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.

Unemployment Rate in the United States remained unchanged at 4.20 percent in May. 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 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.

Analysis of ‘Recorded unemployment, January 2021 ’ provided by Analyst-2 (analyst-2.ai), based on source dataset retrieved from http://data.europa.eu/88u/dataset/e0526164-80a3-498e-bd03-5f4e9e7123e6 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 2023, it was estimated that over 161 million Americans were in some form of employment, while 3.64 percent of the total workforce was unemployed. This was the lowest unemployment rate since the 1950s, although these figures are expected to rise in 2023 and beyond. 1980s-2010s Since the 1980s, the total United States labor force has generally risen as the population has grown, however, the annual average unemployment rate has fluctuated significantly, usually increasing in times of crisis, before falling more slowly during periods of recovery and economic stability. For example, unemployment peaked at 9.7 percent during the early 1980s recession, which was largely caused by the ripple effects of the Iranian Revolution on global oil prices and inflation. Other notable spikes came during the early 1990s; again, largely due to inflation caused by another oil shock, and during the early 2000s recession. The Great Recession then saw the U.S. unemployment rate soar to 9.6 percent, following the collapse of the U.S. housing market and its impact on the banking sector, and it was not until 2016 that unemployment returned to pre-recession levels. 2020s 2019 had marked a decade-long low in unemployment, before the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic saw the sharpest year-on-year increase in unemployment since the Great Depression, and the total number of workers fell by almost 10 million people. Despite the continuation of the pandemic in the years that followed, alongside the associated supply-chain issues and onset of the inflation crisis, unemployment reached just 3.67 percent in 2022 - current projections are for this figure to rise in 2023 and the years that follow, although these forecasts are subject to change if recent years are anything to go by.

Unemployment Rate in Japan remained unchanged at 2.50 percent in April. 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.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate in Michigan (MIUR) from Jan 1976 to Apr 2025 about MI, unemployment, rate, and USA.

The unemployment rate of the United Kingdom was 4.6 percent in April 2025, an increase from the previous month. Before the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, the UK had relatively low levels of unemployment, comparable with the mid-1970s. Between January 2000 and the most recent month, unemployment was highest in November 2011 when the unemployment rate hit 8.5 percent. Will unemployment continue to rise in 2025? Although low by historic standards, there has been a noticeable uptick in the UK's unemployment rate, with other labor market indicators also pointing to further loosening. In December 2024, the number of job vacancies in the UK, fell to its lowest level since May 2021, while payrolled employment declined by 47,000 compared with November. Whether this is a continuation of a broader cooling of the labor market since 2022, or a reaction to more recent economic developments, such as upcoming tax rises for employers, remains to be seen. Forecasts made in late 2024 suggest that the unemployment rate will remain relatively stable in 2025, averaging out at 4.1 percent, and falling again to four percent in 2026.
Demographics of the unemployed As of the third quarter of 2024, the unemployment rate for men was slightly higher than that of women, at 4.4 percent, compared to 4.1 percent. During the financial crisis at the end of the 2000s, the unemployment rate for women peaked at a quarterly rate of 7.7 percent, whereas for men, the rate was 9.1 percent. Unemployment is also heavily associated with age, and young people in general are far more vulnerable to unemployment than older age groups. In late 2011, for example, the unemployment rate for those aged between 16 and 24 reached 22.3 percent, compared with 8.2 percent for people aged 25 to 34, while older age groups had even lower peaks during this time.

United States Unemployment Rate: Male: PW: NA: Mining data was reported at 4.500 % in Apr 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 1.500 % for Mar 2025. United States Unemployment Rate: Male: PW: NA: Mining data is updated monthly, averaging 4.800 % from Jan 2000 (Median) to Apr 2025, with 304 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 19.700 % in Feb 2021 and a record low of 0.200 % in Jan 2023. United States Unemployment Rate: Male: PW: NA: Mining data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.G037: Current Population Survey: Unemployment Rate.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate - Asian (LNU04032183) from Jan 2000 to May 2025 about asian, 16 years +, household survey, unemployment, rate, and USA.

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.

