Coronavirus storyline #10: unemployment

March 24

Latest numbers below. For a number of states we are starting to get the full picture. Total of 2,265,108 claims from 37 states. Best estimate for total claims for all 50 states is 3.8 million.

StateTotal New Claims Source
Alabama9,000 Source
Alaska4,046 Source
Arizona 29,000 Source
Arkansas10000 Source
California742,000 Source
Colorado28,000 Source
Connecticut72,000 Source
Delaware10,000 Source
DC7,000 Source
Georgia27000 Source
Hawaii4,500 Source
Illinois64,000 Source
Indiana54,000 Source
Kansas11,355 Source
Kentucky17,230 Source
Louisiana47,000 Source
Maine4,900 Source
Maryland5000 Source
Massachusetts19,884  
Michigan108,710 Source
Minnesota95,000 Source
Montana4,820 Source
New Hampshire34000 Source
New Jersey 15,000 Source
New Mexico10,879 Source
North Carolina 113,002 Source
Ohio140,000 Source
Oklahoma5,986 Source
Oregon18,000 Source
Pennsylvania353,664 Source
Rhode Island43,000 Source
South Carolina10000 Source
Tennessee6,092  
Texas61,500 Source
Virginia14,540 Source
West Virginia4000 Source
Wisconsin70,000 Source

March 23rd

Latest numbers below. For a number of states we are starting to get the full picture. Total of 2,087,000 claims from 37 states. Best estimate for total claims 3.8 million.

StateTotal New Claims Source
Alabama9,000 Source
Alaska4,046 Source
Arizona 29,000 Source
Arkansas10000 Source
California564,000 Source
Colorado28,000 Source
Connecticut72,000 Source
Delaware10,000 Source
DC7,000 Source
Georgia27000 Source
Hawaii4,500 Source
Illinois64,000 Source
Indiana54,000 Source
Kansas11,355 Source
Kentucky17,230 Source
Louisiana47,000 Source
Maine4,900 Source
Maryland5000 Source
Massachusetts19,884  
Michigan108,710 Source
Minnesota95,000 Source
Montana4,820 Source
New Hampshire34000 Source
New Jersey 15,000 Source
New Mexico10,879 Source
North Carolina 113,002 Source
Ohio140,000 Source
Oklahoma5,986 Source
Oregon18,000 Source
Pennsylvania353,664 Source
Rhode Island43,000 Source
South Carolina10000 Source
Tennessee6,092  
Texas61,500 Source
Virginia14,540 Source
West Virginia4000 Source
Wisconsin70,000 Source

March 22nd

Updated data below. For the 29 states I have data, there is a total of 1,822,979 new unemployment claims over the past week. However, of the 29 states, some states only report claims for a few days. If I assume the average claims of the non-reported days are the same, this comes out to 2,800,000 claims for the week for the 29 states. This is about 2.5% of the total civilian labor force in these states. Applying this number to the non-reporting states, this gives a total of 4,146,920 new unemployment claims for the week.

This calculation assumes that (i) for states that have reported, non-reporting days are similar to reporting days, and (ii) states that have not reported are similar to states that have reported.

StateTotal New Claims Source
Alaska4,046 Source
California564,000 Source
Colorado28,000 Source
Connecticut72,000 Source
DC7,000 Source
Hawaii4,500 Source
Illinois 64,000 Source
Indiana22,583 Source
Kansas11,355 Source
Kentucky17,230 Source
Louisiana47,000 Source
Maine4,900 Source
Maryland5000 Source
Massachusetts19,884  
Michigan55,000  Source
Minnesota 95,000 Source
Montana4,820 Source
New Jersey 15,000 Source
New Mexico10,879 Source
North Carolina83,000 Source
Ohio140,000 Source
Oklahoma5,986 Source
Oregon18,000 Source
Pennsylvania353,664 Source
Rhode Island43,000 Source
Tennessee6,092  
Texas61,500 Source
Virginia14,540 Source
Wisconsin45,000 Source

March 19

Latest figures. The total from 21 states (sum doesn’t include NY and TX which are listed below) is 883,047, but keep in mind many states have only reported a few days of claims.

