In 1990, the average duration of unemployment in the United States was 12 weeks. The duration increased to 21.6 weeks in 2024, which was an increase from the previous year. For monthly updates on unemployment in the United States, check either the monthly national unemployment rate here, or the monthly state unemployment rate here.

Graph and download economic data for Average Weeks Unemployed (UEMPMEAN) from Jan 1948 to May 2025 about 16 years +, household survey, unemployment, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Median Weeks Unemployed (LNU03008276) from Jul 1967 to May 2025 about 16 years +, household survey, median, unemployment, and USA.

Unemployment Rate in the United States remained unchanged at 4.20 percent in May. 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.

Number of unemployed persons by duration of unemployment, gender and age group, annual.

The seasonally-adjusted national unemployment rate is measured on a monthly basis in the United States. In February 2025, the national unemployment rate was at 4.1 percent. Seasonal adjustment is a statistical method of removing the seasonal component of a time series that is used when analyzing non-seasonal trends. U.S. monthly unemployment rate According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics - the principle fact-finding agency for the U.S. Federal Government in labor economics and statistics - unemployment decreased dramatically between 2010 and 2019. This trend of decreasing unemployment followed after a high in 2010 resulting from the 2008 financial crisis. However, after a smaller financial crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic, unemployment reached 8.1 percent in 2020. As the economy recovered, the unemployment rate fell to 5.3 in 2021, and fell even further in 2022. Additional statistics from the BLS paint an interesting picture of unemployment in the United States. In November 2023, the states with the highest (seasonally adjusted) unemployment rate were the Nevada and the District of Columbia. Unemployment was the lowest in Maryland, at 1.8 percent. Workers in the agricultural and related industries suffered the highest unemployment rate of any industry at seven percent in December 2023.

In 2023, it was estimated that over 161 million Americans were in some form of employment, while 3.64 percent of the total workforce was unemployed. This was the lowest unemployment rate since the 1950s, although these figures are expected to rise in 2023 and beyond. 1980s-2010s Since the 1980s, the total United States labor force has generally risen as the population has grown, however, the annual average unemployment rate has fluctuated significantly, usually increasing in times of crisis, before falling more slowly during periods of recovery and economic stability. For example, unemployment peaked at 9.7 percent during the early 1980s recession, which was largely caused by the ripple effects of the Iranian Revolution on global oil prices and inflation. Other notable spikes came during the early 1990s; again, largely due to inflation caused by another oil shock, and during the early 2000s recession. The Great Recession then saw the U.S. unemployment rate soar to 9.6 percent, following the collapse of the U.S. housing market and its impact on the banking sector, and it was not until 2016 that unemployment returned to pre-recession levels. 2020s 2019 had marked a decade-long low in unemployment, before the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic saw the sharpest year-on-year increase in unemployment since the Great Depression, and the total number of workers fell by almost 10 million people. Despite the continuation of the pandemic in the years that followed, alongside the associated supply-chain issues and onset of the inflation crisis, unemployment reached just 3.67 percent in 2022 - current projections are for this figure to rise in 2023 and the years that follow, although these forecasts are subject to change if recent years are anything to go by.

Unemployment by age and duration (seasonally adjusted). These estimates are sourced from the Labour Force Survey, a survey of households. These are official statistics in development.

The employment and unemployment indicator shows several data points. The first figure is the number of people in the labor force, which includes the number of people who are either working or looking for work. The second two figures, the number of people who are employed and the number of people who are unemployed, are the two subcategories of the labor force. The unemployment rate is a calculation of the number of people who are in the labor force and unemployed as a percentage of the total number of people in the labor force.

The unemployment rate does not include people who are not employed and not in the labor force. This includes adults who are neither working nor looking for work. For example, full-time students may choose not to seek any employment during their college career, and are thus not considered in the unemployment rate. Stay-at-home parents and other caregivers are also considered outside of the labor force, and therefore outside the scope of the unemployment rate.

The unemployment rate is a key economic indicator, and is illustrative of economic conditions in the county at the individual scale.

