High underemployment has been a chronic structural feature of the rural United States for decades. In this paper, we assess whether and how inequalities in underemployment between metropolitan (metro) and nonmetropolitan (nonmetro) areas have changed over the course of the last five decades. Drawing on data from the March Current Population Survey from 1968 to 2017, we analyze inequality in the prevalence of underemployment between metro and nonmetro areas of the United States, paying special attention to differences between white, black, and Hispanic workers. Our results show that the underlying risk of underemployment has increased in both metro and nonmetro areas over the last 50 years. Nonmetro workers have consistently faced greater employment hardship compared to their metro counterparts, and these differences cannot be fully explained by differences in population characteristics. Nonmetro ethnoracial minorities have experienced particularly poor labor market outcomes. The disadvantage of ethnoracial minority status and rural residence is especially pronounced for nonmetro black workers, among whom underemployment has remained persistently high with only modest convergence with other workers. Hispanic workers also face an elevated risk of underemployment, but we observe a unique convergence between metro and nonmetro workers within this population.

中文翻译：

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种族、居住地和就业不足：比较视角的五十年，1968-2017

几十年来，严重的就业不足一直是美国农村的一个长期结构性特征。在本文中，我们评估了在过去 50 年中大都市区（都市区）和非大都市区（非大都市区）之间就业不足的不平等是否以及如何发生了变化。我们利用 1968 年至 2017 年 3 月当前人口调查的数据，分析了美国都市和非都市地区就业不足率的不平等，特别关注白人、黑人和西班牙裔工人之间的差异。我们的研究结果表明，在过去 50 年中，都市和非都市地区的潜在就业不足风险都有所增加。与地铁同行相比，非地铁工人一直面临更大的就业困难，而这些差异并不能完全用人口特征的差异来解释。非都市少数民族的劳动力市场结果尤其糟糕。对于非地铁黑人工人来说，少数民族身份和农村居住的劣势尤其明显，其中就业不足率一直居高不下，与其他工人的融合程度很小。西班牙裔工人也面临着更高的就业不足风险，但我们观察到这一人群中地铁和非地铁工人之间存在独特的融合。其中就业不足率一直居高不下，与其他工人只有适度的趋同。西班牙裔工人也面临着更高的就业不足风险，但我们观察到这一人群中地铁和非地铁工人之间存在独特的融合。其中就业不足率一直居高不下，与其他工人只有适度的趋同。西班牙裔工人也面临着更高的就业不足风险，但我们观察到这一人群中地铁和非地铁工人之间存在独特的融合。