  1. Colorado 3,900 on Monday, 6,800 Tuesday as of 10:00 am. Compare with 400 last Monday.
  2. Rhode Island (2nd source) 6,282 on Monday, and 17,779 in the last 8 days. Now, 30,000 in the last 9 days. Compare with 10 last week
  3. Ohio 12,000 on Sunday, 36,645 Monday, 21335 Tuesday, 33,238 Wednesday . Compare with 562 last Sunday.
  4. Connecticut (2nd source) (3rd source) Friday 2000, Sat & Sun 8000, Mon 10,000, Tuesday 10,000 , Wednesday 12,000. Now 56,000 for the week.
  5. Hawaii 1500 on Monday, 3000 on Tuesday, compared to 300 last Monday.
  6. Mass Monday, 19,884 filed, compare with 17,382 entire month of February.
  7. Tennessee 6,092 since March 8, compare to 2,031 previous week
  8. Minnesota (2nd source) 31,000 on Monday and Tuesday, more than 10 times total from last week. 50,000 on Wednesday
  9. New Jersey 15,000 on Monday.
  10. Michigan 5,400 on Monday, compared to 1,300 normal
  11. Kentucky (2nd source) 9,000 on Tuesday, compared with normal 2,000 / week. Sunday through Tuesday, 17,230
  12. Pennsylvania (2nd source) 50,000 on Monday, more than 50,000 on Tuesday, compare to 14,000 first week of March. Now, total is 121,000 online applications. Now 180,000 Tuesday, Wednesday, Thusrday. 
  13. Texas 16,000 last week, compared with 4,500 the previous week
  14. Maryland 5,000 on Monday, a five-fold increase.
  15. Louisiana (2nd source) (3rd source) 3,600 on Monday and Tuesday, compared to 1,698 for week ending March 7. New source says 11,000 on Tuesday. New source 30,000 since Sunday.
  16. Maine 4,900 Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, more than March of 2019
  17. New York Office receive 21,000 calls by noon Tuesday, compare with 2,000 calls total last week
  18. Illinois 41,000 on Tuesday and Wednesday, compared with 4,500 same two days 2019
  19. North Carolina 4,700 Monday and Tuesday, compared to normal 3,500 per week
  20. Oregon 18000 on Tuesday March 17, compare to 800 Sunday March 15
  21. California Sunday, 40,000, Monday 70,000, Tuesday 80,000, compare to normal 2,000 daily
  22. DC 7600 since Monday
  23. South Carolina Increase of 400 percent
  24. Oklahoma 846 Monday, 1,994 Tuesday, 3,146 Wednesday

March 18

Updated state unemployment numbers. If you have more please send a comment or email.

  1. Colorado 3,900 on Monday, 6,800 Tuesday as of 10:00 am. Compare with 400 last Monday.
  2. Rhode Island 6,282 on Monday, and 17,779 in the last 8 days. Compare with 10 last week
  3. Ohio 12,000 on Sunday, 36,645 Monday. Compare with 562 last Sunday.
  4. Connecticut 30,000 since Friday, compared with a typical 3,000 per week.
  5. Hawaii 1500 on Monday, compared to 300 last Monday.
  6. Mass Monday, 19,884 filed, compare with 17,382 entire month of February.
  7. Tennessee 6,092 since March 8, compare to 2,031 previous week
  8. Minnesota 31,000 on Monday and Tuesday, more than 10 times total from last week. Now 50,000 for the week.
  9. New Jersey 15,000 on Monday.
  10. Michigan 5,400 on Monday, compared to 1,300 normal
  11. Kentucky 9,000 on Tuesday, compared with normal 2,000 / week
  12. Pennsylvania 50,000 on Monday, more than 50,000 on Tuesday, compare to 14,000 first week of March. Now 120,000 for the week.
  13. Texas 16,000 last week, compared with 4,500 the previous week
  14. Maryland 5,000 on Monday, a five-fold increase.
  15. Louisiana — 3,600 on Monday and Tuesday, compared to 1,698 for week ending March 7.
  16. Maine 4,900 Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, more than March of 2019
  17. New York Office receive 21,000 calls by noon Tuesday, compare with 2,000 calls total last week
  18. Illinois 41,000 on Tuesday and Wednesday, compared with 4,500 same two days 2019
  19. North Carolina 4,700 Monday and Tuesday, compared to normal 3,500 per week
  20. Oregon 18000 on Tuesday March 17, compare to 800 Sunday March 15
  21. California Sunday, 40,000, Monday 70,000, Tuesday 80,000, compare to normal 2,000 daily

WSJ: Layoffs are beginning

March 17: Numbers are starting to trickle in and they don’t look good.

Slate: Unemployment filers are overwhelming state systems.

WSJ: State unemployment sees surge in claims.

US Survey: 18% have hours or job cut due to coronavirus.

A round up of state by state unemployment rates.

  1. Colorado 3,900 on Monday, 6,800 Tuesday as of 10:00 am. Compare with 400 last Monday.
  2. Rhode Island 6,282 on Monday, and 10,000 in less than a week. Compare with 10 last week
  3. Ohio 12,000 on Sunday, 36,645 Monday. Compare with 562 last Sunday.
  4. Connecticut 30,000 since Friday, compared with a typical 3,000 per week.
  5. Hawaii 1500 on Monday, compared to 300 last Monday.
  6. Mass Monday, 19,884 filed, compare with 17,382 entire month of February.
  7. Tennessee 6,092 since March 8, compare to 2,031 previous week
  8. Minnesota 31,000 on Monday and Tuesday, more than 10 times total from last week
  9. New Jersey 15,000 on Monday.
  10. Michigan 5,400 on Monday, compared to 1,300 normal
  11. Kentucky 9,000 on Tuesday, compared with normal 2,000 / week
  12. Pennsylvania 50,000 on Monday, more than 50,000 on Tuesday, compare to 14,000 first week of March
  13. Texas 16,000 last week, compared with 4,500 the previous week
  14. Maryland 5,000 on Monday, a five-fold increase.

Reuters: Norway unemployment jumps from 2.3% to 5.3%

Jacob Robbins

Author: Jacob Robbins

Jacob Robbins is an assistant professor of economics at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

19 thoughts on “Coronavirus storyline #10: unemployment”

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  16. Your NJ data are sourced to an Asbury Park Press article that itself cites no numbers. The NJDOL does not release daily claims as per a USDOL directive. No states are allowed to release these numbers, so I wonder where you are obtaining these numbers from.

    1. From the source I quoted, “officials said the Department of Labor and Workforce Development received 15,000 first-time claims — enough to temporarily crash the system.”

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