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.

Youth unemployment stood at 9.7 percent in February 2025. Seasonal adjustment is a statistical method for removing the seasonal component of a time series that is used when analyzing non-seasonal trends. The unemployment rate by state can be found here, and the annual national unemployment rate can be found here. Youth unemployment in the United States The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics track unemployment of persons between the ages of 16 and 24 years each month. In analyzing the data, the Bureau of Labor Statistics performed a seasonal adjustment—removing seasonal influences from the time series, such that one month’s rate of unemployment could be analyzed in comparison with another month’s rate of unemployment. During the period in question, youth unemployment ranged from a high of 9.9 percent in April 2021, to a low of 6.5 percent in April 2023. The national youth unemployment rate can be compared to the monthly national unemployment rate in the United States, although youth unemployment tends to be much higher due to higher rates of participation in education. In May 2023, U.S. unemployment was at 3.7 percent, compared with 7.4 percent amongst those 16 to 24 years old. Additionally, as of May 2023, Nevada had the highest state unemployment rate of all U.S. states, at 5.4 percent.

United States Unemployment Rate: Age 18 to 19 data was reported at 13.000 % in Oct 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 12.900 % for Sep 2018. United States Unemployment Rate: Age 18 to 19 data is updated monthly, averaging 14.700 % from Jan 1948 (Median) to Oct 2018, with 850 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 26.900 % in Jan 2010 and a record low of 5.200 % in Aug 1951. United States Unemployment Rate: Age 18 to 19 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.G018: Current Population Survey: Unemployment Rate.

United States Unemployment Rate: Female: Age 25 to 54 data was reported at 3.600 % in Jun 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 2.900 % for May 2018. United States Unemployment Rate: Female: Age 25 to 54 data is updated monthly, averaging 4.800 % from Jan 1948 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 846 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 9.000 % in Jan 1983 and a record low of 2.100 % in Jun 1953. United States Unemployment Rate: Female: Age 25 to 54 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.G018: Current Population Survey: Unemployment Rate.

United States Unemployment Rate: Age 25 to 54 data was reported at 3.000 % in Oct 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 2.900 % for Sep 2018. United States Unemployment Rate: Age 25 to 54 data is updated monthly, averaging 4.400 % from Jan 1948 (Median) to Oct 2018, with 850 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 9.700 % in Jan 1983 and a record low of 1.800 % in Aug 1953. United States Unemployment Rate: Age 25 to 54 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.G018: Current Population Survey: Unemployment Rate.

Unemployment Rate: Female: Age 16 to 17 data was reported at 8.600 % in Oct 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 11.000 % for Sep 2018. Unemployment Rate: Female: Age 16 to 17 data is updated monthly, averaging 17.000 % from Jan 1948 (Median) to Oct 2018, with 850 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 36.700 % in Jun 1963 and a record low of 4.700 % in Dec 1948. Unemployment Rate: Female: Age 16 to 17 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.G018: Current Population Survey: Unemployment Rate.

United States Unemployment Rate: Age 35 to 44 data was reported at 2.900 % in Jun 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 2.600 % for May 2018. United States Unemployment Rate: Age 35 to 44 data is updated monthly, averaging 4.000 % from Jan 1948 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 846 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 9.500 % in Feb 2010 and a record low of 1.600 % in Jun 1953. United States Unemployment Rate: Age 35 to 44 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.G018: Current Population Survey: Unemployment Rate.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate - 25-54 Yrs. (LNS14000060) from Jan 1948 to May 2025 about 25 to 54 years, household survey, unemployment, rate, and USA.

The unemployment rate for people ages 16 to 24 in the United States in 202024 23 was 10 percent. However, this rate was much lower for people aged 45 and over, at 2.9 percent. U.S. unemployment The unemployment rate in the United States varies based on several factors, such as race, gender, and level of education. Black and African-American individuals had the highest unemployment rate in 2021 out of any ethnicity, and people who had less than a high school diploma had the highest unemployment rate by education level. Alaska is consistently the state with the highest unemployment rate, although the El Centro, California metropolitan area was the area with the highest unemployment rate in the country in 2019. Additionally, in August 2022, farming, fishing, and forestry occupations had the highest unemployment rate in the United States Unemployment rate The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is the agency that researches and calculates the unemployment rate in the United States. Unemployment rises during recessions, which causes the cost of social welfare programs to increase. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says unemployed people are those who are jobless, have looked for employment within the last four weeks, and are free to work.

