In April 2025, the agriculture and related private wage and salary workers industry had the highest unemployment rate in the United States, at eight percent. In comparison, government workers had the lowest unemployment rate, at 1.8 percent. The average for all industries was 3.9 percent. U.S. unemployment There are several factors that impact unemployment, as it fluctuates with the state of the economy. Unfortunately, the forecasted unemployment rate in the United States is expected to increase as we head into the latter half of the decade. Those with a bachelor’s degree or higher saw the lowest unemployment rate from 1992 to 2022 in the United States, which is attributed to the fact that higher levels of education are seen as more desirable in the workforce. Nevada unemployment Nevada is one of the states with the highest unemployment rates in the country and Vermont typically has one of the lowest unemployment rates. These are seasonally adjusted rates, which means that seasonal factors such as holiday periods and weather events that influence employment periods are removed. Nevada's economy consists of industries that are currently suffering high unemployment rates such as tourism. As of May 2023, about 5.4 percent of Nevada's population was unemployed, possibly due to the lingering impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Unemployment Rate in the United States increased to 4.20 percent in July from 4.10 percent in June 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.

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 February 2025, the unemployment rate for those aged 16 and over in the United States came to 4.5 percent. Service occupations had an unemployment rate of 6.3 percent in that month. The underemployment rate of the country can be accessed here and the monthly unemployment rate here. Unemployment by occupation in the U.S. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics publish data on the unemployment situation within certain occupations in the United States on a monthly basis. According to latest data released from May 2023, transportation and material moving occupations experienced the highest level of unemployment that month, with a rate of around 5.6 percent. Second ranked was farming, fishing, and forestry occupations with a rate of 4.9 percent. Total (not seasonally adjusted) unemployment was reported at 3.6 percent in March 2023. Other data on the U.S. unemployment rate by industry and class of worker shows comparable results. It should be noted that the data were not seasonally adjusted to account for normal seasonal fluctuations in unemployment. The monthly unemployment by occupation data can be compared to the seasonally adjusted monthly unemployment rate. In March 2023, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.5 percent, which was an increase from the previous month. The annual unemployment rate in 2022 was 3.6 percent, down from a high of 9.6 in 2010. Unemployment in the United States trended downward after the coronavirus pandemic, and is now experiencing consistently low rates - a sign of economic stability. Individuals who opt to leave the workforce and stop looking for employment are not included among the unemployed. The civilian labor force participation rate in the U.S. rose to 62.2 percent in 2022, down from 67.1 percent in 2000, before the financial crisis.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate - Bachelor's Degree and Higher, 25 Yrs. & over (LNS14027662) from Jan 1992 to Jun 2025 about 25 years +, tertiary schooling, education, household survey, unemployment, rate, and USA.

In 2023, South Africa had the highest unemployment rate in the world, at 32.1 percent. Of the 10 countries with the highest unemployment rates, six were in Sub-Saharan Africa. What exactly is unemployment? The unemployment rate is the number of people in the workforce currently looking for jobs but not working. This number does not include students and retirees, as they are not looking for work, nor does it include people who have given up on finding a job (known as discouraged workers). Comparing international unemployment rates can be problematic, however, as different countries use different methodologies when classifying unemployment. For example, Niger records the third lowest unemployment rate in the world, despite often being listed as the least developed country worldwide - this is because the majority of the population engage in subsistence farming, with very little opportunity for paid employment. Causes of unemployment in less developed countries A major driver in unemployment in these countries is conflict. In particular, internally displaced persons (IDPs) want to work, but moving to another part of the country disrupts their business network and moves them into a local economy with different labor demand. Countries with low levels of economic development, as roughly indicated by a low GDP per capita, often have fewer labor market opportunities, leading to high unemployment rates.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate - 20-24 Yrs. (LNS14000036) from Jan 1948 to Jun 2025 about 20 to 24 years, household survey, unemployment, rate, and USA.

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

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

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

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate - 16-24 Yrs. (LNS14024887) from Jan 1948 to Jun 2025 about 16 to 24 years, unemployment, rate, and USA.

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

Unemployment Rate in Japan remained unchanged at 2.50 percent in June. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - Japan Unemployment Rate - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

The average for 2025 based on 101 countries was 6.64 percent. The highest value was in Sudan: 61.99 percent and the lowest value was in Thailand: 1 percent. The indicator is available from 1980 to 2030. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

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.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate in Iowa (IAUR) from Jan 1976 to Jun 2025 about IA, unemployment, rate, and USA.

Unemployment Rate in Italy decreased to 6.30 percent in June from 6.50 percent in May of 2025. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - Italy 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 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.

ACS 1-year estimates are based on data collected over one calendar year, offering more current information but with a higher margin of error. ACS 5-year estimates combine five years of data, providing more reliable information but less current. Both are based on probability samples. Some racial and ethnic categories are suppressed to avoid misleading estimates when the relative standard error exceeds 30%.

Data Source: American Community Survey (ACS) 1- & 5-Year Estimates

Why This Matters

Employment is the main source of income for most people. For many families and individuals, unemployment threatens access to basic needs, such as food, housing, transportation, health care, and education, among others.

Nationally, Black workers and workers of color, on average, experience persistently higher unemployment rates than white workers. Racist policies and practices, including segregation, employment discrimination, and inequities in the criminal justice system have undermined job security for workers of color.

The District's Response

Initiatives that support residents in career advancement and their efforts to secure sustainable employment through education and training support, such as Career MAP, Advanced Technical Centers (ATC), and the DC Infrastructure Academy, among other programs and services.

Administering federal and local safety net programs that provide temporary cash and health benefits to help residents experiencing unemployment and related economic hardship meet their basic needs, including unemployment insurance, Medicaid, TANF For District Families, SNAP, etc.

Programs to remove barriers employment for returning citizens, such as Pathways to Work and the Returning Citizens Access to Jobs Grant.

2020 data excluded because the U.S. Census Bureau did not release 2020 ACS 1-year estimates due to COVID-19. Some racial and ethnic categories are suppressed to avoid misleading estimates when the relative standard error exceeds 30%.

Data Source: American Community Survey (ACS) 1-Year Estimates

Why This Matters

Employment is the main source of income for most people. For many families and individuals, unemployment threatens access to basic needs, such as food, housing, transportation, health care, and education, among others.

Nationally, Black workers and workers of color, on average, experience persistently higher unemployment rates than white workers. Racist policies and practices, including segregation, employment discrimination, and inequities in the criminal justice system have undermined job security for workers of color.

The District's Response

Initiatives that support residents in career advancement and their efforts to secure sustainable employment through education and training support, such as Career MAP, Advanced Technical Centers (ATC), and the DC Infrastructure Academy, among other programs and services.

Administering federal and local safety net programs that provide temporary cash and health benefits to help residents experiencing unemployment and related economic hardship meet their basic needs, including unemployment insurance, Medicaid, TANF For District Families, SNAP, etc.

Programs to remove barriers employment for returning citizens, such as Pathways to Work and the Returning Citizens Access to Jobs Grant.