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.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate - Black or African American (LNU04000006) from Jan 1972 to Feb 2025 about African-American, 16 years +, household survey, unemployment, rate, and USA.

In 2023, about 23.51 percent of unemployed Black or African American individuals had been jobless for at least 27 weeks. This was slightly higher amongst Asian individuals, at 23.55 percent. See the monthly unemployment rate in the U.S. here.

In the third quarter of 2024, 7.6 percent of the black population in Brazil was unemployed. The unemployment rate for Pardo Brazilians was approximately seven percent, while for whites it was five percent.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate - 20 Yrs. & over, Black or African American Men (LNS14000031) from Jan 1972 to Feb 2025 about 20 years +, males, African-American, household survey, unemployment, rate, and USA.

Characteristics of the Insured Unemployed. This dataset provides information on the race and ethnicity composition of unemployment insurance claimants. The data are based on those who file a continued claim in the week containing the 19th of the month, which reflects unemployment during the week containing the 12th. This corresponds with the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Current Population Survey. (Source: ETA-203)

In 2023, around 1.48 million people of Hispanic or Latin origin were unemployed. In total in the United States, there were around six million people who were unemployed in 2023.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate - 16-19 Yrs., Black or African American (LNS14000018) from Jan 1972 to Feb 2025 about 16 to 19 years, African-American, household survey, unemployment, rate, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate - White (LNS14000003) from Jan 1954 to Feb 2025 about white, 16 years +, household survey, unemployment, rate, and USA.

Unemployment Data by Ethnicity and Race 2019-2020

  Current Population Survey results showing unemployment data broken out by ethnicity and ages. Presented in percentages; 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

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

This statistic presents the unemployment rate in France in 2023, broken down by nationality and gender. It reveals that the unemployment rate of men foreigners was of 10.9 percent in 2023.

Demographic data of Missouri Unemployment claims by race

Initial Claims for UI released by the CT Department of Labor. Initial Claims are applications for Unemployment Benefits. Initial Claims may not result in receiving UI benefits if the individual doesn't qualify.

The initial claims reported in these tables are "processed" claims to the extent that duplicates and "reopened" claims have been eliminated. The claim counts in this dataset may not match claim counts from other sources.

Unemployment claims tabulated in this dataset represent only one component of the unemployed. Claims do not account for those not covered under the Unemployment system (e.g. federal workers, railroad workers or religious workers) or the unemployed self-employed.

Claims filed for a particular week will change as time goes on and the backlog is addressed.

In 2023, the unemployment rate of African Americans in the United States stood at 5.5 percent. This was over the national average of 3.6 percent.

The high rate of unemployment

There are many reasons why the unemployment rate among minorities is different than the national average. When it comes to African Americans, a large part of this is due to historical events, such as slavery and the struggle for civil rights, as well as the number of Black families living below the poverty level. Additionally, in 2019, for every 100,000 of the population, there were 2,203 Black men in prison. This high rate of imprisonment can contribute to the unemployment rate for African Americans, since having been in prison can reduce one’s chances of finding a job once released.

Earning differences

African Americans also make less money than other ethnicities in the United States. In 2020, the median weekly earnings of African Americans were 794 U.S. dollars, compared to Asians, who made 1,310 U.S. dollars per week, and whites, who made 1,003 U.S. dollars per week. While the African American unemployment rate may be low, it is clear that much has to change in order to achieve full equality.

Graph and download economic data for Income Before Taxes: Unemployment and Workers' Compensation, Veterans' Benefits, and Regular Contributions by Race: Black or African American (CXUOTHREGINLB0905M) from 2013 to 2023 about veterans, contributions, compensation, benefits, African-American, workers, tax, income, unemployment, and USA.

Demographic data of Missouri Unemployment claims by ethnicity

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).

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate - 20 Yrs. & over, Black or African American Women (LNS14000032) from Jan 1972 to Feb 2025 about 20 years +, females, African-American, household survey, unemployment, rate, and USA.

Continued Claims for UI released by the CT Department of Labor. Continued Claims are total number of individuals being paid benefits in any particular week.

The claim counts in this dataset may not match claim counts from other sources.

Unemployment claims tabulated in this dataset represent only one component of the unemployed. Claims do not account for those not covered under the Unemployment system (e.g. federal workers, railroad workers or religious workers) or the unemployed self-employed.

Claims filed for a particular week will change as time goes on and the backlog is addressed.