Graph and download economic data for Civilian Labor Force Level (CLF16OV) from Jan 1948 to May 2025 about civilian, 16 years +, labor force, labor, household survey, and USA.

In October 2024, the civilian labor force amounted to 168.48 million people in the United States. The term civilian labor force is used by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to describe the subset of Americans who have jobs or are seeking a job, are at least 16 years old, are not serving in the military, and are not institutionalized.

This graph shows the civilian labor force in the United States from 1990 to 2024. In 2024, the number of people who had jobs or were seeking employment amounted to about 168.11 million.

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 Labor Force Participation Rate - 25-54 Yrs. (LNU01300060) from Jan 1948 to May 2025 about 25 to 54 years, participation, civilian, labor force, labor, household survey, rate, and USA.

Labor force, total in United States was reported at 172435911 in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. United States - Labor force, total - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on May of 2025.

In 2023, California had the largest civilian labor force in the United States with about 19.31 million people. Wyoming had the smallest labor force with around 295,000 workers.

Key information about United States Labour Force Participation Rate

• United States Labour Force Participation Rate remained the same rate at 62.3 % in Feb 2025, compared with 62.3 % in the previous month.
• US Labour Force Participation Rate is updated monthly, available from Jan 1948 to Feb 2025, with an average rate of 62.9 % .
• The data reached the an all-time high of 68.1 % in Jul 1997 and a record low of 57.2 % in Jan 1948.
• US Labour Force Participation Rate is reported by reported by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
• In the latest reports, US Population reached 341.2 million people in Dec 2024.
• Unemployment Rate of US increased to 4.1 % in Feb 2025.
• The country's Monthly Earnings stood at 4,900.8 USD in Feb 2025.

In October 2024, the number of people in the civilian labor force in the United States amounted to 168.57 million. The term civilian labor force is used by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to describe the subset of Americans who have jobs or are seeking a job, are at least 16 years old, are not serving in the military and are not institutionalized. In other words, all Americans who are eligible to work in the everyday U.S. economy.

Graph and download economic data for Civilian Labor Force Level (LNU01000000) from Jan 1948 to May 2025 about civilian, 16 years +, labor force, labor, household survey, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Labor Force Participation Rate - Men (LNS11300001) from Jan 1948 to May 2025 about males, participation, 16 years +, labor force, labor, household survey, rate, and USA.

In October 2024, the inactive labor force amounted to about 100.72 million people in the United States. Labor force measures are based on the civilian non-institutional population 16 years old and over. Excluded are persons under 16 years of age, all persons confined to institutions such as nursing homes and prisons, and persons on active duty in the Armed Forces. The labor force is made up of the employed and the unemployed. The remainder — those who have no job and are not looking for one — are counted as "not in the labor force." Many who are not in the labor force are going to school or are retired. Family responsibilities keep others out of the labor force.

Graph and download economic data for Not in Labor Force (LNS15000000) from Jan 1975 to May 2025 about 16 years +, labor force, labor, household survey, and USA.

This table contains 8 series, with data for years 1948 - 2009 (not all combinations necessarily have data for all years). This table contains data described by the following dimensions (Not all combinations are available): Geography (1 items: United States ...) Components (8 items: Total population including armed forces overseas (raw); Total civilian employment; Civilian employment; agriculture; Civilian labor force ...).

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

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.

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

In 2023, the number of individuals in the United States who were neither employed nor looking for employment, amounted to 99.83 million. This is a decrease from the previous year, when the inactive labor force amounted to 99.69 million people.

Graph and download economic data for Civilian Labor Force Level - 20-24 Yrs. (LNS11000036) from Jan 1948 to May 2025 about 20 to 24 years, civilian, labor force, labor, household survey, and USA.

This data collection is comprised of responses from two sets of survey questionnaires, the basic Current Population Survey (CPS) and a survey administered as a supplement to the February 2015 basic CPS questionnaire. The supplement, on the topic of public participation in the arts in the United States, was sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts. The CPS, administered monthly, collects labor force data about the civilian noninstitutional population aged 15 years old or older living in the United States. Moreover, the CPS provides current estimates of the economic status and activities of this population which includes estimates of total employment (both farm and nonfarm), nonfarm self-employed persons, domestics, and unpaid helpers in nonfarm family enterprises, wage and salaried employees, and estimates of total unemployment. The basic CPS data are provided on labor force activity for the week prior to the survey. In addition, CPS provides respondents' demographic characteristics such as age, sex, race, marital status, educational attainment, family relationship, occupation, and industry. In addition to the basic CPS questions, the February 2015 Annual Arts Basic Survey (AABS) questions were asked of the CPS respondent and spouse as well as another randomly selected household member aged 18 or older and his/her spouse. About one-quarter of the sampled households were asked the supplement questions. Interview numbers 3 and 7 were asked the supplement questions. If the selected person had a spouse or partner then questions were also asked of the spouse/partner. The supplement contained questions about the sampled member's participation in various artistic activities from February 2014 through February 2015. Questions were asked about the type of artistic activity attended including attending a live music, theater, or dance performance. Questions also included attending a live book reading or a poetry or storytelling event, an art exhibit, going to the movies or to see a film, or taking any lessons or classes in music or music appreciation. Interviews were conducted during the period of several days in February 2015. The total sample size of the 2015 AABS was 151,788 Americans, ages 18 and older.

The statistic shows the distribution of the workforce across economic sectors in the United States from 2013 to 2023. In 2023, 1.57 percent of the workforce in the US was employed in agriculture, 19.34 percent in industry and 79.09 percent in services. See U.S. GDP per capita for more information. American workforce A significant majority of the American labor force is employed in the services sector, while the other sectors, industry and agriculture, account for less than 20 percent of the US economy. However, the United States is among the top exporters of agricultural goods – the total value of US agricultural exports has more than doubled since 2000. A severe plunge in the employment rate in the US since 1990 shows that the American economy is still in turmoil after the economic crisis of 2008. Unemployment is still significantly higher than it was before the crisis, and most of those unemployed and looking for a job are younger than 25; youth unemployment is a severe problem for the United States, many college or university graduates struggle to find a job right away. Still, the number of employees in the US since 1990 has been increasing slowly, with a slight setback during and after the recession. Both the number of full-time and of part-time workers have increased during the same period. When looking at the distribution of jobs among men and women, both project the general downward trend. A comparison of the employment rate of men in the US since 1990 and the employment rate of women since 1990 shows that more men tend to be employed than women.