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.

Unemployment Rate in the United States decreased to 4.10 percent in June from 4.20 percent in May 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.

In July 2024, 3.16 billion U.S. dollars were paid out in unemployment benefits in the United States. This is an increase from June 2024, when 2.62 billion U.S. dollars were paid in unemployment benefits. The large figures seen in 2020 are largely due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Welfare in the U.S. Unemployment benefits first started in 1935 during the Great Depression as a part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal. The Social Security Act of 1935 ensured that Americans would not fall deeper into poverty. The United States was the only developed nation in the world at the time that did not offer any welfare benefits. This program created unemployment benefits, Medicare and Medicaid, and maternal and child welfare. The only major welfare program that the United States currently lacks is a paid maternity leave policy. Currently, the United States only offers 12 unpaid weeks of leave, under certain circumstances. However, the number of people without health insurance in the United States has greatly decreased since 2010. Unemployment benefits Current unemployment benefits in the United States vary from state to state due to unemployment being funded by both the state and the federal government. The average duration of people collecting unemployment benefits in the United States has fluctuated since January 2020, from as little as 4.55 weeks to as many as 50.32 weeks. The unemployment rate varies by ethnicity, gender, and education levels. For example, those aged 16 to 24 have faced the highest unemployment rates since 1990 during the pandemic. In February 2023, the Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV metropolitan area had the highest unemployment rate in the United States.

As of October 2024, there were 133.89 million full-time employees in the United States. This is a slight decrease from the previous month, when there were 134.15 million full-time employees. The impact COVID-19 on employment In December 2019, the COVID-19 virus began its spread across the globe. Since being classified as a pandemic, the virus caused a global health crisis that has taken the lives of millions of people worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic changed many facets of society, most significantly, the economy. In the first years, many businesses across all industries were forced to shut down, with large numbers of employees being laid off. The economy continued its recovery in 2022 with the nationwide unemployment rate returning to a more normal 3.4 percent as of April 2023. Unemployment benefits Because so many people in the United States lost their jobs, record numbers of individuals applied for unemployment insurance for the first time. As an early response to this nation-wide upheaval, the government issued relief checks and extended the benefits paid by unemployment insurance. In May 2020, the amount of unemployment insurance benefits paid rose to 23.73 billion U.S. dollars. As of December 2022, this value had declined to 2.24 billion U.S. dollars.

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.

This map shows how unemployment has changed in the US over the past month. This can be seen by counties within this map. The map shows if a county's unemployment has increased or decreased, and by how much. The map always represents the most current figures offered by BLS, and updates automatically. To see the most current month offered by BLS, find the CurrentMonth attribute in the data table, or visit the metadata for the Living Atlas layer used in this map.Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS):https://www.bls.gov/Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS):https://www.bls.gov/lau/Click here to view a map showing the change in unemployment rate.

United States Unemployment Rate: Government Worker data was reported at 3.200 % in Jun 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 2.000 % for May 2018. United States Unemployment Rate: Government Worker data is updated monthly, averaging 3.200 % from Jun 1976 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 505 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 6.400 % in Jul 2011 and a record low of 1.300 % in Apr 2000. United States Unemployment Rate: Government Worker 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.G018: Current Population Survey: Unemployment Rate.

This map shows how the unemployment rate has changed in the US over the past year. This can be seen by counties within this map. The map shows if a county's unemployment rate has increased or decreased, and the size of the circles shows by how much. The colors are then shown with transparency behind the centroid to reinforce the pattern in areas where the change may have been smaller. The map always represents the most current figures offered by BLS, and updates automatically. To see the most current month offered by BLS, find the CurrentMonth attribute in the data table, or visit the metadata for the Living Atlas layer used in this map.Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS):https://www.bls.gov/Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS):https://www.bls.gov/lau/

United States Federal Govt Receipts: SI: Unemployment Insurance data was reported at 2.941 USD bn in Oct 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 0.248 USD bn for Sep 2018. United States Federal Govt Receipts: SI: Unemployment Insurance data is updated monthly, averaging 1.204 USD bn from Dec 1967 (Median) to Oct 2018, with 611 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 22.323 USD bn in May 2011 and a record low of -0.796 USD bn in Sep 1989. United States Federal Govt Receipts: SI: Unemployment Insurance data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bureau of the Fiscal Service. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.F001: Federal Government Receipts & Outlays.

This table shows the indicators of the macroeconomic scoreboard. Furthermore, some additional indicators are shown. To identify in a timely manner existing and potential imbalances and possible macroeconomic risks within the countries of the European Union in an early stage, the European Commission has drawn up a scoreboard with fourteen indicators. This scoreboard is part of the Macroeconomic Imbalance Procedure (MIP). This table contains quarterly and annual figures for both these fourteen indicators and nine additional indicators for the Netherlands.

