Alabama

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Population

4.87M

0.235% growth

Median Age

38.9


Median Household Income

$48,123

4.03% growth

Poverty Rate

18%


Number of Employees

1.97M

1.6% decline

Median Property Value

$141,300

3.74% growth

About

Economy

Health

Diversity

Education

Housing & Living

About

In 2017, Alabama had a population of 4.87M people with a median age of 38.9 and a median household income of $48,123. Between 2016 and 2017 the population of Alabama grew from 4.86M to 4.87M, a 0.235% increase and its median household income grew from $46,257 to $48,123, a 4.03% increase.

The population of Alabama is 65.5% White Alone, 26.7% Black or African American Alone, and 4.14% Hispanic or Latino. 5.1% of the people in Alabama speak a non-English language, and 97.9% are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Alabama are The University of Alabama (9,088 degrees awarded in 2016), Columbia Southern University (7,424 degrees), and Auburn University (6,421 degrees).

The median property value in Alabama is $141,300, and the homeownership rate is 68%. Most people in Alabama commute by Drove Alone, and the average commute time is 23.8 minutes. The average car ownership in Alabama is 2 cars per household.

Alabama borders Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and Mississippi.

About the photo: Birmingham, AL

Photo by Trish Hartmann

United States

Economy

The economy of Alabama employs 1.97M people. The largest industries in Alabama are Restaurants & Food Services (128,392 people), Construction (122,619 people), and Elementary & secondary schools (114,733 people), and the highest paying industries are Pharmaceutical & medicine manufacturing ($127,904), Electric & gas, and other combinations ($126,580), and Air transportation ($96,708).

Median household income in Alabama is $48,123. Males in Alabama have an average income that is 1.43 times higher than the average income of females, which is $41,415. The income inequality in Alabama (measured using the Gini index) is 0.459, which is lower than than the national average.

Wages

Median Household Income

$48,123

2017 value

± $768

4.03%

1 Year Growth

± 2.08%

Households in Alabama have a median annual income of $48,123, which is less than the median annual income of $60,336 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $46,257 in 2016, which represents a 4.03% annual growth.

Look at the chart to see how the median household income in Alabama compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Wage by Gender in Common Jobs

$59,128

Average Male Salary

± $1,487

$41,415

Average Female Salary

± $1,053

In 2017, full-time male employees in Alabama made 1.43 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the gender-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in Alabama by number of full-time employees.

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Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity

  1. Asian

    $55,342 ± $9,359

  2. White

    $49,497 ± $1,108

  3. American Indian and Alaska Native tribes specified; or American Indian or Alaska Native, not specified and no other races

    $40,310 ± $17,163

In 2017 the highest paid race/ethnicity of Alabama workers was Asian. These workers were paid 1.12 times more than White workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in Alabama by number of full-time employees.

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Wage Distribution

0.459

2017 Wage GINI

0.463

2016 Wage GINI

In 2017, the income inequality in Alabama was 0.459 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.912% decline from 2016 to 2017, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even.

The 2017 the GINI for Alabama was lower than than the national average of 0.479. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Alabama in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Alabama across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

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Income by Location

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Highest Median Household Income (Total)

  1. Shelby County, AL

  2. Madison County, AL

  3. Elmore County, AL

In 2017, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Alabama was Shelby County, AL with a value of $73,031, followed by Madison County, AL and Elmore County, AL, with respective values of $62,312 and $60,558.

The following map shows all of the counties in Alabama colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

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Poverty by Age and Gender

Females 25 - 34

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

18% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Alabama (850k out of 4.73M people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 13.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 35 - 44.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

  1. White

    432,404 ± 4,676

  2. Black

    360,407 ± 4,243

  3. Hispanic

    62,607 ± 1,889

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Alabama is White, followed by Black and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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Occupations

Employment by Occupations

1.97M

2017 Value

-1.6%

1 Year decline

± -1.6%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Alabama declined at a rate of -1.6%, from 2M employees to 1.97M employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Alabama, are Driver/sales workers & truck drivers (54,623 people), Firstline supervisors of retail sales workers (52,547 people), and Cashiers (49,866 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Alabama.

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Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Alabama, by number of employees, are Driver/sales workers & truck drivers (54,623 people), Firstline supervisors of retail sales workers (52,547 people), and Cashiers (49,866 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other states, Alabama has an unusually high number of residents working as Metal furnace operators, tenders, pourers, & casters (7.5 times higher than expected), Atmospheric & space scientists (4.53 times), and Woodworking machine setters, operators, & tenders, except sawing (3.8 times).

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Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Alabama, by average salary, are Physicians & surgeons ($238,664), Dentists ($176,222), and Optometrists ($156,910).

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Industries

Employment by Industries

1.97M

2017 Value

-1.6%

1 Year decline

± -1.6%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Alabama declined at a rate of -1.6%, from 2M employees to 1.97M employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Alabama, are Restaurants & Food Services (128,392 people), Construction (122,619 people), and Elementary & secondary schools (114,733 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Alabama, though some of these residents may live in Alabama and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Most Common

The most common industries in Alabama, by number of employees, are Restaurants & Food Services (128,392 people), Construction (122,619 people), and Elementary & secondary schools (114,733 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other states, Alabama has an unusually high number of Prefabricated wood buildings & mobile homes (8.78 times higher than expected), Carpet & rug mills (5.52 times), and Clay building material & refractories manufacturing (5.02 times) industries.

