In 1990, the unemployment rate of the United States stood at 5.6 percent. Since then there have been many significant fluctuations to this number - the 2008 financial crisis left millions of people without work, as did the COVID-19 pandemic. By the end of 2022 and throughout 2023, the unemployment rate came to 3.6 percent, the lowest rate seen for decades. However, 2024 saw an increase up to four percent. For monthly updates on unemployment in the United States visit either the monthly national unemployment rate here, or the monthly state unemployment rate here. Both are seasonally adjusted. UnemploymentUnemployment is defined as a situation when an employed person is laid off, fired or quits his work and is still actively looking for a job. Unemployment can be found even in the healthiest economies, and many economists consider an unemployment rate at or below five percent to mean there is 'full employment' within an economy. If former employed persons go back to school or leave the job to take care of children they are no longer part of the active labor force and therefore not counted among the unemployed. Unemployment can also be the effect of events that are not part of the normal dynamics of an economy. Layoffs can be the result of technological progress, for example when robots replace workers in automobile production. Sometimes unemployment is caused by job outsourcing, due to the fact that employers often search for cheap labor around the globe and not only domestically. In 2022, the tech sector in the U.S. experienced significant lay-offs amid growing economic uncertainty. In the fourth quarter of 2022, more than 70,000 workers were laid off, despite low unemployment nationwide. The unemployment rate in the United States varies from state to state. In 2021, California had the highest number of unemployed persons with 1.38 million out of work.

Unemployment Rate in the United States increased to 4.40 percent in September from 4.30 percent in August of 2025. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - United States Unemployment Rate - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Italy's unemployment rate was 6.6 percent in 2024, the lowest value since 2008. Forecasts suggest that it will stabilize around six percent between 2025 and 2027. The regions with the highest unemployment rates were in the south. Campania, Calabria, and Sicily registered rates from 16.1 percent to 17.8 percent, a large difference when compared to the northern regions, as only 2.9 percent of residents in Trentino-South Tyrol were unemployed, the lowest share nationwide. Young people mostly impacted Figures about the youth unemployment rate show that the financial crisis impacted the young working population significantly. Between 2004 and 2007, the share of unemployed individuals aged 15 to 24 years was declining. Subsequently, between 2008 and 2014, the rate almost doubled. In this case, southern regions had the largest share of young people without a job. In Sicily, Campania, and Calabria, more than one third of the population aged between 15 and 24 years was unemployed in 2022. Women more often unemployed In most of the Italian regions, the share of young unemployed women was higher than that of young males. In both Campania and Sicily, 50 percent of women aged 15 to 24 years did not have a job. Sicily was the region in Italy with the highest rate of unemployed young men. In this region, 51 percent of males were unemployed, almost five times more than in Trentino-South Tyrol, where the unemployment rate of young men stood at around nine percent.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate - Black or African American (LNS14000006) from Jan 1972 to Sep 2025 about African-American, 16 years +, household survey, unemployment, rate, and USA.

In 2010, unemployment rate in France reached a record level of 10.4 percent. Unemployment remains a rampant issue for French economy, being stagnant year-over-year since the financial and economical crisis in 2008. During the first quarter of 2018, more than 1.4 million people aged between 25 and 49 years were unemployed in France.

Change in unemployment since 2008

In 2008, year of the financial crisis, unemployment rate in France reached its lowest level since 2004. That year, France had an unemployment rate of 7.4 percent while, one year before it had reached 8 eight percent. Unemployment is an important economic factor for a country and a measure of a region’s economic health. Despite its low level in 2008, unemployment rate in France increased steadily between 2009 and 2016. In 2015, it even reached its highest level since the mid-2000s with a percentage of unemployed people among the French population which was of 10.4 percent. That year, unemployed people represented 11.5 percent of the urban population in France. However, French unemployment rate seemed to be experiencing improvements in recent years. In 2017, long-term employment rate decreased after several years of constant growth.

Unemployment in France and the EU

European markets were particularly affected by the 2008 global financial crisis and the recession which followed. Nevertheless, Unemployment rate in the EU reached 6.5 percent in January 2019, compared to 7.2 percent one year before and the number of unemployed persons in the European Union and the Euro area is declining since 2018. This improvement seems to be affecting France to a lesser extent. France was one of the EU members with the highest unemployment rate in 2019, and youth unemployment still reaches a record number in the country.

