Some jobs pay less because they’re part-time. Some jobs just pay less. And these jobs may not provide enough income for workers to make ends meet, bring down debt, or pay for family health expenses. Whatever the reason, some workers have multiple jobs. Let’s consult FRED to see how common this is.

The Current Population Survey from the Bureau of Labor Statistics offers data on the fraction of workers (among all workers) who hold multiple jobs. It’s not a large number, but it’s not negligible either: Today, it’s about 5%. Its slow decline over time suggests that the need for multiple jobs, often some sort of financial distress, is becoming less frequent. By looking at the graph, we see that recessions (shown by the gray bars) seem to have no significant impact on this measure.

How this graph was created: Search for “multiple jobholders,” select the series, and expand the sample period to the maximum range.

Suggested by Christian Zimmermann.