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.

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

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 62.30 percent in June from 62.40 percent in May 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 Employment-Population Ratio (EMRATIO) from Jan 1948 to May 2025 about employment-population ratio, civilian, 16 years +, household survey, employment, population, and USA.

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.

Graph and download economic data for Infra-Annual Labor Statistics: Working-Age Population Total: From 15 to 64 Years for United States (LFWA64TTUSQ647S) from Q1 1977 to Q2 2025 about working-age, 15 to 64 years, 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.

This graph shows the civilian labor force participation rate in the United States from 1990 to 2023. In 2023, about 62.6 percent of the American population, eligible to work, participated in the job market.

United States Employment Population Ratio: Male: Age 70 to 74 data was reported at 24.200 Unit in Jun 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 23.200 Unit for May 2018. United States Employment Population Ratio: Male: Age 70 to 74 data is updated monthly, averaging 19.700 Unit from Jan 1994 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 294 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 24.900 Unit in Oct 2016 and a record low of 13.800 Unit in Feb 1994. United States Employment Population Ratio: Male: Age 70 to 74 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.G015: Current Population Survey: Employment Population Ratio.

United States Employment Population Ratio: Male: Age 16 to 24 data was reported at 54.000 Unit in Jun 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 50.200 Unit for May 2018. United States Employment Population Ratio: Male: Age 16 to 24 data is updated monthly, averaging 60.150 Unit from Jan 1948 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 846 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 83.100 Unit in Aug 1951 and a record low of 41.000 Unit in Jan 2010. United States Employment Population Ratio: Male: Age 16 to 24 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.G015: Current Population Survey: Employment Population Ratio.

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 ...).

United States US: Employment To Population Ratio: National Estimate: Aged 15-24 data was reported at 50.340 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 49.410 % for 2016. United States US: Employment To Population Ratio: National Estimate: Aged 15-24 data is updated yearly, averaging 54.810 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 61.150 % in 1989 and a record low of 45.000 % in 2010. United States US: Employment To Population Ratio: National Estimate: Aged 15-24 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.World Bank: Employment and Unemployment. Employment to population ratio is the proportion of a country's population that is employed. Employment is defined as persons of working age who, during a short reference period, were engaged in any activity to produce goods or provide services for pay or profit, whether at work during the reference period (i.e. who worked in a job for at least one hour) or not at work due to temporary absence from a job, or to working-time arrangements. Ages 15-24 are generally considered the youth population.; ; International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in November 2017.; Weighted Average; The series for ILO estimates is also available in the WDI database. Caution should be used when comparing ILO estimates with national estimates.

United States Labor Force Participation Rate: Foreign Born: Female data was reported at 56.500 % in Apr 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 56.800 % for Mar 2025. United States Labor Force Participation Rate: Foreign Born: Female data is updated monthly, averaging 54.600 % from Jan 2007 (Median) to Apr 2025, with 220 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 57.200 % in Aug 2024 and a record low of 50.200 % in Apr 2020. United States Labor Force Participation Rate: Foreign Born: Female 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.G: Current Population Survey: Labour Force: Participation Rate.

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.

United States - Employment-Population Ratio was 59.70% in June of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Employment-Population Ratio reached a record high of 64.70 in April of 2000 and a record low of 51.20 in April of 2020. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Employment-Population Ratio - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.

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.

Users can download data or view data tables on topics related to the labor force of the United States. Background Current Population Survey is a joint effort between the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Census Bureau. It provides information and data on the labor force of the United States, such as: employment, unemployment, earnings, hours of work, school enrollment, health, employee benefits and income. The CPS is conducted monthly and has a sample of approximately 50,000 households. It is representative of the non-institutionalized US population. The sample provides estimates for the nation as a whole and serves as part of model-based estimates for individual states and other geographic areas. User Functionality Users can download data sets or view data tables on their topic of interest. Data can be organized by a variety of demographic variables, including: sex, age, race, marital status and educational attainment. Data is available on a national or state level. Data Notes The CPS is conducted monthly and has a sample of approximately 50,000 households. It is representative of the non-institutionalized US population. The sample provides estimates for th e nation as a whole and serves as part of model-based estimates for individual states and other geographic areas.

The marital and family labor force statistics (FM) database from the Current Population Survey reflects data published each year in the news release, Employment Characteristics of Families. At the present time, only data for persons are available in the FM database. Person data include employment status by marital status and presence and age of own children. For example, the FM database includes the labor force participation rate of mothers with children under age 6 (series FMUP1378865).

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.