In December 2024, Nevada had the highest unemployment rate in the United States, with an unemployment rate of 5.7. The unemployment rate was also high in the District of Columbia, with an unemployment rate of 5.6 percent in December. Unemployment in the U.S. A person is considered unemployed if they have no job and are currently looking for a job and available to work. The unemployment rate in the United States varies across states. Nation-wide unemployment was 3.4 percent as of April 2023. Unemployment can be affected by various factors including economic conditions and global competition. During economic prosperity, unemployment rates generally decrease and during times of recession, rates increase. The seasons can also have an impact on the unemployment rate, especially during winter, when there is lower demand for construction workers or other professionals who typically work outdoors. The retail sector also experiences fluctuating demand for workers, particularly during the holiday-shopping season, when demand for workers increases. For this reason, labor statistics are usually presented as being either seasonally adjusted or unadjusted. The data presented in this statistic have been seasonally adjusted, but the monthly unadjusted unemployment rate can be accessed here.

Unemployment Rate in the United States decreased to 4.10 percent in June from 4.20 percent in May 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.

In 2023, Nevada had the highest annual unemployment rate in the United States at 5.1 percent. North Dakota had the lowest unemployment rate that year, at 1.9 percent. The monthly unemployment rate by state can be found here.

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 - 20 Yrs. & over (LNS14000024) from Jan 1948 to Jun 2025 about 20 years +, household survey, unemployment, rate, and USA.

In 1990, the unemployment rate of the United States stood at 5.6 percent. Since then there have been many significant fluctuations to this number - the 2008 financial crisis left millions of people without work, as did the COVID-19 pandemic. By the end of 2022 and throughout 2023, the unemployment rate came to 3.6 percent, the lowest rate seen for decades. However, 2024 saw an increase up to four percent. For monthly updates on unemployment in the United States visit either the monthly national unemployment rate here, or the monthly state unemployment rate here. Both are seasonally adjusted. UnemploymentUnemployment is defined as a situation when an employed person is laid off, fired or quits his work and is still actively looking for a job. Unemployment can be found even in the healthiest economies, and many economists consider an unemployment rate at or below five percent to mean there is 'full employment' within an economy. If former employed persons go back to school or leave the job to take care of children they are no longer part of the active labor force and therefore not counted among the unemployed. Unemployment can also be the effect of events that are not part of the normal dynamics of an economy. Layoffs can be the result of technological progress, for example when robots replace workers in automobile production. Sometimes unemployment is caused by job outsourcing, due to the fact that employers often search for cheap labor around the globe and not only domestically. In 2022, the tech sector in the U.S. experienced significant lay-offs amid growing economic uncertainty. In the fourth quarter of 2022, more than 70,000 workers were laid off, despite low unemployment nationwide. The unemployment rate in the United States varies from state to state. In 2021, California had the highest number of unemployed persons with 1.38 million out of work.

This dataset contains the Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS), annual averages from 1990 to 2023. The Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program is a Federal-State cooperative effort in which monthly estimates of total employment and unemployment are prepared for approximately 7,600 areas, including counties, cities and metropolitan statistical areas. These estimates are key indicators of local economic conditions. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) of the U.S. Department of Labor is responsible for the concepts, definitions, technical procedures, validation, and publication of the estimates that State workforce agencies prepare under agreement with BLS. Estimates for counties are produced through a building-block approach known as the "Handbook method." This procedure also uses data from several sources, including the CPS, the CES program, state UI systems, and the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), to create estimates that are adjusted to the statewide measures of employment and unemployment. Estimates for cities are prepared using disaggregation techniques based on inputs from the ACS, annual population estimates, and current UI data.

Employment Rate in the United States remained unchanged at 59.70 percent in June. This dataset provides - United States Employment Rate- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate in Ohio (OHUR) from Jan 1976 to May 2025 about OH, unemployment, rate, and USA.

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.

Key information about US Unemployment Rate

• US Unemployment Rate increased to 4.10% in Feb 2025, from the previously reported figure of 4.00% in Jan 2025.
• US Unemployment Rate is updated monthly, available from Jan 1948 to Feb 2025, with an average rate of 5.50%.
• The data reached an all-time high of 14.80% in Apr 2020 and a record low of 2.50% in Jun 1953.
• The data is reported by reported by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
• In the latest reports, US Population reached 341.16 million people in Dec 2024.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate - 20 Yrs. & over, Men (LNS14000025) from Jan 1948 to Jun 2025 about 20 years +, males, household survey, unemployment, rate, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate in California (CAURN) from Jan 1976 to May 2025 about CA, unemployment, rate, and USA.

Historical chart and dataset showing U.S. unemployment rate by year from 1991 to 2024.

United States Unemployment Rate: Iowa data was reported at 2.500 % in Jun 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 2.200 % for May 2018. United States Unemployment Rate: Iowa data is updated monthly, averaging 4.200 % from Jan 1976 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 510 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 10.300 % in Jan 1983 and a record low of 2.000 % in Nov 1999. United States Unemployment Rate: Iowa data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.G057: Unemployment Rate: By State.

United States Unemployment Rate: Oregon data was reported at 4.000 % in Oct 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 3.700 % for Sep 2018. United States Unemployment Rate: Oregon data is updated monthly, averaging 6.600 % from Jan 1976 (Median) to Oct 2018, with 514 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 13.300 % in Jan 1983 and a record low of 3.500 % in May 2018. United States Unemployment Rate: Oregon data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.G057: Unemployment Rate: By State.

United States Unemployment Rate: Michigan data was reported at 3.800 % in Oct 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 3.500 % for Sep 2018. United States Unemployment Rate: Michigan data is updated monthly, averaging 7.500 % from Jan 1976 (Median) to Oct 2018, with 514 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 17.300 % in Jan 1983 and a record low of 2.900 % in Apr 2000. United States Unemployment Rate: Michigan data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.G057: Unemployment Rate: By State.

United States Unemployment Rate: Washington data was reported at 4.500 % in Jun 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 4.400 % for May 2018. United States Unemployment Rate: Washington data is updated monthly, averaging 6.600 % from Jan 1976 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 510 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 13.200 % in Jan 1983 and a record low of 4.100 % in Oct 1997. United States Unemployment Rate: Washington data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.G057: Unemployment Rate: By State.

United States Unemployment Rate: New Jersey data was reported at 3.600 % in Oct 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 4.100 % for Sep 2018. United States Unemployment Rate: New Jersey data is updated monthly, averaging 6.000 % from Jan 1976 (Median) to Oct 2018, with 514 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 11.400 % in Feb 1977 and a record low of 3.300 % in Dec 2000. United States Unemployment Rate: New Jersey data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.G057: Unemployment Rate: By State.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate in Massachusetts (MAURN) from Jan 1976 to Apr 2025 about MA, unemployment, rate, and USA.