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Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Alabama, by average salary, are Pharmaceutical & medicine manufacturing ($127,904), Electric & gas, and other combinations ($126,580), and Air transportation ($96,708).

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Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Alabama to other states, or from other states to Alabama.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

  1. Motorized vehicles

    $40.7B

  2. Mixed freight

    $28B

  3. Coal-n.e.c.

    $21.5B

In 2015, the top outbound Alabama product (by dollars) was Motorized vehicles with $40.7B, followed by Mixed freight with $28B and Coal-n.e.c. and $21.5B.

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Alabama products.

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Domestic Trade Growth

$243B

2015 Value

$367B

Projected 2045 Value

50.7% growth

In 2015, total outbound Alabama trade was $243B. This is expected to increase 50.7% to $367B by 2045.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Alabama trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

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Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Alabama to other states, or from other states to Alabama.

Most Common Trade Partners

  1. Georgia

    $25.3B

  2. Florida

    $16.7B

  3. Tennessee

    $14.5B

In 2015, the top outbound Alabama domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Georgia with $25.3B, followed by Florida with $16.7B and Tennessee and $14.5B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Alabama shares with each state (excluding itself).

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Health

90.6% of the population of Alabama has health coverage, with 44.7% on employee plans, 17.1% on Medicaid, 12.6% on Medicare, 13.8% on non-group plans, and 2.4% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in the state of Alabama was $7,281 in 2014. This is a 4.07% increase from the previous year ($6,996).

Primary care physicians in Alabama see 1535 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.1% decrease from the previous year (1552 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2139 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 1185 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Greene County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (21.1%). Additionally, Macon County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (47.8%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,535 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio

Primary care physicians in Alabama see an average of 1,535 patients per year. This represents a 1.1% decrease from the previous year (1,552 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Alabama in comparison to neighboring states.

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Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

  1. West Virginia

    8.26% of the population affected

  2. Arkansas

    8.13% of the population affected

  3. New Hampshire

    7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

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Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

  1. Mississippi

    19.2% of adults

  2. Texas

    17.9% of adults

  3. Louisiana

    17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

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Health Care Spending

$7,281

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care 

$3,641

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$5,042

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$10,267

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in Alabama (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 4.07%, from $6,996 to $7,281.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

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Health Care Coverage

9.37%

Uninsured

44.7%

Employer Coverage

17.1%

Medicaid

12.6%

Medicare

13.8%

Non-Group

2.4%

Military or VA

Between 2016 and 2017, the percent of uninsured citizens in Alabama grew by 2.97% from 9.1% to 9.37%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Alabama changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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Health Risks

Data available at the county level.

Most at risk counties

  1. Greene County

    21.1% prevalence

  2. Perry County

    20.9% prevalence

  3. Sumter County

    20.4% prevalence

Greene County has the highest prevalence of diabetes in Alabama, at 21.1%.

The following map shows the prevalence of diabetes in Alabama by county over multiple years.

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Diversity

Alabama is home to a population of 4.87M people, from which 97.9% are citizens. As of 2017, 3.44% of Alabama residents were born outside of the country.

The ethnic composition of the population of Alabama is composed of 3.19M White Alone residents (65.5%), 1.3M Black or African American Alone residents (26.7%), 202k Hispanic or Latino residents (4.14%), 81.8k Two or More Races residents (1.68%), 65.5k Asian Alone residents (1.34%), 22.2k American Indian & Alaska Native Alone residents (0.456%), 8.11k Some Other Race Alone residents (0.166%), and 1.43k Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander Alone residents (0.0294%).

The most common foreign languages spoken in Alabama are Spanish or Spanish Creole (149,576 speakers), Chinese (8,346 speakers), and Korean (7,999 speakers).

Age

Age by Nativity

39

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.2

39

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 1

In 2017, the median age of all people in Alabama was 38.9. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 39, were generally younger than than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 39. But people in Alabama are getting getting younger. In 2016, the average age of all Alabama residents was 39.

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Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

3.44%

2017 Foreign-Born Population

3.4%

2016 Foreign-Born Population

As of 2017, 3.44% of Alabama residents were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.7%. In 2016, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Alabama was 3.4%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Alabama compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Global Diversity

Most Common Origin

  1. Mexico

    49,351 ± 5,426 people

  2. Guatemala

    13,867 ± 2,887 people

  3. Korea

    10,864 ± 2,556 people

In 2017, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Alabama was Mexico, the natal country of 49,351 Alabama residents, followed by Guatemala with 13,867 and Korea with 10,864.

