The Job Market in the Battleground of Battlegrounds: The Pennsylvania Suburbs

Urban counties tend to vote for Democrats. Rural counties tend to vote for Republicans. Suburban counties are usually the battleground. What is the jobs picture in these three sets of counties in Pennsylvania, particularly the suburbs, which are the battleground of this battleground state? How well has Trump done compared to Obama, even before the pandemic? As it stands, it is no contest.

Job gains/loss per month (PA total)

• Obama 2^nd term: 3,024/month
• Trump 1^st term pre-pandemic: 3,025/month
• Trump 1^st term including pandemic: -10,232/month
• Pennsylvanians unemployed at end of Obama Administration: 313,064
• Pennsylvanians unemployed in August: 664,886

Job gains/loss per month (PA urban counties)

• Obama 2^nd term: 867/month
• Trump 1^st term pre-pandemic: 1,206/month
• Trump 1^st term including pandemic: -2,253/month
• Pennsylvanians unemployed at end of Obama Administration: 74,122
• Pennsylvanians unemployed in August: 181,192

Job gains/loss per month (PA suburban counties)

• Obama 2^nd term: 2,422/month
• Trump 1^st term pre-pandemic: 1,731/month
• Trump 1^st term including pandemic: -5,740/month
• Pennsylvanians unemployed at end of Obama Administration: 173,575
• Pennsylvanians unemployed in August: 368,178

Job gains/loss per month (PA rural counties)

• Obama 2^nd term: -265/month
• Trump 1^st term pre-pandemic: 88/month
• Trump 1^st term including pandemic: -2,239/month
• Pennsylvanians unemployed at end of Obama Administration: 65,367
• Pennsylvanians unemployed in August: 115,516