On The Map: Job Losses Concentrated in the Great Lakes and Southeast Regions

Most U.S. counties experienced employment declines between the fourth quarter of 2007 (the start of the current recession) and the fourth quarter of 2009, including 93.6 percent of metro counties and 79.2 percent of nonmetro counties. The greatest declines were concentrated in the Great Lakes States and in Southern States east of the Mississippi River, reflecting in part the concentration of hard-hit manufacturing industries in these areas. Employment declines were more moderate in the Northeast, while employment growth was seen in much of Texas and adjacent States, and in portions of the Great Plains, Mountain States, and Northwest. Employment change was highly variable in the West and in the Great Plains, with many counties experiencing above-average declines while other nearby counties saw increased employment.