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.

Unemployment Rate in the United States increased to 4.40 percent in September from 4.30 percent in August 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 August 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 5.7 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.

The seasonally-adjusted national unemployment rate is measured on a monthly basis in the United States. In August 2025, the national unemployment rate was at 4.3 percent. Seasonal adjustment is a statistical method of removing the seasonal component of a time series that is used when analyzing non-seasonal trends.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate - Black or African American (LNS14000006) from Jan 1972 to Sep 2025 about African-American, 16 years +, household survey, unemployment, rate, and USA.

In 2021, the unemployment rate among the United States workforce was approximately 5.35 percent - this was roughly 3.8 percent lower than the unemployment rate in 2020, during the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic, but was still around one percent higher than pre-pandemic levels.

United States Unemployment Rate: U4 Unemployed & Discouraged Workers data was reported at 3.800 % in Oct 2018. This stayed constant from the previous number of 3.800 % for Sep 2018. United States Unemployment Rate: U4 Unemployed & Discouraged Workers data is updated monthly, averaging 5.600 % from Jan 1994 (Median) to Oct 2018, with 298 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 11.200 % in Jan 2010 and a record low of 3.800 % in Oct 2018. United States Unemployment Rate: U4 Unemployed & Discouraged Workers 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: U6 Unemployed, Marginally Employed & Part Time data was reported at 7.000 % in Oct 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 7.100 % for Sep 2018. United States Unemployment Rate: U6 Unemployed, Marginally Employed & Part Time data is updated monthly, averaging 9.600 % from Jan 1994 (Median) to Oct 2018, with 298 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 18.000 % in Jan 2010 and a record low of 6.300 % in Oct 2000. United States Unemployment Rate: U6 Unemployed, Marginally Employed & Part Time 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.

The unemployment rate in the United States falls slowly in expansions, and it may not reach its previous low point before the next recession begins. Based on this feature, I document that the frequent recessions prior to 1983 are associated with an upward trend in the unemployment rate. In contrast, the long expansions beginning in 1983 are associated with a downward trend. I then estimate a two-variable vector autoregression (VAR) that includes the unemployment rate and a recession indicator. Long-horizon forecasts from this VAR conditioned on no future recessions project that the unemployment rate will go to 3.6 percent after a long period with no recessions.

United States Unemployment Rate: Male data was reported at 4.000 % in Dec 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 3.400 % for Nov 2018. United States Unemployment Rate: Male data is updated monthly, averaging 5.300 % from Jan 1948 (Median) to Dec 2018, with 852 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 12.300 % in Jan 2010 and a record low of 1.900 % in Oct 1952. United States Unemployment Rate: Male 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: sa: Nevada data was reported at 4.700 % in Jun 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 4.800 % for May 2018. United States Unemployment Rate: sa: Nevada data is updated monthly, averaging 5.850 % from Jan 1976 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 510 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 13.700 % in Nov 2010 and a record low of 3.800 % in Feb 1999. United States Unemployment Rate: sa: Nevada 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.G058: Unemployment Rate: By State: Seasonally Adjusted.

In 2024, the national unemployment level in the United States increased from the previous year to 6.76 million people. The number of unemployed persons in the U.S. reached a decades long high in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. See the United States unemployment rate and the monthly unemployment rate for further information.

Long Term Unemployment Rate in the United States decreased to 1.06 percent in September from 1.13 percent in August of 2025. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - United States Long Term Unemployment Rate - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

{"definition": "Number of unemployed people 16 years and older as a percent of the total county labor force", "availableYears": "2010", "name": "Unemployment rate, 2010", "units": "Percent", "shortName": "UnempRate2010", "geographicLevel": "County", "dataSources": "Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics"}

© UnempRate2010 This layer is sourced from gis.ers.usda.gov.

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

In the fourth quarter of 2024, the unemployment rate in the information industry in the United States stood at *** percent, increasing from *** percent in the same quarter of 2023. In 2020, the tech industry was hit hard by the economic recession brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, registering a record ** percent unemployment rate during the second quarter. Information industry in the U.S. The U.S. information industry consists of those businesses involved in the production or distribution of information, those involved in providing a means to distribute information and data, and those involved in data processing. More specifically, the sector is comprised of * segments: publishing industries (except internet), motion picture and sound recording industries, broadcasting (except internet), telecommunications, data processing/hosting, and other information services. Employment in the U.S. information industry As a whole, the sector employs nearly ************* people around the United States and accounts for a significant portion of the country’s entertainment industry. As unemployment has fallen, average hourly earnings within the sector have also risen sharply within the past decade, now amounting to almost ** dollars per hour. This trend towards more favorable employment conditions comes at a time when union membership within the industry declined to *** percent in 2022.

United States - Unemployment Rate - 16-17 Yrs. was 14.70% in September of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Unemployment Rate - 16-17 Yrs. reached a record high of 31.70 in October of 2010 and a record low of 6.50 in May of 1948. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Unemployment Rate - 16-17 Yrs. - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on November of 2025.

United States Unemployment Rate: sa: Male: Age 55 & Over data was reported at 3.200 % in Jun 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 3.000 % for May 2018. United States Unemployment Rate: sa: Male: Age 55 & Over data is updated monthly, averaging 3.700 % from Jan 1948 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 846 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8.500 % in Aug 2010 and a record low of 1.500 % in May 1969. United States Unemployment Rate: sa: Male: Age 55 & Over 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.

United States - Unemployment Rate - 35-39 Yrs., Men was 3.10% in September of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Unemployment Rate - 35-39 Yrs., Men reached a record high of 10.90 in February of 2010 and a record low of 2.10 in October of 2019. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Unemployment Rate - 35-39 Yrs., Men - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on November of 2025.

VITAL SIGNS INDICATOR
Unemployment (EC3)

FULL MEASURE NAME
Unemployment rate by residential location

LAST UPDATED
December 2022

DESCRIPTION
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force – by place of residence – that is not currently employed full-time or part-time. The unemployment rate reflects the strength of the overall employment market.

DATA SOURCE
California Employment Development Department: Historical Unemployment Rates
1990-2010
Spreadsheet provided by CAEDD

California Employment Development Department: Labor Force and Unemployment Rate for California Sub-County Areas - https://data.edd.ca.gov/Labor-Force-and-Unemployment-Rates/Labor-Force-and-Unemployment-Rate-for-California-S/8z4h-2ak6
2010-2022

California Employment Development Department: Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) - https://data.edd.ca.gov/Labor-Force-and-Unemployment-Rates/Local-Area-Unemployment-Statistics-LAUS-/e6gw-gvii
1990-2022

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) - https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la
1990-2021

CONTACT INFORMATION
vitalsigns.info@bayareametro.gov

METHODOLOGY NOTES (across all datasets for this indicator)
Unemployment rates produced by the CA Employment Development Department (EDD) for the region and county levels are not adjusted for seasonality (as they reflect annual data) and are final data (i.e., not preliminary). Unemployment rates produced by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for the metro regions are annual and not adjusted for seasonality; they reflect the primary metropolitan statistical area (MSA) for the named region, except for the San Francisco Bay Area which uses the nine-county region. The unemployment rate is calculated based on the number of unemployed persons divided by the total labor force. Note that the unemployment rate can decline or increase as a result of changes in either variable.