The fourteen indicators in the macroeconomic scoreboard are: - Current account balance as % of GDP, 3 year moving average - Net international investment position, % of GDP - Real effective exchange rate, % change on three years previously - Share of world exports, % change on five years previously - Nominal unit labour costs, % change on three years previously - Deflated house prices, % change on one year previously - Private sector credit flow as % of GDP - Private sector debt as % of GDP - Government debt as % of GDP - Unemployment rate, three year moving average - Total financial sector liabilities, % change on one year previously - Activity rate, % of total population aged 15-64, change in percentage points on three years previously - Long-term unemployment rate, % of active population aged 15-74, change in percentage points on three years previously - Youth unemployment rate, % of active population aged 15-24, change in percentage points on three years previously

The additional indicators are: - Real effective exchange rate, index - Share of world exports, % - Nominal unit labour costs, index - Households credit flow as % of GDP - Non-financial corporations credit flow as % of GDP - Household debt as % of GDP - Non-financial corporations debt as % of GDP - Activity rate, % of total population aged 15-64 - Youth unemployment rate, % of active population aged 15-24

Data available from: first quarter of 2006.

Status of the figures: Annual and quarterly data are provisional.

Changes as of July 8th 2024: None. This table has been discontinued. Statistics Netherlands has carried out a revision of the national accounts. The Dutch national accounts are recently revised. New statistical sources, methods and concepts are implemented in the national accounts, in order to align the picture of the Dutch economy with all underlying source data and international guidelines for the compilation of the national accounts. For further information see section 3.

When will new figures be published? Not applicable anymore.

United States Unemployment: Government Worker data was reported at 685.000 Person th in Jun 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 425.000 Person th for May 2018. United States Unemployment: Government Worker data is updated monthly, averaging 596.000 Person th from Jun 1976 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 505 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,349.000 Person th in Jul 2011 and a record low of 269.000 Person th in Apr 2000. United States Unemployment: Government Worker 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.G016: Current Population Survey: Unemployment.

Unemployment Rate in Canada decreased to 6.90 percent in June from 7 percent in May of 2025. This dataset provides - Canada Unemployment Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Number of persons in the labour force (employment and unemployment), unemployment rate, participation rate and employment rate by province, gender and age group. Data are presented for 12 months earlier, previous month and current month, as well as year-over-year and month-to-month level change and percentage change. Data are also available for the standard error of the estimate, the standard error of the month-to-month change and the standard error of the year-over-year change.

VITAL SIGNS INDICATOR
Jobs by Industry (EC1)

FULL MEASURE NAME
Employment by place of work by industry sector

LAST UPDATED
December 2022

DESCRIPTION
Jobs by industry refers to both the change in employment levels by industry and the proportional mix of jobs by economic sector. This measure reflects the changing industry trends that affect our region’s workers.

DATA SOURCE
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) - https://www.bls.gov/cew/downloadable-data-files.htm
1990-2021

CONTACT INFORMATION
vitalsigns.info@bayareametro.gov

METHODOLOGY NOTES (across all datasets for this indicator)
Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) employment data is reported by the place of work and represent the number of covered workers who worked during, or received pay for, the pay period that included the 12th day of the month. Covered employees in the private-sector and in the state and local government include most corporate officials, all executives, all supervisory personnel, all professionals, all clerical workers, many farmworkers, all wage earners, all piece workers and all part-time workers. Workers on paid sick leave, paid holiday, paid vacation and the like are also covered.

Besides excluding the aforementioned national security agencies, QCEW excludes proprietors, the unincorporated self-employed, unpaid family members, certain farm and domestic workers exempted from having to report employment data and railroad workers covered by the railroad unemployment insurance system. Excluded as well are workers who earned no wages during the entire applicable pay period because of work stoppages, temporary layoffs, illness or unpaid vacations.

The location quotient (LQ) is used to evaluate level of concentration or clustering of an industry within the Bay Area and within each county of the region. A location quotient greater than 1 means there is a strong concentration for of jobs in an industry sector. For the Bay Area, the LQ is calculated as the share of the region’s employment in a particular sector divided by the share of California's employment in that same sector. For each county, the LQ is calculated as the share of the county’s employment in a particular sector divided by the share of the region’s employment in that same sector.

Data is mainly pulled from aggregation level 73, which is county-level summarized at the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) supersector level (12 sectors). This aggregation level exhibits the least loss due to data suppression, in the magnitude of 1-2 percent for regional employment, and is therefore preferred. However, the supersectors group together NAICS 11 Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting; NAICS 21 Mining and NAICS 23 Construction. To provide a separate tally of Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting, the aggregation level 74 data was used for NAICS codes 11, 21 and 23.

QCEW reports on employment in Public Administration as NAICS 92. However, many government activities are reported with an industry specific code - such as transportation or utilities even if those may be public governmental entities. In 2021 for the Bay Area, the largest industry groupings under public ownership are Education and health services (58%); Public administration (29%) and Trade, transportation, and utilities (29%). With the exception of Education and health services, all other public activities were coded as government/public administration, regardless of industry group.

