In 2024, about 62.7 percent of the Asian community was employed. The highest employment rate was found among Mexican-Americans, at 64.1 percent, and the lowest employment rate was found among Puerto Ricans, at 55.2 percent. In total, around 60 percent of all working-age Americans were employed at this time.

In 2024, six percent of the Black or African-American population in the United States were unemployed, the highest unemployment rate of any ethnicity. In 2024, the national unemployment rate stood at four percent.

39.8% of workers from the Indian ethnic group were in 'professional' jobs in 2021 – the highest percentage out of all ethnic groups in this role.

In 2024, the employment rate of persons with a disability in the labor force who identified as white was 23 percent in the United States. In comparison, 20.3 percent of the labor force that was Black and had a disability were employed in 2024. The disability section of the Current Population Survey (CPS) is a set of six questions to identify persons have physical, mental, or emotional conditions that cause serious difficulty with their daily activities.

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.

Statewide VA data on the demographic and economic characteristics of the labor force are published on an annual-average basis from the Current Population Survey (CPS), the sample survey of households used to calculate the U.S. unemployment rate. For VA state ,employment status data are tabulated for 67 sex, race, Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, marital status, and detailed age categories and evaluated against a minimum base, calculated to reflect an expected maximum coefficient of variation (CV) of 50 percent, to determine reliability for publication

2004 to 2021 Virginia Employment Status of the Civilian Non-Institutional Population by Sex, by Race, Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, and detailed by Age, by Year. Annual averages, numbers in thousands.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Expanded State Employment Status Demographic Data Data accessed from the Bureau of Labor Statistics website (https://www.bls.gov/lau/ex14tables.htm)

Statewide data on the demographic and economic characteristics of the labor force are published on an annual-average basis from the Current Population Survey (CPS), the sample survey of households used to calculate the U.S. unemployment rate (https://www.bls.gov/cps/home.htm). For each state and the District of Columbia, employment status data are tabulated for 67 sex, race, Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, marital status, and detailed age categories and evaluated against a minimum base, calculated to reflect an expected maximum coefficient of variation (CV) of 50 percent, to determine reliability for publication.

The CPS sample was redesigned in 2014–15 to reflect the distribution of the population as of the 2010 Census. At the same time, BLS developed improved techniques for calculating minimum bases. These changes resulted in generally higher minimum bases of unemployment, leading to the publication of fewer state-demographic groups beginning in 2015. The most notable impact was on the detailed age categories, particularly the teenage and age 65 and older groups. In an effort to extend coverage, BLS introduced a version of the expanded state employment status demographic table with intermediate age categories, collapsing the seven categories historically included down to three. Ages 16–19 and 20–24 were combined into a 16–24 year-old category, ages 25–34, 35–44, and 45–54 were combined into a 25–54 year-old category, and ages 55–64 and 65 and older were combined into a 55-years-and-older category. These intermediate age data are tabulated for the total population, as well as the four race and ethnicity groups, and then are evaluated against the unemployment minimum bases. The more detailed age categories continue to be available in the main version of the expanded table, where the minimum base was met.

Additional information on the uses and limitations of statewide data from the CPS can be found in the document Notes on Using Current Population Survey (https://www.bls.gov/lau/notescps.htm) Subnational Data and in Appendix B of the bulletin Geographic Profile of Employment and Unemployment (https://www.bls.gov/opub/geographic-profile/home.htm).

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

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the labor force participation rate is an important measure of the health of the labor market, which represents the relative amount of labor resources available for the production of goods and services.

Changes in overall labor force participation reflect demographic, policy, and employer changes, whereas gaps in labor force participation between different segments of the working-age population reveal barriers to participation.

Black, Indigenous, and people of color participate in the labor market at lower rates than white people. These inequities reflect policies and practices, such as employment discrimination, racial segregation, and mass incarceration, among other factors.

