Long-Term Unemployment

Employment can have a positive effect on economic well-being and health. Thus, it follows that unemployment is often detrimental to economic and health outcomes. Short-term unemployment is not an uncommon occurrence in one’s career trajectory, but long bouts of unemployment, or chronic unemployment, can have a severe impact on health, especially mental health. Long-term unemployment increases distress, depression, anxiety, psychosomatic symptoms, subjective well-being, and self-esteem. The Long-term Unemployment indicator is extracted from the U.S. Census, and measures the proportion of the working-age population (i.e., residents above age 16) who has been unemployed for more than 12 months. It also is considered an “inverse” measure, i.e., the higher the value the more negative the ranking. In addition to its connections to the Employment Opportunities domain, the Long-term Unemployment indicator also impacts the Economic Health, Neighborhood Characteristics, Educational Opportunities, and Housing domains.

Neighborhoodsort ascending Indicator Value Rank
Zion City 2.7% 33
Wylam 4.3% 64
Woodlawn 4.1% 59
Woodland Park 4.0% 56
West Goldwire 5.2% 82
West End Manor 5.1% 80
West Brownville 3.4% 42
Wahouma 1.5% 14
Tuxedo 7.8% 96
Thomas 4.7% 71
Tarpley City 5.3% 84
Sun Valley 3.4% 42
Spring Lake 2.0% 21
Southside 10.1% 99
South Woodlawn 4.5% 67
South Titusville 2.3% 27
South Pratt 5.5% 87
South East Lake 1.8% 18
Smithfield Estates 2.1% 23
Smithfield 5.3% 84
Sherman Heights 3.2% 39
Sandusky 1.1% 8
Roosevelt 5.0% 75
Roebuck Springs 1.8% 18
Roebuck 2.1% 23
Rising - West Princeton 1.3% 11
Riley 2.0% 21
Redmont Park 0.9% 5
Powderly 4.0% 56
Pine Knoll Vista 5.0% 75
Penfield Park 2.6% 29
Oxmoor 0.5% 1
Overton 1.0% 6
Oakwood Place 3.5% 44
Oak Ridge Park 2.8% 36
Oak Ridge 3.2% 39
Norwood 2.1% 23
North Titusville 4.1% 59
North Pratt 0.8% 3
North East Lake 3.2% 39
North Birmingham 3.6% 46
North Avondale 7.8% 96
Mason City 2.7% 33
Maple Grove 2.6% 29
Liberty Highlands 1.9% 20
Kingston 5.9% 91
Killough Springs 3.7% 48
Jones Valley 5.3% 84
Inglenook 6.0% 92
Industrial Center 6.1% 93
Huffman 2.2% 26
Hooper City 1.7% 16
Hillman Park 3.9% 52
Hillman 3.9% 52
Highland Park 0.8% 3
Harriman Park 4.5% 67
Green Acres 4.4% 65
Graymont 7.7% 94
Grasselli Heights 3.5% 44
Glen Iris 1.6% 15
Germania Park 4.4% 65
Gate City 10.0% 98
Garden Highlands 5.0% 75
Fountain Heights 5.6% 89
Forest Park 1.2% 10
Five Points South 2.7% 33
Fairview 2.5% 28
Fairmont 3.7% 48
Evergreen 3.9% 52
Ensley Highlands 2.9% 38
Ensley 5.5% 87
Enon Ridge 1.7% 16
Echo Highlands 2.8% 36
Eastwood 2.6% 29
East Thomas 3.7% 48
East Lake 4.7% 71
East Brownville 3.9% 52
East Birmingham 2.6% 29
East Avondale 1.3% 11
Druid Hills 5.6% 89
Dolomite 5.2% 82
Crestwood South 1.1% 8
Crestwood North 1.0% 6
Crestline 0.6% 2
Collegeville 5.0% 75
College Hills 7.7% 94
Central Pratt 3.7% 48
Central Park 4.7% 71
Central City 4.1% 59
Bush Hills 4.2% 62
Brummitt Heights 5.0% 75
Brownsville Heights 4.5% 67
Brown Springs 5.1% 80
Bridlewood 3.6% 46
Belview Heights 4.0% 56
Arlington - West End 4.9% 74
Apple Valley 4.2% 62
Airport Highlands 4.6% 70
Acipco-Finley 1.4% 13

Key Citations:
1. Katz, Lawrence F. Testimony for the Joint Economic Committee, U.S. Congress. Long-Term Unemployment in the Great Recession, Hearing, April 29, 2010. Available at http://scholar.harvard.edu/files/lkatz/files/long_term_unemployment_in_t...
2. Sullivan, Daniel and Till von Wachter, 2009 (as cited in Katz, Lawrence F., 2010).
3. Milner, Allison, Andrew Page, Anthony D. LaMontagne. “Long-Term Unemployment and Suicide: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis” (2012). PLoS ONE