Twenty Percent of the Detroit Region’s Residents Work in Industries Impacted Immediately by COVID-19

Impacted Workforce

According to an analysis conducted by The Brookings Institution, there are 63 industries that are suffering immediate effects from the economic shutdown as a result of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Annually, these industries contribute more than $32.5B in GRP and generate more than $21.8 billion in earnings and pay taxes in excess of $5.4 billion.  

For the Detroit Region the COVID-19 effects are being felt by everyone, but the impact has been felt more deeply and immediately for many of the 543,258 regional Detroit residents that work at one of the 29,834:  

• Restaurants and bars   
• Attraction and tourism businesses 
• Retail stores and gas stations 
• Transportation and personal services  
• Entertainment and sports businesses

Accounting for 30% of the jobs impacted, restaurants and eating and drinking places have been the hardest hit.  More than 162,000 regional Detroiters working in the industry, earning an average annual wage of $18,000 – aren’t sure when they will return to work.  

The Detroit Region boasts a labor force of more than 2.7 million workers, which is larger than the workforces of 30 states. Workers within the most vulnerable industries account for 20.1% of our workforce.  In addition, according to the State of Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency, and reported by UpJohn Institute, for last two weeks of March, nearly 440,000 Michiganders filed initial unemployment claims representing an increase of 400%. The 11-county Detroit Region accounted for 57.6% of those claims or more than 253,000 claims. Every county in our region has been impacted, with Wayne and Oakland residents showing the highest numbers affected workers. 

Where the Jobs are Located?

 20% of the Detroit Region’s Residents work in industries impacted immediately by COVID-19.

Who are the Workers?

We know traditionally that workers in these industries tend to be female and younger and that holds true for the Detroit Region as well. More than 54.5% of the workforce in the 11-county region is female and the 14–24 years age bracket accounts for nearly 28% or 150,000 workers.