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Citizenship

97.9%

2017 Citizenship

97.9%

2016 Citizenship

As of 2017, 97.9% of Alabama residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.1%. In 2016, the percentage of US citizens in Alabama was 97.9%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Alabama compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Race and Ethnicity

Most Common

  1. White Alone

    3.19M ± 2.16k

  2. Black or African American Alone

    1.3M ± 6.31k

  3. Hispanic or Latino

    202k ± 9.69k

In 2017, there were 2.45 times more White Alone residents (3.19M people) in Alabama than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.3M Black or African American Alone and 202k Hispanic or Latino residents, the second and third most common racial or ethnic groups.

The following bar chart shows the 8 races and ethnicities represented in Alabama as a share of the total population.

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Non-English Speakers

Most Common Languages

  1. Spanish or Spanish Creole

    149,576 speakers (3.27%)

  2. Chinese

    8,346 speakers (0.182%)

  3. Korean

    7,999 speakers (0.175%)

5.1% of Alabama citizens are speakers of a non-English language, which is lower than the national average of 21.5%. In 2015, the most common non-English language spoken in Alabama was Spanish or Spanish Creole. 3.27% of the overall population of Alabama are native Spanish or Spanish Creole speakers. 0.182% speak Chinese and 0.175% speak Spanish or Spanish Creole, the next two most common languages.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

  1. Vietnam

    109,744 ± 4,701

  2. Gulf War (2001-)

    73,616 ± 5,261

  3. Gulf War (1990s)

    54,903 ± 3,322

Alabama has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.49 times greater than any other conflict.

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Education

In 2016, universities in Alabama awarded 71,446 degrees. The student population of Alabama is skewed towards women, with 131,553 male students and 174,348 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Alabama are White (44,376 and 63.9%), followed by Black or African American (16,853 and 24.3%), Unknown (2,946 and 4.25%), and Hispanic or Latino (2,190 and 3.16%).

The largest universities in Alabama by number of degrees awarded are The University of Alabama (9,088 and 12.7%), Columbia Southern University (7,424 and 10.4%), and Auburn University (6,421 and 8.99%).

The most popular majors in Alabama are General Business Administration & Management (6,345 and 8.88%), Registered Nursing (5,526 and 7.73%), and General Studies (4,023 and 5.63%).

The median tuition costs in Alabama are $14,220 for private four year colleges, and $8,085 and $17,130 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

  1. General Business Administration & Management

    3,462 degrees awarded

  2. Registered Nursing

    2,246 degrees awarded

  3. General Psychology

    1,419 degrees awarded

In 2015, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Alabama was General Business Administration & Management with 3,462 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Alabama according to their major.

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Universities

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

  1. The University of Alabama

    9,088 degrees awarded

  2. Columbia Southern University

    7,424 degrees awarded

  3. Auburn University

    6,421 degrees awarded

$8,085

Median In-State Public

$14,220

Median Private

In 2016, the Alabama institution with the largest number of graduating students was The University of Alabama with 9,088 degrees awarded.

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Student Gender for Common Institutions

31,293

Degrees Awarded to Men

40,153

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2016, 31,293 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Alabama, which is 0.779 times less than the 40,153 female students who received degrees in the same year.

This chart displays the gender disparity between the top 5 institutions in Alabama by degrees awarded.

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Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

  1. White

    44,376 degrees awarded

  2. Black or African American

    16,853 degrees awarded

  3. Unknown

    2,946 degrees awarded

In 2016 the majority of degrees awarded at institutions in Alabama were to White students. These 44,376 degrees mean that there were 2.63 times more White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 16,853 degrees awarded.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Alabama was $141,300 in 2017, which is 0.649 times smaller than the national average of $217,600. Between 2016 and 2017 the median property value increased from $136,200 to $141,300, a 3.74% increase. The homeownership rate in Alabama is 68%, which is higher than the national average of 63.9%. People in Alabama have an average commute time of 23.8 minutes, and they commute by Drove Alone. Car ownership in Alabama is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Income

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$48,123

Median Household Income

± $768

1.84M

Number of Households

± 22,023

In 2017, the median household income of the 1.84M households in Alabama grew to $48,123 from the previous year's value of $46,257.

The following chart displays the households in Alabama distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

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Housing

Property Value

$141,300

2017 Median

± $1,758

$136,200

2016 Median

± $1,645

In 2017, the median property value in Alabama grew to to $141,300 from the previous year's value of $136,200.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Alabama compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Alabama the largest share of households have a property value in the $100k - $125k range.

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Property Taxes

< $800

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Alabama distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Alabama the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

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Rent vs Own

68%

2017 Homeownership

68.5%

2016 Homeownership

In 2017, 68% of the housing units in Alabama were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 68.5%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is higher than the national average of 63.9%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Alabama compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Transportation

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Alabama distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Alabama have 2 cars, followed by 3 cars.

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Commute Time

23.8 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Alabama have a shorter commute time (23.8 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.5 minutes). Additionally, 1.88% of the workforce in Alabama have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Alabama compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Commuter Transportation

Most Common Method of Travel

  1. Drove Alone

    85.7%

  2. Carpooled

    8.5%

  3. Worked At Home

    3.37%

In 2017, the most common method of travel for workers in Alabama was Drove Alone, followed by those who Carpooled and those who Worked At Home.

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