American Perception of Job Climate at Highest Since Financial Crisis

According to a survey conducted by Gallup, 24% of Americans think of now as a good time to find a quality job.  Out of context 24% may seem low, but this number reflects the highest the workplace outlook has been since the financial crisis began in March in 2008.

Perceptions differ from region to region, with people in the Midwest and South viewing their prospects more negatively, at 22% and 19% respectively, with Americans from the West (31%) and East (28%) tend to view their job climates more favorably. 

These more positive perceptions occur in tangent with two indexes created by Gallup that are currently experiencing upticks,  the Job Creation Index and the Economic Confidence Index, which can be seen here.

Looking Back at the Frontier

As NASA's Curiosity rover roams Mars' surface, pushing man's frontier into space, the Census Bureau looks back at the American Frontier with its graphic representation of the population growth from the late 18^th to late 19^th century.  In 1790, the population extended up and down the eastern seaboard - from southern Maine deep into South Carolina - but the frontier remained close to the Atlantic Ocean.  

By the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, the frontier extended into the western portion of the U.S., and population centers on the East Coast expanded rapidly.  In the middle of the 19^thcentury, Americans pushed the limits of civilization well into the Midwest and established burgeoning cities throughout the region.  The frontier remained at borders drawn in the Louisiana Purchase, but the populace was well on its way to filling in the gaps from the East Coast to the Midwest.  When the gold rush caught the attention of millions of Americans, the frontier finally reached the West Coast, and people across the nation tried their luck in the gold-rich rivers of California. Moving onto the late 19^thcentury, the population’s reach extended throughout the entire continental U.S., and though gaps remained in the Midwest, the Superintendent of the Census declared the frontier to be nonexistent.

Population Density in the Early 20th Century

The Census Bureau's weekly data visualization shows the change in population density by county of the United States each decade from 1920-1950.  In the 1920s, predominantly rural counties in the East saw declining population densities due to a trend of migration to cities.  The 1930s saw the Great Plains decline in population while rural areas in the East became more densely populated again.  As World War II ended, the United States saw increased geographic mobility, which led to 21.5 percent of civilians moving to different counties or states between 1940 and 1947.  The map shows that urban and populated Northeast and Midwest counties saw the largest growth in the 1940s, while predominantly rural counties in the Great Plains and the South continued to see declining population density.

U.S. Drought Worst Since Dust Bowl

The drought currently overwhelming much of the U.S. ranks among the worst in American history and is the worst since the Dust Bowl.  Since 1999, the National Drought Mitigation Center has tracked the spread and intensity of droughts, and according to the center, 11 states possess regions with an "exceptional drought," characterized as resulting in "widespread crop losses," and water emergencies.  The "exceptional drought" category is the center's most extreme classification.  CNN provides an animated map to display the growth of the drought, which is now entering its eight month.  The expansive region experiencing the seriously low water levels covers land throughout the South, Midwest and West. Additionally, the NOAA's most recent projections paint a picture of a clear and swift recovery in the near future.

America's Largest Cities Still Growing

Marc Perry, chief of the Population Distribution Branch of the Census Bureau appeared on C-SPAN to discuss the population shifts and demographics of the most populous cities in America.  In 2010, there were 33 cities with 500,000 people or more, up from 29 in 2000.  In the past decade, Fort Worth experienced the greatest growth, with a 38.6% increase in population.   With a nearly 25 percent decrease in population, Detroit fell outside of the top ten most populous cities, replaced by San Jose, CA.  Most of the cities with the largest percentage increase are in the South or the West; these regions underwent a much greater population boom than the Northeast and Midwest.  Major population shifts however appear to be in decline.  From 1983 to 2011, the geographical mobility index has steadily dropped, falling to almost half of what it was in 1983.  So while population growth in these urban centers is still steadily increasing, the migration between large cities is falling significantly.

"Sand Rush" in Midwest Expected to Bring Jobs

A recent Wall Street Journal article discusses what it refers to as a "sand rush" in the Midwest due to an increase in demand for sand by U.S. oil and natural gas-producers.  The sedimentary material is a necessary component in the process of "fracking," in which sand is "injected deep underground to prop open fractures in shale formations and allow oil and gas to flow out."  The chart from the article shows the increase in demand for "fracking-sand" since 2008.  As the chart shows, demand has increased from roughly 6 million tons in 2008 to nearly 30 million tons in 2011.  According to the article, this increased demand is expected to bring more jobs to the Midwest, but there resistance from residents due to environmental concerns may play a role in the development of this industry. 

Causes of Stress in Regions of the U.S.

The American Psychological Association recently released the 2011 results of their annual nationwide survey, “Stress in America.”  One portion of the report discusses the causes of “somewhat/very significant” levels of stress reported in each region of the United States in which those surveyed were asked to indicate the level of stress each of the listed sources of stress caused in their lives.  Overall, money, work, and the economy were the largest causes of stress with 75%, 70% and 67% reporting that each respective factor was a cause of “somewhat/very significant” levels of stress.  Among the four regions, those on the East Coast reported the most stress caused by money (80%), work (74%), and relationships (66%).  Those in the Midwest reported the most stress caused by the economy (72%) and personal health concerns (59%).  Southerners, on the other hand, reported the most stress from family responsibilities (62%) and health problems affecting family members (65%).  Westerners reported the lowest amount of stress caused by everything except for work, where it reported slightly more stress than those in the South (69% and 67% respectively).

        

3.2 Million Job Openings in November

A report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows that there were 3.2 million job openings in November, unchanged from October. This is still below the 4.4 million job openings that were recorded when the recession officially started in December 2007, though it exceeds by one million the number of openings in July 2009, which was "the most recent trough for the series." According to the report, "The number of job openings has increased 30 percent since the end of the recession in June 2009."

The report notes, "Several industries saw increases in the number of job openings over the year, while the number of job openings decreased for finance and insurance, professional and business services, and federal government. The Midwest and South regions had increases in the number of job openings and the West experienced a decline over the year."

The BLS Editor's Desk further summarizes, "There were 2.8 million job openings in private industry. Within private industry, there were 87,000 job openings in construction, and 606,000 in education and health services."