In 2024, the U.S. employment rate stood at 60.1 percent. Employed persons consist of: persons who did any work for pay or profit during the survey reference week; persons who did at least 15 hours of unpaid work in a family-operated enterprise; and persons who were temporarily absent from their regular jobs because of illness, vacation, bad weather, industrial dispute, or various personal reasons. The employment-population ratio represents the proportion of the civilian non-institutional population that is employed. The monthly unemployment rate for the United States can be found here.

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.

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.

Graph and download economic data for Employment Level (CE16OV) from Jan 1948 to May 2025 about civilian, 16 years +, household survey, employment, and USA.

U.S. unemployment rate for 2024 was 4.11%, a 0.47% increase from 2023.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>U.S. unemployment rate for 2023 was <strong>3.64%</strong>, a <strong>0.01% decline</strong> from 2022.</li>
<li>U.S. unemployment rate for 2022 was <strong>3.65%</strong>, a <strong>1.7% decline</strong> from 2021.</li>
<li>U.S. unemployment rate for 2021 was <strong>5.35%</strong>, a <strong>2.71% decline</strong> from 2020.</li>
</ul>Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.

In 2024, the employment rate of the workforce of 55 years and older decreased to 37.3 percent. Employment rate among young adults (age 16-24) was at 50.9 percent in 2024. For monthly updates on employment in the United States visit the annual national employment rate here.

Labor Force Participation Rate in the United States decreased to 62.40 percent in May from 62.60 percent in April of 2025. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - United States Labor Force Participation Rate - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate Full-Time Workers (LNS14100000) from Jan 1968 to May 2025 about full-time, workers, 16 years +, household survey, unemployment, rate, and USA.

United States US: Employment Rate: Age 15-74 data was reported at 67.118 % in 2026. This records an increase from the previous number of 66.828 % for 2025. United States US: Employment Rate: Age 15-74 data is updated yearly, averaging 65.646 % from Dec 1985 (Median) to 2026, with 42 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 69.750 % in 2000 and a record low of 61.414 % in 2010. United States US: Employment Rate: Age 15-74 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.OECD.EO: Employment and Unemployment: Forecast: OECD Member: Annual.

This dataset provides values for EMPLOYMENT RATE reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

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.

The unemployment rate for people ages 16 to 24 in the United States in 202024 23 was 10 percent. However, this rate was much lower for people aged 45 and over, at 2.9 percent. U.S. unemployment The unemployment rate in the United States varies based on several factors, such as race, gender, and level of education. Black and African-American individuals had the highest unemployment rate in 2021 out of any ethnicity, and people who had less than a high school diploma had the highest unemployment rate by education level. Alaska is consistently the state with the highest unemployment rate, although the El Centro, California metropolitan area was the area with the highest unemployment rate in the country in 2019. Additionally, in August 2022, farming, fishing, and forestry occupations had the highest unemployment rate in the United States Unemployment rate The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is the agency that researches and calculates the unemployment rate in the United States. Unemployment rises during recessions, which causes the cost of social welfare programs to increase. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says unemployed people are those who are jobless, have looked for employment within the last four weeks, and are free to work.

Full Time Employment in the United States decreased to 134840 Thousand in May from 135463 Thousand in April of 2025. This dataset provides - United States Full Time Employment- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

U.S. youth unemployment rate for 2024 was 9.39%, a 1.44% increase from 2023.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>U.S. youth unemployment rate for 2023 was <strong>7.95%</strong>, a <strong>0.15% decline</strong> from 2022.</li>
<li>U.S. youth unemployment rate for 2022 was <strong>8.11%</strong>, a <strong>1.6% decline</strong> from 2021.</li>
<li>U.S. youth unemployment rate for 2021 was <strong>9.70%</strong>, a <strong>5.19% decline</strong> from 2020.</li>
</ul>Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment.

Part Time Employment in the United States increased to 28523 Thousand in April from 28467 Thousand in March of 2025. This dataset provides - United States Part Time Employment- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate - 16-19 Yrs. (LNS14000012) from Jan 1948 to May 2025 about 16 to 19 years, household survey, unemployment, rate, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate Part-Time Workers (LNS14200000) from Jan 1968 to Apr 2025 about part-time, workers, 16 years +, household survey, unemployment, rate, and USA.

Employment: NF: WW: Private data was reported at 61,442.000 Person th in Jun 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 61,051.000 Person th for May 2018. Employment: NF: WW: Private data is updated monthly, averaging 41,860.500 Person th from Jan 1964 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 654 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 61,442.000 Person th in Jun 2018 and a record low of 14,296.000 Person th in Jan 1964. Employment: NF: WW: Private 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.G028: Current Employment Statistics Survey: Employment: Women Worker: Non Farm.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate - 20 Yrs. & over (LNU04000024) from Jan 1948 to May 2025 about 20 years +, unemployment, rate, and USA.

Historical Employment Statistics 1990 - current. The Current Employment Statistics (CES) more information program provides the most current estimates of nonfarm employment, hours, and earnings data by industry (place of work) for the nation as a whole, all states, and most major metropolitan areas. The CES survey is a federal-state cooperative endeavor in which states develop state and sub-state data using concepts, definitions, and technical procedures prescribed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Estimates produced by the CES program include both full- and part-time jobs. Excluded are self-employment, as well as agricultural and domestic positions. In Connecticut, more than 4,000 employers are surveyed each month to determine the number of the jobs in the State. For more information please visit us at http://www1.ctdol.state.ct.us/lmi/ces/default.asp.