Descriptiondata presented as spreadsheet; Provides an overview of the official unemployment rate by narrow definition across all provinces and metros in South Africa since 2008.Artefact TypeDataset (non-spatial)LineageThe data presented is extracted from Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) trends as published on https://www.statssa.gov.za/Publication Date13 May 2025Data Sources / LayersQLFS Trends 2008-2025Q1, Stats SA, published 13 May 2025Terms of useNo special restrictions or limitations on using the item's content have been provided Contact PersonElize van der Berg, Department of the Premier, Elize.VanDerBerg@westerncape.gov.za

Unemployment Rate in Serbia decreased to 8.20 percent in the third quarter of 2025 from 8.50 percent in the second quarter of 2025. This dataset provides - Serbia Unemployment Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The statistic shows the unemployment rate in selected world regions between 2019 and 2024. In 2024, the unemployment rate in the Arab World was estimated to have been at 9.46 percent. Unemployment around the globe Following the global financial crisis in 2008, unemployment saw considerable downturns around the globe, most notably in 2009. Unemployment rates, despite experiencing dramatic improvements over the years following the crisis, still have not reached pre-2009 levels for the large majority of countries. The same trend is followed with unemployment among the youth between the ages of 15 and 24, around the world. Many youth experienced layoffs after 2008, mainly because their skills were interchangeable and easily replaceable and as a result, youth unemployment increased, although the situation has improved slightly. The unemployment rate in selected world regions remained relatively stagnant year-over-year from 2012 to 2013, however is expected to improve over the long run based on current employment trends. Economic improvement around the world is primarily evident from growth of real gross domestic product , which has been relatively positive in most countries with the exception of those in the euro area. Growth of real gross domestic product points to economic growth as well as a higher productivity within each country. On the other hand, other indicators of economic health, such as inflation, point to further economic distraught, as inflation is expected to increase globally, most prominently in non-developed countries.

Unemployment Rate in Greece decreased to 8.60 percent in October from 8.70 percent in September of 2025. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - Greece Unemployment Rate - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Youth Unemployment Rate in Serbia increased to 23.40 percent in the third quarter of 2025 from 22.80 percent in the second quarter of 2025. This dataset provides - Serbia Youth Unemployment Rate- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Unemployment rate, participation rate, and employment rate by educational attainment, gender and age group, annual.

Unemployment Rate - With a Disability - Historical chart and current data through 2025.

Serbia RS: Unemployment Rate: % Change data was reported at -13.609 % in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of -8.128 % for 2015. Serbia RS: Unemployment Rate: % Change data is updated yearly, averaging -4.064 % from Dec 2005 (Median) to 2016, with 12 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 21.053 % in 2011 and a record low of -22.222 % in 2008. Serbia RS: Unemployment Rate: % Change data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by International Monetary Fund. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Serbia – Table RS.IMF.IFS: Labour Force, Employment and Unemployment: Annual.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate in California (CAUR) from Jan 1976 to Aug 2025 about CA, unemployment, rate, and USA.

United States Unemployment Rate: sa: West Virginia data was reported at 5.300 % in Jun 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 5.400 % for May 2018. United States Unemployment Rate: sa: West Virginia data is updated monthly, averaging 7.300 % from Jan 1976 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 510 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 18.800 % in Feb 1983 and a record low of 4.000 % in Jul 2008. United States Unemployment Rate: sa: West Virginia data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.G058: Unemployment Rate: By State: Seasonally Adjusted.

In 2022, the unemployment rate in Belgium was *** percent. This is a slight decrease in comparison to the previous year, and one of the lowest unemployment rates in the last ten years. Unemployment peaked in 2014 and 2015, at *** percent. In 2022, there were around 293 thousand unemployed persons in Belgium.

Unemployment per region  

Unemployment in Belgium differed from region to region. The unemployment rate was lowest in the Flemish Region, the Dutch-speaking part of the country. In 2021, unemployment reached *** percent there. By comparison, in the Brussels-Capital Region the share of people without employment was nearly **** times as high, at **** percent.

Forecast for 2022

 For 2022, an increase in the unemployment rate in Flanders was foreseen. According to a recent forecast, the unemployment rate would rise from just below *** percent in 2019, to *** percent in 2022. Between 2023 and 2025, the unemployment rate in Flanders was expected to decrease again.

Unemployment Rate in China decreased to 5.10 percent in October from 5.20 percent in September of 2025. This dataset provides - China Unemployment Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The underemployment rate, the percent of employed people who are working part-time but prefer to be working full-time, moves closely with the unemployment rate, rising during recessions and falling during expansions. Following the Great Recession, the underemployment rate had stayed persistently elevated when compared to the unemployment rate, that is, until the COVID-19 recession. Since then, it has been consistent with its pre-2008 levels. We find that changes in relative industry size account for essentially none of the underemployment rate increase after the Great Recession nor the underemployment rate decrease after the COVID-19 recession. Based on this finding, we do not expect the underemployment rate to revert to its pre-COVID-19 levels if industry composition reverts to its pre-COVID-19 structure.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate - 18 Years and over, Men (LNU04076980) from Dec 2008 to Sep 2025 about 18 years +, males, unemployment, rate, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate - With a Disability, 16 Years and over (LNU04074597) from Jun 2008 to Sep 2025 about disability, 16 years +, household survey, unemployment, rate, and USA.