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.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate in Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN (MSA) (CINC139URN) from Jan 1990 to Jun 2025 about Cincinnati, KY, IN, OH, unemployment, rate, and USA.

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.

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.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Level (UNEMPLOY) from Jan 1948 to Jul 2025 about 16 years +, household survey, unemployment, and USA.

Analysis of ‘Registered unemployment — March 2021 ’ provided by Analyst-2 (analyst-2.ai), based on source dataset retrieved from http://data.europa.eu/88u/dataset/c2f15d53-5eb0-4047-9c44-efe006c7f65e on 18 January 2022.

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

ANOFM calculates and publishes statistical indicators on registered unemployment, as required by the law. Registered unemployed persons represent both the unemployed paid (unemployed jobseekers with work experience benefits and SOMERI recipients of unemployment benefits without work experience/education graduates) as well as the unemployed (without receiving unemployment benefits) and are squeezed on the basis of data from the primary documents and records in the database of territorial employment agencies. Is the stock at the end of the reference month. The unemployment rate recorded is determined as the ratio between the number of unemployed persons registered with the county and Bucharest employment agencies (paid and unpaid) at the end of the reference month and the active civilian population. The civilian active population represents the potential labour supply and employment of the civilian and registered unemployed population. The indicator is determined annually by the National Institute of Statistics by means of the balance of labour at country, development region and county level. The rate of summons is calculated with the population of civil activity on 1 January 2017. The total number of registered SOMERI is structured on: Gender (women, Barbate), Type of compensation (indemnities, non-indemnities); Level of education (without education, primary education, secondary education, upper secondary education, postgraduate education, professional education/arts and trades, university education); Age groups (under 25, 25-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-55 years, over 55 years). Average residency (urban, rural).The ANOFM calculates and publishes statistics on registered unemployment in accordance with the legal provisions. Registered unemployed persons represent both the unemployed paid (unemployed jobseekers with work experience benefits and SOMERI recipients of unemployment benefits without work experience/education graduates) as well as the unemployed (without receiving unemployment benefits) and are squeezed on the basis of data from the primary documents and records in the database of territorial employment agencies. Is the stock at the end of the reference month. The unemployment rate recorded is determined as the ratio between the number of unemployed persons registered with the county and Bucharest employment agencies (paid and unpaid) at the end of the reference month and the active civilian population. The civilian active population represents the potential labour supply and employment of the civilian and registered unemployed population. The indicator is determined annually by the National Institute of Statistics by means of the balance of labour at country, development region and county level. The rate of summons is calculated with the population of civil activity on 1 January 2017. The total number of registered SOMERI is structured on: Gender (women, Barbate), Type of compensation (indemnities, non-indemnities); Level of education (without education, primary education, secondary education, upper secondary education, postgraduate education, professional education/arts and trades, university education); Age groups (under 25, 25-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-55 years, over 55 years). Residential environments (urban, rural).

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

In 2021, the unemployment rate among the United States workforce was approximately 5.35 percent - this was roughly 3.8 percent lower than the unemployment rate in 2020, during the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic, but was still around one percent higher than pre-pandemic levels.

Since the beginning of the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis in Norway, many people have lost their jobs. This was especially the case for employees in the tourism and transportation sector. Before the coronavirus outbreak, the unemployment rate in the sector amounted to 3.4 percent. After the outbreak of COVID-19, however, the rate increased to 13.6 percent. Compared to other significantly affected industries, such as industrial work, the unemployment rate in the tourism and transportation sector was more than twice as high.

Traveling and tourism

As of July 2020, many companies in the traveling and tourism industry had completed layoffs. In detail, 85 percent of travel agencies and 95 percent of hotels had laid off employees due to the coronavirus crisis. The extent of these layoffs unfolded slightly differently in the two sectors: While 65 percent of travel agencies dismissed between 76 and 100 percent of their employees, 81 percent of hotels had to do the same.

Unemployment

Despite the significant rise in unemployment levels in Norway since March 2020, the number of unemployed individuals gradually decreased as of April 2020 before increasing again. While over 300,000 people were unemployed by the end of March 2020, the number had nearly halved by June 2020. As of February 2021, roughly 124 people registered as unemployed.

United States - Unemployment Rate - College Graduates - Professional Degree, 25 to 34 years, Men was 2.60% in April of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Unemployment Rate - College Graduates - Professional Degree, 25 to 34 years, Men reached a record high of 10.70 in March of 2021 and a record low of 0.10 in July of 2001. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Unemployment Rate - College Graduates - Professional Degree, 25 to 34 years, Men - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.

The unemployment rate in Brazil, which had already been on a rise since December 2019, soared amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. In March and April 2021, this figure stood close to ** percent. However, since May 2021, this rate has been decreasing at a rapid pace. As of March 2025, the unemployment rate stood at * percent.Figures represent three-month average unemployment rates, calculated between the indicated month and the two previous consecutive months.

