Multidimensional Hardships in the US During the COVID-19 Pandemic

In this paper, for the first time, we provide monthly estimates of multidimensional hardships experienced by Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic. We compile data from the Census's Household Pulse Survey on job insecurity, food insufficiency, housing insecurity, and mental health. Our analysis covers two years of the pandemic, beginning in April 2020 and ending in March 2022. We find that during these two years, 16.3% of adults, on average, experienced two or more hardships simultaneously. At the peaks of the hardship crises in July and December 2020, approximately 20% or one in five adults experienced two or more hardships. The most common hardships experienced by Americans during the pandemic were job insecurity and mental health. Multidimensional hardships were more prevalent among Black and Hispanic adults and less among White and Asian adults. Our results underscore the fact that the pandemic compounded hardships experienced by Americans and left a long-lasting impact on their well-being.