West Virginia. Wow.

[n2doc]

The only state where less than half its civilians work



West Virginia quietly passed the ignominious milestone of having less than half of its adult, civilian population in the workforce in November.

State data compiled by the Labor Department shows that West Virginia’s civilian labor participation rate has fallen to 49.8%, from 50% in October. The national rate in December was 62.7%.

The Mountain State is the only state in the history of the series, which goes back to 1976, to have fallen below 50%, though Mississippi at 50.8% isn’t far behind.

more

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/this-is-the-only-state-where-less-than-half-its-citizens-work-2015-01-13

[hobbit709]

1. And both those states consistently vote R.

[MADem]

2. Almost heaven, West Virginia?

I suppose if you can get by without a paycheck....?

[DetlefK]

3. WTF? Is West Virginia chockful of retirees?

[femmocrat]

10. Just about every other person is on disability.

Residents in these states find it hard to get a job that will pay much more than disability with their work experience, education and health condition, explained Gary Burtless, economist and senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. “In states like Alabama and West Virginia,” Burtless said, “lots of the workers are going to be in occupations where the next job they obtain — if they do stick it out and work through the pain and the disability — is one that is going to pay considerably less than the last job that they held.”

More: (same source)

1. West Virginia
> Pct. of working age population with benefits: 9.0%
> Pct. with recurring neck and back pain: 39.0% (the highest)
> 2011 labor force participation rate: 54.1% (the lowest)
> 2011 unemployment rate: 7.8% (23rd lowest)

No state had a higher percentage of working age people receiving SSDI benefits than West Virginia. In addition, the benefits received from by the federal government were more generous compared to most states. The average monthly benefit of more than $1,140 in 2011 was the 10th highest of all states. Almost 21% of recipients received monthly benefits of at least $1,600, a higher percentage than all but three states. Like most states on this list, West Virginia is among the less-educated states in the country. Just 18.5% of the adult population had a bachelor’s degree, the lowest percentage of all states. Also, few residents in the state had jobs. Just 54.1% of residents were considered part of the labor force in 2011, by far the lowest percentage of any state in the nation.



Read more: States With the Most Americans on Disability - 24/7 Wall St. http://247wallst.com/special-report/2013/05/20/states-with-the-most-americans-on-disability/#ixzz3OoCbc8zI

[exboyfil]

4. It is also 94% white

so that meme is destroyed.

Actually West Virginians have been electing a Rockefeller for two generations. I still don't understand it given that class in particular is a big part of the reason that West Virginia has the problems that it has.

My family is from West Virginia, and I frankly think it is a great place to be from (note the emphasis on from). My family's hometown (where I lived as a child) has a heavy incident of alcoholism, and don't get started on the racism. My mom still regularly uses the N word in public sometimes when I am with her (in spite of my many corrections).

[Wounded Bear]

8. We used to say: "It's a great place to be from....

far from."

Not speaking of WV, of course, but the sentiment is the same.

[Vinca]

5. As I recall, West Virginia is a state with a cottage industry of disability lawyers.

Apparently everyone and their brother (sister, father, son, mother, daughter) tries and usually gets on disability in that state. PTSD from living there I guess. Someone needs to tell them the GOP position on their meal ticket.

[aikoaiko]

6. This is an interesting map. Not the usually red v blue trends we usually see.

[geek tragedy]

7. Yet they love Mitt Romney types. nt

[Gidney N Cloyd]

9. "Civilian" as opposed to-- ?

[a la izquierda]

11. I live here now, as I got a job.

I'm a university professor, so I got very lucky. But let's just say I don't like to leave my college town, more a suburb of Pittsburgh than actual West Virginia.