For the county data there were some industries that reported 0 jobs or did not report jobs at the desired aggregation/NAICS level for the following counties/years:

Farm:
(aggregation level: 74, NAICS code: 11) - Contra Costa: 2008-2010 - Marin: 1990-2006, 2008-2010, 2014-2020 - Napa: 1990-2004, 2013-2021 - San Francisco: 2019-2020 - San Mateo: 2013

Information:
(aggregation level: 73, NAICS code: 51) - Solano: 2001

Financial Activities:
(aggregation level: 73, NAICS codes: 52, 53) - Solano: 2001

Unclassified:
(aggregation level: 73, NAICS code: 99) - All nine Bay Area counties: 1990-2000 - Marin, Napa, San Mateo, and Solano: 2020 - Napa: 2019 - Solano: 2001

United States CSI: Expected Interest Rates: Next Yr: Go Down data was reported at 4.000 % in May 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 6.000 % for Apr 2018. United States CSI: Expected Interest Rates: Next Yr: Go Down data is updated monthly, averaging 11.000 % from Jan 1978 (Median) to May 2018, with 485 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 54.000 % in Jun 1980 and a record low of 3.000 % in May 2014. United States CSI: Expected Interest Rates: Next Yr: Go Down data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by University of Michigan. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.H030: Consumer Sentiment Index: Unemployment, Interest Rates, Prices and Government Expectations. The question was: No one can say for sure, but what do you think will happen to interest rates for borrowing money during the next 12 months -- will they go up, stay the same, or go down?

CSI: Expected Inflation: Next 5 Yrs: Up by 6-9% data was reported at 3.000 % in May 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 2.000 % for Apr 2018. CSI: Expected Inflation: Next 5 Yrs: Up by 6-9% data is updated monthly, averaging 4.000 % from Feb 1979 (Median) to May 2018, with 380 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 18.000 % in Jul 1982 and a record low of 1.000 % in Nov 2017. CSI: Expected Inflation: Next 5 Yrs: Up by 6-9% data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by University of Michigan. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.H030: Consumer Sentiment Index: Unemployment, Interest Rates, Prices and Government Expectations. The questions were: 'What about the outlook for prices over the next 5 to 10 years? Do you think prices will be higher, to go up, on the average, during the next 12 months?' and 'By about what percent per year do you expect prices to go up or down, on the average, during the next 5 to 10 years?'

Analysis of ‘Exhausted Claims By County (All Programs)’ provided by Analyst-2 (analyst-2.ai), based on source dataset retrieved from https://catalog.data.gov/dataset/5fbb6ae7-3159-4acc-bbc5-202af8d684f1 on 26 January 2022.

--- Dataset description provided by original source is as follows ---

"∙ The data provided is the number of Unemployment Insurance (UI) claims that have exhausted, regardless of the program. The data includes exhaustion counts for the regular UI and the federal extended programs. The data counts the number of individuals who ran out of benefits in a specific program who may or may not qualify for additional benefits. For example, individuals who have exhausted a regular UI claim may qualify for a federal extension. Individuals who have exhausted all available benefits are also included in the data. The data is representative of those claims that were processed during the month and does not necessarily represent the month the final payment was made in. For example, if a claimant is entitled to benefits for the week-ending January 30, 2010, the claim might not get processed until early February and that count would display in the February data. There are a small percentage of claimants that could go back onto a training extension even after exhausting their FED-ED claim. "
∙ The data by county represents the mailing address given by the claimant at the time of filing for UI. It is possible that an individual can reside in a different county than their mailing address. Also, this information does not represent the county where the individual worked. It is also possible that a claimant could have moved or changed their mailing address after filing for UI which would not be reflected here. Data for claimants residing outside of California but collecting benefits are not included in these figures nor are invalid addresses in California where a county cannot be determined.
∙ Data includes the regular UI program and the federal extended benefit programs. The Federal extended benefit programs are:
∙ Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) Tier 1 - California began paying benefits in July 2008.
∙ Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) Tier 2 - California began paying benefits in January 2009, payments retroactive to November 2008.
∙ Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) Tier 3 - California began paying benefits in December 2009, payments retroactive to November 2009.
∙ Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) Tier 4 - California began paying benefits in January 2010, payments retroactive to December 2009.
∙ FED-ED - California began paying benefits May 2009, payments retroactive to February 2009.
∙ Data may include multiple counts for the same individual. For example, a claimant could have exhausted their Regular UI claim in January and then exhausted their EUC Tier I claim in June.

--- Original source retains full ownership of the source dataset ---

Regional unemployment rates used by the Employment Insurance program, by effective date, current month.

United States CSI: Expected Interest Rates: Next Yr: Go Up data was reported at 76.000 % in May 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 74.000 % for Apr 2018. United States CSI: Expected Interest Rates: Next Yr: Go Up data is updated monthly, averaging 52.000 % from Jan 1978 (Median) to May 2018, with 485 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 85.000 % in May 2004 and a record low of 18.000 % in Jan 1983. United States CSI: Expected Interest Rates: Next Yr: Go Up data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by University of Michigan. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.H030: Consumer Sentiment Index: Unemployment, Interest Rates, Prices and Government Expectations. The question was: No one can say for sure, but what do you think will happen to interest rates for borrowing money during the next 12 months -- will they go up, stay the same, or go down?