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.

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: Foreign Born data was reported at 3.600 % in Apr 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 4.400 % for Mar 2025. Unemployment Rate: Foreign Born data is updated monthly, averaging 4.800 % from Jan 2007 (Median) to Apr 2025, with 220 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 16.500 % in Apr 2020 and a record low of 2.600 % in Oct 2019. Unemployment Rate: Foreign Born 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: Unemployment Rate.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Level - Foreign Born, Women (LNU03073397) from Jan 2007 to Jun 2025 about foreign, females, 16 years +, household survey, unemployment, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate - Foreign Born, Men (LNU04073396) from Jan 2007 to May 2025 about foreign, males, 16 years +, household survey, unemployment, rate, and USA.

United States Unemployment Rate: PW: NA: Other Services (OS) data was reported at 6.400 % in Apr 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 4.400 % for Mar 2025. United States Unemployment Rate: PW: NA: Other Services (OS) data is updated monthly, averaging 8.000 % from Jan 2000 (Median) to Apr 2025, with 304 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 22.600 % in Apr 2020 and a record low of 2.200 % in Jan 2025. United States Unemployment Rate: PW: NA: Other Services (OS) 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.

United States - Unemployment Rate - Foreign Born, Women was 4.10% in May of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Unemployment Rate - Foreign Born, Women reached a record high of 18.40 in May of 2020 and a record low of 2.90 in October of 2019. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Unemployment Rate - Foreign Born, Women - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.

United States - Unemployment Rate - Foreign Born, Men was 3.00% in May of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Unemployment Rate - Foreign Born, Men reached a record high of 15.30 in April of 2020 and a record low of 2.10 in June of 2019. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Unemployment Rate - Foreign Born, Men - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.

United States Unemployment Rate: HL: Cuban data was reported at 2.800 % in Apr 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 0.800 % for Mar 2025. United States Unemployment Rate: HL: Cuban data is updated monthly, averaging 5.100 % from Jan 2003 (Median) to Apr 2025, with 268 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 16.600 % in Jun 2011 and a record low of 0.800 % in Mar 2025. United States Unemployment Rate: HL: Cuban 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: Unemployment Rate.

This dataset provides values for UNEMPLOYMENT RATE reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

United States - Unemployment Rate - Foreign Born was 3.40% in May of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Unemployment Rate - Foreign Born reached a record high of 16.50 in April of 2020 and a record low of 2.60 in September of 2019. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Unemployment Rate - Foreign Born - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.

As of March 2025, South Africa had the highest unemployment rate among the 19* countries that are members of the G20. The unemployment rate in South Africa stood at **** percent that year. The country has recently been plagued by an economic downturn, including energy shortages and high unemployment levels. On the other hand, Japan had the lowest unemployment rate at just *** percent. Economic inequality in South Africa Not only does South Africa top the G20 in overall unemployment, but it also has a significant level of youth unemployment, as nearly half of the young population is unemployed. Thirty years after the end of Apartheid, South Africa is also still one of the most unequal countries in the world, with a Gini score of ****. The prominence of inequality in the country makes escaping unemployment and underemployment difficult. Japanese economic slowdown While Japan had the lowest unemployment rate out of all G20 nations, as well as the lowest youth unemployment rate out of the G20 nations, Japan’s economy is still facing many challenges. With an aging population, the total Japanese population is facing a rapid decline, meaning that it will struggle to have enough workers participating in the labor market. Despite this, Japan maintains strict immigration policies, limiting the chances for foreign workers to move to Japan. Moreover, Japan has the second lowest fertility rate out of the G7 nations and one of the lowest fertility rates globally, adding another challenge in addressing population shrinkage.

United States Unemployment Rate: NH: Black or African American data was reported at 5.800 % in Apr 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 6.000 % for Mar 2025. United States Unemployment Rate: NH: Black or African American data is updated monthly, averaging 6.600 % from Jan 2016 (Median) to Apr 2025, with 112 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 16.600 % in May 2020 and a record low of 4.400 % in Apr 2023. United States Unemployment Rate: NH: Black or African American 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: Unemployment Rate.

