.S., 2007–2022
| Year | United States | Northeast | Midwest | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 4.6% | 4.4% | 5.1% | 4.3% | 4.7% |
| 2008 | 5.8% | 5.4% | 6.0% | 5.5% | 6.2% |
| 2009 | 9.3% | 8.3% | 9.5% | 9.0% | 10.2% |
| 2010 | 9.6% | 8.7% | 9.4% | 9.3% | 11.0% |
| 2011 | 8.9% | 8.2% | 8.4% | 8.8% | 10.3% |
| 2012 | 8.1% | 8.2% | 7.3% | 7.7% | 9.2% |
| 2013 | 7.4% | 7.5% | 7.2% | 7.0% | 8.0% |
| 2014 | 6.2% | 6.1% | 5.8% | 6.0% | 6.8% |
| 2015 | 5.3% | 5.2% | 4.8% | 5.3% | 5.7% |
| 2016 | 4.9% | 4.8% | 4.7% | 4.9% | 5.1% |
| 2017 | 4.4% | 4.5% | 4.1% | 4.3% | 4.5% |
| 2018 | 3.9% | 4.0% | 3.7% | 3.8% | 4.1% |
| 2019 | 3.7% | 3.7% | 3.6% | 3.5% | 3.9% |
| 2020 | 8.1% | 9.2% | 7.5% | 7.2% | 9.1% |
| 2021 | 5.3% | 6.4% | 4.6% | 4.8% | 6.2% |
| 2022 | 3.6% | 4.0% | 3.5% | 3.4% | 4.0% |
Note: Midwest, Northeast, South, and West refer to the four geographic regions of the United States as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Economic Policy Institute analysis of Current Population Survey microdata from the U.S. Census Bureau.
This chart appears in:
- Economic recovery in the Midwest: Challenges and opportunities after the pandemic
- Economic recovery in the Midwest: Challenges and opportunities after the pandemic
- Economic recovery in the Midwest: Challenges and opportunities after the pandemic
- Economic recovery in the Midwest: Challenges and opportunities after the pandemic
- Economic recovery in the Midwest: Challenges and opportunities after the pandemic
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