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.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate - Black or African American (LNS14000006) from Jan 1972 to Jul 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.

This statistic shows the unemployment rate of Ukraine from 1999 to 2021. In 2021, the unemployment rate of Ukraine amounted to approximately 9.83 percent of the total labor force.

The economic situation in Ukraine

Amid the political and economic crisis, Ukraine’s unemployment is rising. When Russia seized and annexed Crimea in March of 2014, pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych was also ousted and the economy of Ukraine took a hard hit. This resulted in sharp reductions in Ukraine’s GDP, and likely caused a sharp increase in unemployment as well. Before the turmoil, Russia was Ukraine’s most important import and export partner, having a significant impact on GDP after tension arose. Meanwhile, Ukraine was and still is getting itself out of economic despair; Ukraine has amassed more debt with the IMF than Greece and is trying to reduce this debt by implementing hyper-austerity, which involves making cuts to public spending. Spending on unemployment and disability insurance is a part of these cuts, which is not ideal for the Ukrainian people considering that the unemployment rate is expected to reach a rate of 11.47 percent in 2015. In times of increasing unemployment, a struggling economy and an inflation rate reaching almost 50 percent, 2015 is and will be a tough, if not desastrous year for the Ukrainian people.

As of April 2025, approximately three percent of people in the Republic of Ireland thought that unemployment was one of the two most important issues facing the country. This was down from 19 percent in March 2021.

United States - Unemployment Rate - Less than 1 year of High School, 25 to 34 years, Women was 3.90% in June of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Unemployment Rate - Less than 1 year of High School, 25 to 34 years, Women reached a record high of 29.50 in April of 2021 and a record low of 0.40 in March of 2020. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Unemployment Rate - Less than 1 year of High School, 25 to 34 years, Women - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.

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

United States - Unemployment Level - College Graduates - Professional Degree, 25 to 34 years, Men was 6.00000 Thous. of Persons in April of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Unemployment Level - College Graduates - Professional Degree, 25 to 34 years, Men reached a record high of 22.00000 in March of 2021 and a record low of 0.00000 in May of 2001. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Unemployment Level - College Graduates - Professional Degree, 25 to 34 years, Men - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on August of 2025.

Background
The Labour Force Survey (LFS) is a unique source of information using international definitions of employment and unemployment and economic inactivity, together with a wide range of related topics such as occupation, training, hours of work and personal characteristics of household members aged 16 years and over. It is used to inform social, economic and employment policy. The LFS was first conducted biennially from 1973-1983. Between 1984 and 1991 the survey was carried out annually and consisted of a quarterly survey conducted throughout the year and a 'boost' survey in the spring quarter (data were then collected seasonally). From 1992 quarterly data were made available, with a quarterly sample size approximately equivalent to that of the previous annual data. The survey then became known as the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS). From December 1994, data gathering for Northern Ireland moved to a full quarterly cycle to match the rest of the country, so the QLFS then covered the whole of the UK (though some additional annual Northern Ireland LFS datasets are also held at the UK Data Archive). Further information on the background to the QLFS may be found in the documentation.

Longitudinal data
The LFS retains each sample household for five consecutive quarters, with a fifth of the sample replaced each quarter. The main survey was designed to produce cross-sectional data, but the data on each individual have now been linked together to provide longitudinal information. The longitudinal data comprise two types of linked datasets, created using the weighting method to adjust for non-response bias. The two-quarter datasets link data from two consecutive waves, while the five-quarter datasets link across a whole year (for example January 2010 to March 2011 inclusive) and contain data from all five waves. A full series of longitudinal data has been produced, going back to winter 1992. Linking together records to create a longitudinal dimension can, for example, provide information on gross flows over time between different labour force categories (employed, unemployed and economically inactive). This will provide detail about people who have moved between the categories. Also, longitudinal information is useful in monitoring the effects of government policies and can be used to follow the subsequent activities and circumstances of people affected by specific policy initiatives, and to compare them with other groups in the population. There are however methodological problems which could distort the data resulting from this longitudinal linking. The ONS continues to research these issues and advises that the presentation of results should be carefully considered, and warnings should be included with outputs where necessary.

New reweighting policy
Following the new reweighting policy ONS has reviewed the latest population estimates made available during 2019 and have decided not to carry out a 2019 LFS and APS reweighting exercise. Therefore, the next reweighting exercise will take place in 2020. These will incorporate the 2019 Sub-National Population Projection data (published in May 2020) and 2019 Mid-Year Estimates (published in June 2020). It is expected that reweighted Labour Market aggregates and microdata will be published towards the end of 2020/early 2021.