United States - Youth Unemployment Rate for Least Developed Countries was 10.15% in January of 2024, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Youth Unemployment Rate for Least Developed Countries reached a record high of 11.57 in January of 2021 and a record low of 7.71 in January of 1991. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Youth Unemployment Rate for Least Developed Countries - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.

ANOFM calculates and publishes statistical indicators on registered unemployment, according to the legal provisions. Number of registered unemployed represents both the unemployed compensated (unemployed beneficiaries of benefits with experience in work and unemployed beneficiaries of unemployment benefit without work experience/educational graduates) and the unemployed unpaid (without unemployment benefit) and are based on the data from the primary documents and records from the database of the territorial employment agencies. Represents the stock at the end of the reference month. The unemployment rate is determined as a ratio between the number of unemployed registered with the county and Bucharest employment agencies (allowed and unpaid) at the end of the reference month and the civilly active population. The active civilian population represents the potential labour supply and employment of the population comprising the civil employed population and the registered unemployed. The indicator is determined annually by the National Institute of Statistics by the labour force balance at the level of the country, development region and county. The unemployment rate is calculated with the civil active population as of 1 January 2017. The total number of unemployed registered is structured on: sexes (women, men); — type of compensation (allowed, not paid); level of education (without studies, primary education, secondary education, secondary education, post-secondary education, vocational education/arts and trades, university education); age groups (under 25 years, 25-29 years, 30-39 years, 40-49 years, 50-55 years, over 55 years). it’s the first time I've ever heard about it, but I'm not sure I'm going to be able to do it. Number of registered unemployed represents both the unemployed compensated (unemployed beneficiaries of benefits with experience in work and unemployed beneficiaries of unemployment benefit without work experience/educational graduates) and the unemployed unpaid (without unemployment benefit) and are based on the data from the primary documents and records from the database of the territorial employment agencies. Represents the stock at the end of the reference month. The unemployment rate is determined as a ratio between the number of unemployed registered with the county and Bucharest employment agencies (allowed and unpaid) at the end of the reference month and the civilly active population. The active civilian population represents the potential labour supply and employment of the population comprising the civil employed population and the registered unemployed. The indicator is determined annually by the National Institute of Statistics by the labour force balance at the level of the country, development region and county. The unemployment rate is calculated with the civil active population as of 1 January 2017. The total number of unemployed registered is structured on: sexes (women, men); — type of compensation (allowed, not paid); level of education (without studies, primary education, secondary education, secondary education, post-secondary education, vocational education/arts and trades, university education); age groups (under 25 years, 25-29 years, 30-39 years, 40-49 years, 50-55 years, over 55 years). averages of residence (urban, rural).

In March 2025, the unemployment rate in South Korea stood at 3.1 percent. The highest unemployment rate since 2000 was recorded in January 2021, at 5.7 percent.

China resumed the release of youth unemployment data in January 2024 after publication had been suspended for six months, using a new statistical methodology. Youth unemployment hit a record high of 21.3 percent in June 2023 after having increased for several years in a row, when a spokesman of the National Bureau of Statistics of China announced that the statistical methodology for calculating age specific unemployment rates needed improvement and publication would be temporarily suspended. The new methodology does not include university students anymore, resulting in a youth unemployment rate of **** percent in May 2025. Youth jobless figures fluctuate over the year and normally peak in July in China, when the largest number of graduates enter the job market.

As of February 2023, the unemployment rate in the Los Angeles metropolitan area was 5.3 percent compared to 4.9 percent in the previous month. Within this time period, the unemployment rate was highest in January 2021 at 11 percent, falling to a low of 4.5 percent by May 2022. During this month there were 265,249 unemployed people unemployed in the Los Angeles metro area.

China Surveyed Unemployment Rate: Urban: Local Household Registration data was reported at 5.300 % in Mar 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 5.600 % for Feb 2025. China Surveyed Unemployment Rate: Urban: Local Household Registration data is updated monthly, averaging 5.300 % from Jan 2021 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 51 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5.700 % in Apr 2022 and a record low of 4.900 % in Oct 2021. China Surveyed Unemployment Rate: Urban: Local Household Registration data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Labour Market – Table CN.GB: Surveyed Unemployment.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate in North Carolina (NCUR) from Jan 1976 to Apr 2025 about NC, unemployment, rate, and USA.

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.