The District's Response

Investing in targeted programs that provide pathways to higher wages and jobs, such as the Advanced Technical Centers (ATC), the DC Infrastructure Academy, and Career MAP, which aim to tackle the systemic barriers that keep people out of the labor force.

Administering federal and local safety net programs such as TANF For District Families, SNAP, unemployment insurance, and Medicaid that provide temporary cash and health benefits to address economic hardship.

Partners with the Department of Employment Services in building youth from the ground up through its various programs and services, including mentorship, counseling justice system services, job training development, and employment.

Labour market status by ethnic group, UK, published quarterly, non-seasonally adjusted. Labour Force Survey. These are official statistics in development.

Duration of Employment Prior to Unemployment Data by Ethnicity and Race 2019-2020

  Current population Survey results showing unemployment data broken out by ethnicity detailing the duration of employment prior to unemployment. Presented in thousands; non seasonally adjusted, for the second quarter in 2019 and 2020. About the BLS Unemployment Data including Current Population Survey Demographic Breakdowns: Links to several different datasets, including Current Population Survey results showing seasonally adjusted unemployment data broken out by ethnicity and age, reason for unemployment, and duration of employment prior to unemployment for years including 2017-2019.  Other datasets show over-the-year percent change in the third month's employment level and taxable wages by industry for a given quarter at the County, State, and MSA level yearly from 1990 - present.
  Geography Level: NationalItem Vintage: 2019-2020
  Update Frequency: N/AAgency: BLSAvailable File Type: Excel 

  Return to Other Federal Agency Datasets Page

Graph and download economic data for Employment-Population Ratio - Black or African American (LNS12300006) from Jan 1972 to Jul 2025 about employment-population ratio, African-American, 16 years +, household survey, employment, population, and USA.

Labour force characteristic estimates by age group, gender, and visible minority group.

City of LA job applicants by the job they applied for and demographic information. We are currently undergoing a data inventory to improve usability on the site. We're aware that this dataset is out of date but wanted to err on the side of making incomplete data available. Thank you for your patience, please contact the dataset owner or mayor.opendata@lacity.org with questions or ideas.

Employment Rate by broad ethnic groups - Indian, Bangladeshi/Pakistani, Black, Mixed, White and Other; and BAME total for each year since 2004. The data are taken from the Annual Population Survey (APS), produced by the Office for National Statistics.

Graph and download economic data for Income Before Taxes: Self-Employment Income by Race: White, Asian, and All Other Races, Not Including Black or African American (CXUSFEMPINCLB0902M) from 1984 to 2023 about self-employed, asian, white, tax, income, and USA.

Ecuador Employment Rate: Non-Classified: Other Ethnicity data was reported at 11.630 % in Jun 2019. This records an increase from the previous number of 0.000 % for Mar 2019. Ecuador Employment Rate: Non-Classified: Other Ethnicity data is updated quarterly, averaging 0.000 % from Dec 2013 (Median) to Jun 2019, with 23 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 24.422 % in Jun 2018 and a record low of 0.000 % in Mar 2019. Ecuador Employment Rate: Non-Classified: Other Ethnicity data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Institute of Statistics and Census. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Ecuador – Table EC.G019: ENEMDU: Employment Rate.

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.

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.

Ecuador Employment Rate: Urban: Unpaid Labor: Other Ethnicity data was reported at 11.298 % in Jun 2019. This records a decrease from the previous number of 23.569 % for Mar 2019. Ecuador Employment Rate: Urban: Unpaid Labor: Other Ethnicity data is updated quarterly, averaging 12.011 % from Jun 2007 (Median) to Jun 2019, with 49 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 60.428 % in Sep 2009 and a record low of 0.000 % in Sep 2015. Ecuador Employment Rate: Urban: Unpaid Labor: Other Ethnicity data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Institute of Statistics and Census. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Ecuador – Table EC.G020: ENEMDU: Employment Rate: Urban.

Labour force characteristic estimates by visible minority group, region, age group, and gender.