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

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