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Title: Gone Alas? Evaluating Massachusetts Exiting 20-24 Individuals from the Labor Force
Citation Type: Miscellaneous
Publication Year: 2023
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Abstract: This paper aims to analyze changes in the non-labor force participation of the 20-24 age group inMassachusetts, focusing on variations since the COVID pandemic and the factors influencing laborforce entry. Building on the work of Melnik et al. (2016), which used IPUMS data to highlight aMassachusetts decline in 20-24 year old labor force participation and increased racial disparities,our study employs the same methodology. We use Census-designated person weights in IPUMS forweighted mean testing and employ Z-scores to assess statistical significance. Primarily, we studystatewide and Boston versus non-Boston trends as sample size allows.Since the pandemic, our research highlights four key findings: 1) Labor force participation hasprimarily remained steady post-COVID. 2) Individuals identifying as Asian have shifted from thenot in labor force category to employment. 3) The share of Black-identifying individuals withinthe not in labor force group has increased. 4) While family incomes for those not in the labor forcehave generally risen, those in Boston have seen incomes decline toward the poverty line. Theseresults highlight significant racial and income shifts within the labor force.In our analysis using logistic regression on the 2012-2022 sample, we evaluated factors thatimpact an individual’s decision to join the labor force. Similar to the findings of Melnik et al. (2016),our study indicates that racial minorities and individuals with lower incomes are less inclined tojoin the labor force. Holding a bachelor’s degree positively influences labor force participation,whereas being male or a recent migrant correlates with a lower likelihood of joining. Further, whenincluding sub-state controls and regional indicators, we observe that individuals in Boston, GreaterBoston, and Western Massachusetts are more likely to participate in the labor force than those inCentral, Northeast, and Southeast Massachusetts.
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Authors: Bamzai-Wokhlu, Himal; Dayi, Arif Kerem; Liu, Shiloh; Sveen, Albert
Publisher: Charles River Economics Labs
Data Collections: IPUMS USA
Topics: Labor Force and Occupational Structure, Population Data Science
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