There are additional considerations to the unemployment rate. Because it does not count those who are outside the labor force, it can exclude individuals who were looking for a job previously, but have since given up. The impact of this on the overall unemployment rate is difficult to quantify, but it is important to note because it shows that no statistic is perfect.

The unemployment rates for Champaign County, the City of Champaign, and the City of Urbana are extremely similar between 2000 and 2023.

All three areas saw a dramatic increase in the unemployment rate between 2006 and 2009. The unemployment rates for all three areas decreased overall between 2010 and 2019. However, the unemployment rate in all three areas rose sharply in 2020 due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The unemployment rate in all three areas dropped again in 2021 as pandemic restrictions were removed, and were almost back to 2019 rates in 2022. However, the unemployment rate in all three areas rose slightly from 2022 to 2023.

This data is sourced from the Illinois Department of Employment Security’s Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS), and from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Sources: Illinois Department of Employment Security, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Number of unemployed persons by duration of unemployment, gender and age group.

This dataset contains, by region and county, for each month from January 2002 to present, the number of New York State unemployment insurance average duration. Average Duration is the average number of unemployment insurance weeks beneficiaries receive within their benefit year. Data include only Regular Unemployment Insurance(UI) excluding Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE), Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Service Members (UCX), Shared Work (SW), Self Employment Assistance Program (SEAP), 599.2 training, and federal extension programs. Data are provided for the10 labor market regions, and 62 counties.

Graph and download economic data for Total Unemployed, Plus All Persons Marginally Attached to the Labor Force, Plus Total Employed Part Time for Economic Reasons, as a Percent of the Civilian Labor Force Plus All Persons Marginally Attached to the Labor Force (U-6) from Jan 1994 to May 2025 about marginally attached, part-time, labor underutilization, workers, 16 years +, labor, household survey, unemployment, and USA.

Australia Unemployment: Duration of Job Search: Median data was reported at 10.000 Week in Mar 2025. This stayed constant from the previous number of 10.000 Week for Feb 2025. Australia Unemployment: Duration of Job Search: Median data is updated monthly, averaging 14.000 Week from Jan 1991 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 411 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 30.000 Week in Nov 1993 and a record low of 6.000 Week in Jan 2009. Australia Unemployment: Duration of Job Search: Median data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Australian Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.G039: Unemployment: by Duration of Job Search and Sex.

Ukraine Unemployment: Period: Average data was reported at 12.000 Month in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 9.000 Month for 2014. Ukraine Unemployment: Period: Average data is updated yearly, averaging 13.000 Month from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2015, with 16 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 23.000 Month in 2001 and a record low of 9.000 Month in 2014. Ukraine Unemployment: Period: Average data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by State Statistics Service of Ukraine. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Ukraine – Table UA.G012: Unemployment.

Long Term Unemployment Rate in the United States decreased to 0.85 percent in May from 0.98 percent in April of 2025. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - United States Long Term Unemployment Rate - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

The age groups available in the data set are: 15+, 15-64, 15-19, 20-24, 25-44, 45-54, 55-64 and 65+. The duration of unemployment includes: 1-4 weeks, 5-13 weeks, 14-25 weeks, 26 weeks, 27 weeks+, 27-51 weeks, 52 weeks, 53 weeks+, duration unknown and average weeks unemployed).

This table contains data on the average duration of unemployment (reported in number of months) by sex and standardised age groups (15-19, 15-24, 20-24, 25-54, 55+, total).

Detailed notes and sources can be found in LFS_NOTES_SOURCES.

In order to facilitate analysis and comparisons over time, historical data for OECD members have been provided over as long a period as possible, often even before a country became a member of the Organisation. Information on the membership dates of all OECD countries can be found at OECD Ratification Dates.

In August 2021, the average unemployment benefit collection duration in the United States reached a peak, amounting to 23.02 weeks. As the labor market weakens, average duration increases and as the labor market strengthens the average duration declines.

Unemployment Rate in France increased to 7.40 percent in the first quarter of 2025 from 7.30 percent in the fourth quarter of 2024. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - France Unemployment Rate - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Unemployment Rate In the Euro Area increased to 6.30 percent in May from 6.20 percent in April of 2025. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - Euro Area Unemployment Rate - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.