POSTED BY MARTIN KICH

Job Growth and Good-Paying Job Growth in U.S. Urban Areas

 

The “right-to-work” states are indicated in red, and the pro-labor states in white:

 

If you compare that map with the following map, showing the raw job growth in U.S. urban areas, you’ll see that the greatest raw job growth is in the Sun Belt states, including the “right-to-work” states in the southeastern and south-central regions of the country:

 

But this next three maps, differentiating growth in low-wage jobs (paying less than $14.00/hour), mid-wage jobs (paying between $14.00 and $21.00/hour) and high-wage jobs (paying more than $21.000/hour), the “right-to-work” states look much less attractive to workers, even taking into account differences in cost of living:

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Previous posts in this series have included:

Right to Work by the Numbers, Part 1: Population Growth and Movement: https://academeblog.org/2013/04/03/2666/.

Right to Work by the Numbers, Part 2: Immigration: https://academeblog.org/2013/04/21/right-to-work-by-the-numbers-part-2/.

Right to Work by the Numbers, Part 3: Unemployment Rates, by State: https://academeblog.org/2013/04/30/right-to-work-by-the-numbers-part-3/.

Right to Work by the Numbers, Part 4: Historic Highs and Lows in Unemployment, by State: https://academeblog.org/2013/05/05/right-to-work-by-the-numbers-part-4/.

Right to Work by the Numbers, Part 5: Employment in Manufacturing: https://academeblog.org/2013/05/10/right-to-work-by-the-numbers-part-5/.

Right to Work by the Numbers, Part 6: Loss of Employment in Manufacturing, before and during the Great Recession: https://academeblog.org/2013/07/21/right-to-work-by-the-numbers-part-6/.

Right to Work by the Numbers, Part 7: GDP by State and GDP per Capita by State: https://academeblog.org/2013/12/16/right-to-work-by-the-numbers-gdp-by-state-and-gdp-per-capita-by-state/.

Right to Work by the Numbers, Part 8: GDP in Urban and Rural Areas: https://academeblog.org/2014/02/21/right-to-work-by-the-numbers-part-8-gdp-in-urban-and-rural-america/.

Right to Work by the Numbers, Part 9: Previously Uninsured Americans Who Now Receive Health Insurance through the Federal Exchanges Established under the Affordable Care Act: https://academeblog.org/2015/06/21/right-to-work-by-the-numbers-part-9-previously-uninsured-americans-who-now-receive-health-insurance-through-the-federal-exchanges-established-under-the-affordable-care-act/

Right to Work by the Numbers, Part 10: Unemployment Rates in August 2015: https://academeblog.org/2015/09/26/right-to-work-by-the-numbers-part-10-unemployment-rates-in-august-2015/

Right to Work by the Numbers, Part 11: Adult Obesity Rates: https://academeblog.org/2015/09/26/right-to-work-by-the-numbers-part-11-adult-obesity-rates/

Right to Work by the Numbers, Part 12: Adult Obesity Rates: Unemployment Rates in Mid-December 2015: https://academeblog.org/2015/12/18/right-to-work-by-the-numbers-part-12-unemployment-rates-in-mid-december-2015/

“Right to Work,” by the Numbers: Part 13: Poverty Rates in 2014: https://academeblog.org/2016/01/06/right-to-work-by-the-numbers-part-13-poverty-rates-in-2014/.

“Right to Work,” by the Numbers: Part 14: Workers Earning Federal Minimum Wage or Less: https://academeblog.org/2016/04/28/right-to-work-by-the-numbers-part-14/.