Household datasets
Up to 2015, the LFS household datasets were produced twice a year (April-June and October-December) from the corresponding quarter's individual-level data. From January 2015 onwards, they are now produced each quarter alongside the main QLFS. The household datasets include all the usual variables found in the individual-level datasets, with the exception of those relating to income, and are intended to facilitate the analysis of the economic activity patterns of whole households. It is recommended that the existing individual-level LFS datasets continue to be used for any analysis at individual level, and that the LFS household datasets be used for analysis involving household or family-level data. From January 2011, a pseudonymised household identifier variable (HSERIALP) is also included in the main quarterly LFS dataset instead.

Change to coding of missing values for household series
From 1996-2013, all missing values in the household datasets were set to one '-10' category instead of the separate '-8' and '-9' categories. For that period, the ONS introduced a new imputation process for the LFS household datasets and it was necessary to code the missing values into one new combined category ('-10'), to avoid over-complication. This was also in line with the Annual Population Survey household series of the time. The change was applied to the back series during 2010 to ensure continuity for analytical purposes. From 2013 onwards, the -8 and -9 categories have been reinstated.

LFS Documentation
The documentation available from the Archive to accompany LFS datasets largely consists of the latest version of each volume alongside the appropriate questionnaire for the year concerned. However, LFS volumes are updated periodically by ONS, so users are advised to check the ONS LFS User Guidance page before commencing analysis.

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

End User Licence and Secure Access QLFS Household datasets
Users should note that there are two discrete versions of the QLFS household datasets. One is available under the standard End User Licence (EUL) agreement, and the other is a Secure Access version. Secure Access household datasets for the QLFS are available from 2009 onwards, and include additional, detailed variables not included in the standard EUL versions. Extra variables that typically can be found in the Secure Access versions but not in the EUL versions relate to: geography; date of birth, including day; education and training; household and family characteristics; employment; unemployment and job hunting; accidents at work and work-related health problems; nationality, national identity and country of birth; occurrence of learning difficulty or disability; and benefits. For full details of variables included, see data dictionary documentation. The Secure Access version (see SN 7674) has more restrictive access conditions than those made available under the standard EUL. Prospective users will need to gain ONS Accredited Researcher status, complete an extra application form and demonstrate to the data owners exactly why they need access to the additional variables. Users are strongly advised to first obtain the standard EUL version of the data to see if they are sufficient for their research requirements.

Changes to variables in QLFS Household EUL datasets
In order to further protect respondent confidentiality, ONS have made some changes to variables available in the EUL datasets. From July-September 2015 onwards, 4-digit industry class is available for main job only, meaning that 3-digit industry group is the most detailed level available for second and last job.

Review of imputation methods for LFS Household data - changes to missing values
A review of the imputation methods used in LFS Household and Family analysis resulted in a change from the January-March 2015 quarter onwards. It was no longer considered appropriate to impute any personal characteristic variables (e.g. religion, ethnicity, country of birth, nationality, national identity, etc.) using the LFS donor imputation method. This method is primarily focused to ensure the 'economic status' of all individuals within a household is known, allowing analysis of the combined economic status of households. This means that from 2015 larger amounts of missing values ('-8'/-9') will be present in the data for these personal characteristic variables than before. Therefore if users need to carry out any time series analysis of households/families which also includes personal characteristic variables covering this time period, then it is advised to filter off 'ioutcome=3' cases from all periods to remove this inconsistent treatment of non-responders.

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.

Latest edition information

For the third edition (September 2023), the variables NSECM20, NSECMJ20, SC2010M, SC20SMJ, SC20SMN, SOC20M and SOC20O have been replaced with new versions. Further information on the SOC revisions 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.

Key information about Netherlands Unemployment Rate

• Netherlands Unemployment Rate dropped to 3.10% in Jul 2021, from the previously reported figure of 3.20% in Jun 2021.
• Netherlands Unemployment Rate is updated monthly, available from Jan 2003 to Jul 2021, with an average rate of 5.00%.
• The data reached an all-time high of 7.90% in Feb 2014 and a record low of 2.90% in Mar 2020.
• The data is reported by reported by Statistics Netherlands.
• In the latest reports, Netherlands Population reached 17.28 million people in Dec 2018.