United States Unemployment Rate: Male: PW: NA: Mfg: ND: Paper & Printing data was reported at 5.700 % in Apr 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 5.400 % for Mar 2025. United States Unemployment Rate: Male: PW: NA: Mfg: ND: Paper & Printing data is updated monthly, averaging 3.900 % from Jan 2000 (Median) to Apr 2025, with 304 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 15.000 % in Nov 2009 and a record low of 0.000 % in Aug 2023. United States Unemployment Rate: Male: PW: NA: Mfg: ND: Paper & Printing 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: Unemployment Rate.

United States Unemployment Rate: Male: PW: NA: Mfg: ND: Plastic & Rubber data was reported at 4.800 % in Apr 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 5.400 % for Mar 2025. United States Unemployment Rate: Male: PW: NA: Mfg: ND: Plastic & Rubber data is updated monthly, averaging 4.950 % from Jan 2000 (Median) to Apr 2025, with 304 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 19.200 % in Jan 2010 and a record low of 0.000 % in May 2024. United States Unemployment Rate: Male: PW: NA: Mfg: ND: Plastic & Rubber 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.

Unemployment in the European Union has reached its low point in the twenty-first century in 2025. The share of the labour force out of work was slighly under 5.8 percent between January and March of that year, a marked decrease from its most recent peak of 7.8 percent in the Summer of 2020. While the jobs recovery has been strong in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic in the EU, this number is still far above the remarkably low rate in the United States, which has reached 4.3 percent in 2024. Nevertheless, this recent decline is a positive development for the EU countries, many of which have long suffered from chronic unemployment issues. In some regional labour markets in the EU, the issue is now less of people who can't find work, but employers who cannot find employees, leading to labour shortages. The sick men of Europe Several EU member states have long had high unemployment rates, with the large numbers of people in long-term unemployment being particularly concerning. Italy, France, Greece, Spain, and Portugal have all had double-digit unemployment rates for significant amounts of time during this period, with the ability of people to freely migrate to other EU countries for work only marginally decreasing this. While these countries have long dealt with these issues due to their declining legacy industries and the struggle of competing in a liberalized, globalized economy, their unemployment rates reached their highest points following the global financial crisis, great recession, and Eurozone crisis. These interconnected crises led to a period of prolonged stagnation in their economies, with unemployment reaching as high as 25 percent in Greece, the worst affected economy.

United States Unemployment Rate: PW: NA: EH: Health Care & Social Assistance (HC) data was reported at 2.600 % in Apr 2025. This stayed constant from the previous number of 2.600 % for Mar 2025. United States Unemployment Rate: PW: NA: EH: Health Care & Social Assistance (HC) data is updated monthly, averaging 3.200 % from Jan 2000 (Median) to Apr 2025, with 304 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 10.300 % in Apr 2020 and a record low of 2.000 % in Apr 2024. United States Unemployment Rate: PW: NA: EH: Health Care & Social Assistance (HC) 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.

United States Unemployment Rate: Male: PW: NA: Transportation data was reported at 3.400 % in Apr 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 3.900 % for Mar 2025. United States Unemployment Rate: Male: PW: NA: Transportation data is updated monthly, averaging 4.300 % from Jan 2000 (Median) to Apr 2025, with 304 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 13.100 % in May 2020 and a record low of 2.400 % in Sep 2018. United States Unemployment Rate: Male: PW: NA: Transportation 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.

United States Unemployment Rate: Male: PW: NA: OS: excl PH data was reported at 3.700 % in Apr 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 6.100 % for Mar 2025. United States Unemployment Rate: Male: PW: NA: OS: excl PH data is updated monthly, averaging 4.600 % from Jan 2000 (Median) to Apr 2025, with 304 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 17.200 % in Apr 2020 and a record low of 1.400 % in Apr 2019. United States Unemployment Rate: Male: PW: NA: OS: excl PH 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.