Red Hat (RHEL) is not based on any other distro, like Ubuntu is with Debian. RHEL is downstream of Fedora, meaning that RHEL developers can work on code that affects Fedora AND RHEL. This is not really true of Debian and Ubuntu. They are distinct projects with different goals. In many ways, Ubuntu is beholden to what Debian does. This isn’t usually a problem because Debian is very conservative in its approach to software. Ubuntu doesn’t usually have to worry about Debian screwing with something Ubuntu is trying to do.
Which, is all to say that there is no other distribution you can officially equate to RHEL like you can with Debian & Ubuntu.
Comparing against COVID joblessness is a hell of a premise. I would argue it’s a much better measurement to use a ratio of rent/mortgage to income. It is undeniable that the cost of housing has far outpaced real income. Anecdotally, this has become much worse since the pandemic.
Additionally, averages are just averages. A decent average doesn’t negate the negative side of that average. In many ways, the current US economy is truly the best of times and the worst of times. If the cost of housing wasn’t so ridiculous, the other price increases would be more tolerable.
For some context, here’s a recent NPR article of the cost of housing: https://www.npr.org/2024/06/20/nx-s1-5005972/home-prices-wages-paychecks-rent-housing-harvard-report