In 2024, the employment rate of the workforce of 55 years and older decreased to 37.3 percent. Employment rate among young adults (age 16-24) was at 50.9 percent in 2024. For monthly updates on employment in the United States visit the annual national employment rate here.

Graph and download economic data for Employment-Population Ratio - 25-54 Yrs. (LNS12300060) from Jan 1948 to May 2025 about 25 to 64 years, employment-population ratio, employment, population, and USA.

In 2024, the U.S. employment rate stood at 60.1 percent. Employed persons consist of: persons who did any work for pay or profit during the survey reference week; persons who did at least 15 hours of unpaid work in a family-operated enterprise; and persons who were temporarily absent from their regular jobs because of illness, vacation, bad weather, industrial dispute, or various personal reasons. The employment-population ratio represents the proportion of the civilian non-institutional population that is employed. The monthly unemployment rate for the United States can be found here.

United States Unemployment Rate: sa: Male: Age 16 to 17 data was reported at 11.300 % in Oct 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 14.600 % for Sep 2018. United States Unemployment Rate: sa: Male: Age 16 to 17 data is updated monthly, averaging 18.800 % from Jan 1948 (Median) to Oct 2018, with 850 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 36.400 % in Aug 2012 and a record low of 6.300 % in Feb 1953. United States Unemployment Rate: sa: Male: Age 16 to 17 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.G021: Current Population Survey: Unemployment Rate: Seasonally Adjusted.

This EnviroAtlas dataset shows the employment rate, or the percent of the population aged 16-64 who have worked in the past 12 months. The employment rate is a measure of the percent of the working-age population who are employed. It is an indicator of the prevalence of unemployment, which is often used to assess labor market conditions by economists. It is a widely used metric to evaluate the sustainable development of communities (NRC, 2011, UNECE, 2009). This dataset is based on the American Community Survey 5-year data for 2008-2012. This dataset was produced by the US EPA to support research and online mapping activities related to EnviroAtlas. EnviroAtlas (https://www.epa.gov/enviroatlas) allows the user to interact with a web-based, easy-to-use, mapping application to view and analyze multiple ecosystem services for the contiguous United States. The dataset is available as downloadable data (https://edg.epa.gov/data/Public/ORD/EnviroAtlas) or as an EnviroAtlas map service. Additional descriptive information about each attribute in this dataset can be found in its associated EnviroAtlas Fact Sheet (https://www.epa.gov/enviroatlas/enviroatlas-fact-sheets).

United States Unemployment Rate: sa: Female: Age 25 to 54 data was reported at 3.400 % in Jun 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 3.200 % for May 2018. United States Unemployment Rate: sa: Female: Age 25 to 54 data is updated monthly, averaging 4.800 % from Jan 1948 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 846 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8.800 % in Dec 1982 and a record low of 2.200 % in Jun 1953. United States Unemployment Rate: sa: Female: Age 25 to 54 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.G021: Current Population Survey: Unemployment Rate: Seasonally Adjusted.

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.

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.

Unemployment Rate: sa: Male: Age 16 to 19 data was reported at 13.400 % in Sep 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 14.700 % for Aug 2018. Unemployment Rate: sa: Male: Age 16 to 19 data is updated monthly, averaging 16.800 % from Jan 1948 (Median) to Sep 2018, with 849 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 30.700 % in Jan 2010 and a record low of 6.400 % in Feb 1953. Unemployment Rate: sa: Male: Age 16 to 19 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.G021: Current Population Survey: Unemployment Rate: Seasonally Adjusted.

This thematic map presents the labor force participation rate of working-age people in the United States in 2010. The 2010 Labor Force Participation Rate shows the Civilian Population over 16 years of age who are in the Labor Force. This includes all civilians 16 years old and over who were either employed or actively seeking work. The Labor Force Participation Rate is calculated as the number of persons in the labor force as a percentage of the total working-age population. Low labor force participation rates may indicate chronically high unemployment among residents who are no longer looking for work or above-average proportions of children or retirees in the resident population. These data are ESRI’s 2010 estimates. The geography depicts states at greater than 25m scale, counties at 1m to 25m scale, Census Tracts at 250k to 1m scale, and Census Block Groups at less than 250k scale. The map has been designed to be displayed with semi-transparency of about 50% for overlay on other base maps, which is reflected in the legend for the map. For more information on this map, including our terms of use, visit us online at http://goto.arcgisonline.com/maps/Demographics/USA_Labor_Force_Participation_Rate

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate - 16-19 Yrs. (LNS14000012) from Jan 1948 to May 2025 about 16 to 19 years, household survey, unemployment, rate, and USA.