U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Skip Header


Home-Based Workers and the COVID-19 Pandemic

Written by:
Report Number ACS-52

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic began to affect U.S. commuting patterns and workplace conditions in March 2020. Social distancing measures, reduced transportation options, and uncertainty about workplace safety lead many people to work from home. According to the American Community Survey (ACS), both the number and the percentage of home-based workers more than tripled from 2019 to 2021. The percentage of U.S. workers who worked from home increased from 5.7 percent of workers in 2019 (roughly 9 million workers) to 17.9 percent in 2021 (about 27.6 million workers). The number and percentage of home-based workers in 2021 were unprecedented in the ACS, but the changed commuting patterns reflected uneven adoption of home-based work along a variety of key population characteristics. This report offers a close look at the sociodemographic, occupational, and geographic characteristics of home-based workers for 2019 and 2021.

Page Last Revised - April 6, 2023
Is this page helpful?
Thumbs Up Image Yes Thumbs Down Image No
NO THANKS
255 characters maximum 255 characters maximum reached
Thank you for your feedback.
Comments or suggestions?

Top

Back to Header