STATES WITH STRICTER COVID-19 LOCKDOWNS HAVE HIGHEST UNEMPLOYMENT

Key Points:

  • Unemployment rates varied state-to-state in May as the U.S. unemployment rate fell to 13.3%.
  • States with stricter lockdowns tend to have higher unemployment.
  • Every state that was open by April has an unemployment rate below the U.S. average.

Key Points:

  • The above map shows the May unemployment rate and the date the state’s lockdown was lifted.
  • The states with the highest unemployment typically imposed stricter lockdowns.
  • Nevada, Hawaii, and Michigan have the highest unemployment rates, each above 20%.
  • However, Hawaii and Nevada have economies driven by the tourism industry which has been heavily impacted by COVID-19.