EMPLOYMENT
The Silver State reached the highest unemployment rate that any state has ever seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Between March 2020 and December 2022, Nevada lost 3,938,448 months of employment and $15,049,433,405 in salaries and wages – or approximately $3,821 per employment month.
Casinos lost 20,000 jobs and never regained those positions. However, leisure and hospitality as a whole has a strong economic outlook.
Industrial sectors have regained jobs they lost during COVID-19, and some have even seen strong growth. Trade, Transportation and Utilities gained 3,200 jobs during and following the pandemic.
The pandemic changed the way Nevada does business, from construction to leisure and hospitality.
HOUSING
Nevada became the seventh worst state for home affordability during the pandemic.
Nevada’s home price-to-income ratio increased by 16% between the beginning of 2020 and the end of 2022.
This spilled over to the rental market, especially in bigger cities.
The rental market in Las Vegas. Reno and Carson City all notably became less affordable.
For example, Nevada saw annual rates increase 15% in Reno, 9% in Carson City and 7% in Las Vegas between 2020 and 2022 for two bedroom rental units.
Nevada was the seventh worst state for home affordability during the pandemic.
HOMELESSNESS
Homelessness increased in Nevada during the pandemic – particularly in Northern Nevada.
The Cares Campus formed in 2021 to help provide more resources to help combat the rise in homelessness.
High costs of living appear to be a large factor for many of the Cares Campus clients today.
“We’re seeing a lot of fixed incomes that aren’t keeping up with the rent rates and we’re very concerned about that,” said Dana Searcy, Division Director for Washoe County Housing and Homeless Services.
The end of COVID-19 relief funds could further impact Nevadans who are struggling.
Many of the services we have now weren’t formed yet during the pandemic, but many agencies gathered to help solve the issue.
FOOD BANK NEED
The Food Bank of Northern Nevada says it’s helping approximately 46% more people in 2024 than it did during the pandemic – likely due to the high cost of living and pandemic-era benefits ending.
The Food Bank is currently serving about 155,000 people each month.
The food bank says they are helping more people now than before or during the pandemic.
EDUCATION
Nevada schools are still feeling impacts among its students – particularly with test scores.
Data from last school year shows Washoe County, like other school districts across the country, is seeing a slower than expected return to pre-pandemic test score levels.
The school district is still discussing how the pandemic affected students.
YEARS OF LIFE LOST
More than 94,000 years of life were lost to COVID-19 statewide between March of 2020 and December of 2022.
State researchers found this number by subtracting the age of each person who died from covid… from their life expectancy.
HOSPITAL IMPACT
The pandemic put a major strain on our hospital system. Cases overwhelmed facilities, leading to burnout among staff. This ended up worsening an already existing workforce shortage.
According to the Nevada Hospital Association – Nevada is still below the national average in 33 of 39 physician specialties.
Nevada also needs more than 3,000 registered nurses and 3,000 licensed practical nurses to meet national averages.
Nevada also needs more certified nursing assistants, medical technicians, therapists, social workers, and so many more healthcare professionals.
The Nevada Hospital Association says Nevada needs to expand its nursing programs and increase in-state programs for residencies and fellowships and offer incentives for students who attend medical school in Nevada and also receive their graduate medical education in Nevada.
The pandemic led to a major strain on hospitals, an issue we’re still seeing today.
MENTAL HEALTH
Nevada had the 14th highest suicide rate in the nation in 2020, at 18.2 per 100,000 population.
Over the past six years, the highest rate of mental health-related deaths occurred in quarter four of 2020 and then again in quarter one of 2022 and was significantly higher than the rate at the start of the pandemic.
In quarter two of 2020, the rate of alcohol-related deaths increased 54% from the previous quarter and remained higher than pre-pandemic rates through 2022.
Isolation and a lack of social connection amplified during the pandemic, but now teens are taking the lead to help each other with mental health.
The report also covered wage growth & inflation, telehealth, social services, teleworking, and crime.
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