Jobs lost amid COVID are nearly back in full. South, West lead the way

The U.S. economy is tantalizingly close to reaching the most significant milestone yet in its long, bumpy comeback from COVID-19: the recovery of all 22 million jobs wiped out in the pandemic.

After a remarkable string of at least 400,000 payroll gains for 11 straight months, the nation has recouped 20.4 million, or 93%, of the lost jobs. That puts the U.S. just 1.6 million short of its pre-crisis employment level, a target it will likely hit by June or July.