LFS Documentation
The documentation available from the Archive to accompany LFS datasets largely consists of the latest version of each user guide volume alongside the appropriate questionnaire for the year concerned. However, volumes are updated periodically by ONS, so users are advised to check the latest documents on the ONS Labour Force Survey - User Guidance pages before commencing analysis. This is especially important for users of older QLFS studies, where information and guidance in the user guide documents may have changed over time.

Additional data derived from the QLFS
The Archive also holds further QLFS series: End User Licence (EUL) quarterly data; Secure Access datasets; household datasets; quarterly, annual and ad hoc module datasets compiled for Eurostat; and some additional annual Northern Ireland datasets.

Variables DISEA and LNGLST
Dataset A08 (Labour market status of disabled people) which ONS suspended due to an apparent discontinuity between April to June 2017 and July to September 2017 is now available. As a result of this apparent discontinuity and the inconclusive investigations at this stage, comparisons should be made with caution between April to June 2017 and subsequent time periods. However users should note that the estimates are not seasonally adjusted, so some of the change between quarters could be due to seasonality. Further recommendations on historical comparisons of the estimates will be given in November 2018 when ONS are due to publish estimates for July to September 2018.

An article explaining the quality assurance investigations that have been conducted so far is available on the ONS Methodology webpage. For any queries about Dataset A08 please email Labour.Market@ons.gov.uk.

Occupation data for 2021 and 2022 data files

The ONS has identified an issue with the collection of some occupational data in 2021 and 2022 data files in a number of their surveys. While they estimate any impacts will be small overall, this will affect the accuracy of the breakdowns of some detailed (four-digit Standard Occupational Classification (SOC)) occupations, and data derived from them. Further information can be found in the ONS article published on 11 July 2023: https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/articles/revisionofmiscodedoccupationaldataintheonslabourforcesurveyuk/january2021toseptember2022" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Revision of miscoded occupational data in the ONS Labour Force Survey, UK: January 2021 to September 2022.

2022 Weighting

The population totals used for the latest LFS estimates use projected growth rates from Real Time Information (RTI) data for UK, EU and non-EU populations based on 2021 patterns. The total population used for the LFS therefore does not take into account any changes in migration, birth rates, death rates, and so on since June 2021, and hence levels estimates may be under- or over-estimating the true values and should be used with caution. Estimates of rates will, however, be robust.

This dataset provides Census 2021 estimates that classify usual residents aged 16 years and over in England and Wales by economic activity status, by sex, and by age. The estimates are as at Census Day, 21 March 2021.

As Census 2021 was during a unique period of rapid change, take care when using this data for planning purposes. Read more about this quality notice.

Estimates for single year of age between ages 90 and 100+ are less reliable than other ages. Estimation and adjustment at these ages was based on the age range 90+ rather than five-year age bands. Read more about this quality notice.

Area type

Census 2021 statistics are published for a number of different geographies. These can be large, for example the whole of England, or small, for example an output area (OA), the lowest level of geography for which statistics are produced.

For higher levels of geography, more detailed statistics can be produced. When a lower level of geography is used, such as output areas (which have a minimum of 100 persons), the statistics produced have less detail. This is to protect the confidentiality of people and ensure that individuals or their characteristics cannot be identified.

Lower tier local authorities

Lower tier local authorities provide a range of local services. There are 309 lower tier local authorities in England made up of 181 non-metropolitan districts, 59 unitary authorities, 36 metropolitan districts and 33 London boroughs (including City of London). In Wales there are 22 local authorities made up of 22 unitary authorities.

Coverage

Census 2021 statistics are published for the whole of England and Wales. However, you can choose to filter areas by:

• country - for example, Wales
• region - for example, London
• local authority - for example, Cornwall
• health area – for example, Clinical Commissioning Group
• statistical area - for example, MSOA or LSOA

Economic activity status

People aged 16 years and over are economically active if, between 15 March and 21 March 2021, they were:

• in employment (an employee or self-employed)
• unemployed, but looking for work and could start within two weeks
• unemployed, but waiting to start a job that had been offered and accepted

It is a measure of whether or not a person was an active participant in the labour market during this period. Economically inactive are those aged 16 years and over who did not have a job between 15 March to 21 March 2021 and had not looked for work between 22 February to 21 March 2021 or could not start work within two weeks.

The census definition differs from International Labour Organization definition used on the Labour Force Survey, so estimates are not directly comparable.

This classification splits out full-time students from those who are not full-time students when they are employed or unemployed. It is recommended to sum these together to look at all of those in employment or unemployed, or to use the four category labour market classification, if you want to look at all those with a particular labour market status.

Sex

This is the sex recorded by the person completing the census. The options were “Female” and “Male”.

Age

A person’s age on Census Day, 21 March 2021 in England and Wales. Infants aged under 1 year are classified as 0 years of age.