The population goes up over time (and in fact is currently at an all-time high as well; the US population has never shrunk year-over-year), so this is a bum metric. The labor force participation rate is still lower than it was pre-pandemic: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/graph/fredgraph.png?g=UOVS

Consumer loans are substantially higher than pre-Covid: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/graph/fredgraph.png?g=UOVO (I know this isn't per-capita basis, either, but that's all they have ;-))

So, there are some data points that don't look so rosy, as well. I agree with you that the feeling on the street isn't one that of a recession, though there are hints that we are headed that way.