Atlantic County May Be Among Worst Hit By 'Coronavirus Recession'

ATLANTIC COUNTY, NJ — The nation's economy and workforce have taken significant hits during the novel-coronavirus outbreak. But the "COVID-19 recession" will likely hit Atlantic County harder than almost anywhere in the United States, according to one analysis.

The Brookings Institution determined industries most highly exposed at this time: mining/oil and gas, transportation, employment services, travel arrangements, and leisure and hospitality. Then researchers mapped out cities and areas with the greatest percentage of jobs in those industries.

The metro area of Atlantic City to Hammonton ranks third on the list. According to the study, 34.2 percent of the area's jobs in 2019 fell into the aforementioned industries. Nationally, the Brookings Institution determined that 16.5 percent of jobs fall into those industries.

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Oil-and-gas towns were among the most affected areas because of a sharp decline in travel and a price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia. But many areas built around tourism also ranked toward the top of the list.

"The numbers also underscore the massive size of the nation's reeling leisure and hospitality sector," the study said. "Kahului, Hawaii, Atlantic City, N.J., and Las Vegas all fall into the top five most recession-vulnerable metro areas, each with more than a third of their workforce in industries threatened by coronavirus-related uncertainties."

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