Albuquerque, NM (KRQE) – The COVID-19 pandemic has been a time of rapid change. New data reveals that for many, the change has included a new job.
The US Census Bureau recently released the updated Job-to-job data. The numbers reveal how many people switched to a new role during the months following the pandemic.
In New Mexico, there are always some people going from job to job. But during 2020, about 11,100 people switched jobs per month. But during 2024, an average of 14,300 people per month moved to new jobs from their old jobs.
So what do the numbers mean? In general, job-to-job numbers represent not only job switching, but the transition from one job to a new job that better suits the worker. Often, these switches also represent an increase in income, according to United States Census Bureau.
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Across the country, states have seen people transition to new jobs. Data: United States Census Bureau
Movement from job to job often goes hand in hand with periods of economic growth. Here in New Mexico, state leaders have worked to try to stimulate the local economy after the COVID-19 shutdown. It is possible that the job numbers to the increased jobs indicate that the local economy has witnessed a recovery.
Other states have seen similar increases in job-to-job transitions in the late stages of the pandemic. Nevada, New York and Oklahoma, for example, saw reinforcements during 2024. But some states, like California, saw massive job movement.