Unemployment Rates In The United States

The Sharpest Rise In Unemployment Occurred In Service Occupations

In 2020, the unemployment rate increased for all five major occupational categories.6 The jobless rate for service occupations had the sharpest increase, rising by 8.6 percentage points over the year to reach 13.0 percent in 2020. Production, transportation, and material moving occupations had the second-largest increase, rising by 5.9 percentage points over the year to 10.2 percent in 2020. The pandemic and efforts to contain it had a substantial impact on these occupations. Within service occupations, food preparation and serving related occupations and personal care and service occupations were the most affected, with jobless rates that were nearly 4 times higher than they were in 2019. The jobless rates for natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations sales and office occupations and management, professional, and related occupations also rose sharply from 2019 to 2020.

What Is The Unemployment Rate

The unemployment rate is the percentage of the labor force without a job. It is a lagging indicator, meaning that it generally rises or falls in the wake of changing economic conditions, rather than anticipating them. When the economy is in poor shape and jobs are scarce, the unemployment rate can be expected to rise. When the economy grows at a healthy rate and jobs are relatively plentiful, it can be expected to fall.

Number Of Unemployed In Us 2022

The United States had an unemployment rate of 3.5 percent in August 2022, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics . This means that there were 5.7 million unemployed people in the US that month. The unemployment rate peaked at 10 percent in October 2009 during the Great Recession, but it has slowly declined since then. In February 2021, after the pandemic, the unemployment rate was 4.9 percent. There were 7.6 million unemployed people in the US.

You May Like: How Can I Get My W2 From Unemployment

President’s Council On Jobs And Competitiveness

President Obama established the President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness in 2009. The Council released an interim report with a series of recommendations in October 2011. The report included five major initiatives to increase employment while improving competitiveness:

The Unemployment Rate For Veterans Nearly Doubled Over The Year

There were 18.3 million veterans ages 18 and older in the civilian noninstitutional population in the fourth quarter of 2020. Veterans who served during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam era account for the largest share of the veteran population, at 6.7 million, followed by veterans who served during Gulf War era II and Gulf War era I . Four million veterans served on active duty during other service periods, mainly between the Korean War and the Vietnam era and between the Vietnam era and Gulf War era II.15 Among veterans, women accounted for 10 percent of the total veteran population in the fourth quarter of 2020.

In the fourth quarter of 2020, the unemployment rate for veterans was 5.7 percent , up by 2.6 percentage points over the year. The unemployment rate for nonveterans, at 6.5 percent in the fourth quarter, increased by 3.3 percentage points over the year. Among the youngest veterans, the jobless rate for Gulf War-era II veterans , at 6.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2020, increased by 2.3 percentage points from a year earlier. The unemployment rate for male veterans, at 5.9 percent, increased by 3.0 percentage points over the year, while the jobless rate for female veterans, at 4.7 percent, changed little over the same period.

Read Also: Unemployment Advocate California Phone Number

Annual Unemployment Rates By State

Notes

• Persons are classified as unemployed if they do not have a job, are currently available for work, and have actively looked for work in the prior four weeks, or if they are waiting to be recalled to a job from which they have been laid off.
• The labor force includes the civilian noninstitutional population 16 years old and older.
• Unemployment is measured on a place of residence basis.
• Historical data are subject to revision by BLS.
• Last BLS update: April 2019

Iowa Community Indicators Program, 175 Heady Hall Phone: 294-2954

Unemployment In The United States

Unemployment in the United States discusses the causes and measures of U.S. unemployment and strategies for reducing it. Job creation and unemployment are affected by factors such as economic conditions, global competition, education, automation, and demographics. These factors can affect the number of workers, the duration of unemployment, and wage levels.

Read Also: Do You Claim Unemployment Income On Taxes

Other Statistics On The Topic

exclusive corporate function

Get full access to all features within our Corporate Solutions.

Statista Corporate Solutions

• Immediate access to statistics, forecasts, reports and outlooks
• Usage and publication rights

You only have access to basic statistics.

• Instant access to 1m statistics
• in XLS, PDF & PNG format
• Detailed references

Corporate solution including all features.

Charting Jobs Unemployment And Labor Force Changes Across The States And Over Time

The map below shows the current unemployment rate in each state, and the percent change in the number of jobs in each state over the preceding 12 months. Clicking on a state will also show the change in that states unemployment rate or change in the number of jobs over the last 3 months, 12 months, and since December 2007the peak of the previous business cycle.

The charts below the map show the unemployment rate over time, the change in the total number of jobssince December 2007, and the change in the labor force since December 2007 for the selected state, as well as all other states in the same Census division.

You May Like: Can I Collect Unemployment If Terminated While On Disability

Colorado Unemployment Rate Rose In October

Colorados seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased slightly to 3.6% in October, according to a report from the Department of Labor and Employement.

Colorados seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased slightly to 3.6% in October, according to a report from the Department of Labor and Employment.

The last time the unemployment rate increased occurred in August from 3.3% to 3.4%.

How Are State Unemployment Rates Determined

Each states unemployment rate is measured as part of the Local Area Unemployment Statistics program, run by the BLS. These figures are updated monthly and are freely available on the BLSwebsite. LAUS also provides employment data for locations in the U.S. other than the 50 states, such as counties, metropolitan areas, and even several cities.

A states unemployment rate is a good indicator of its economic strength. However, its important to keep in mind how the rate is determined, so as not to make an incorrect assumption. The simplest way to calculate the unemployment rate is to divide the number of unemployed individuals in a state by its total labor force.

For example, say State A has a population of 600,000 residents and an unemployment rate of 5%, while State B has a population of 1,200,000 and an unemployment rate of 2.5%. Although State A has a higher unemployment rate, they each have the same number of unemployed workers . So, while it would be correct to say that State A has been hit harder by unemployment, it would be wrong to assume State A has more jobless persons based solely on the rate.

You May Like: How To Get Unemployment Direct Deposit

Not Caught Up On Rent

Table 2 shows the estimated number of adults whose household was not caught up on rent by state. The Pulse data likely understated the number of people struggling to pay rent because many respondents skipped questions toward the end of the survey, including the housing questions. This non-response was higher among groups that are younger, have lower levels of education, and identify as Black or Latino groups that are more likely to struggle to afford rent, due to long-standing inequities often stemming from structural racism in education, employment, and housing.

Note: Figures are averages of data collected September 15-27, 2021 and September 29October 11, 2021. To adjust for non-response in the Pulse Survey, the estimated number is calculated as the Pulse Surveys estimated share not caught up on rent multiplied by the total number of adult renters ages 18 and older from the American Community Survey.

Recommended Reading: When Does The Extra Unemployment Start

What They Are Reading In The States: President Bidens Economic Agenda Ushers In Record Low State Unemployment Rates

Across the country, local news outlets are reporting on how the historic Biden economic recovery has led to another consecutive month of historic job growth and record low unemployment in several states.

In September, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

• 17 states had unemployment rates at or below 3 percent.
• 11 states and the District of Columbia either set new records or matched records for their lowest unemployment rates since the beginning of the state data series in 1976.
• All 50 States and the District of Columbia had their unemployment rate decrease or remain unchanged from a year earlier.

This data is further proof that President Bidens economic agenda is working, and that the U.S. economy is moving from a historically strong economic recovery to more steady and stable growth.

Read below for a sampling of the local coverage.

Additional local coverage:

You May Like: Can I Collect Unemployment Due To Surgery

Local Area Unemployment Statistics

The statistics in this section are gathered from the LAUS Program. This program provides estimates of labor force and the unemployment rate, by place of residence.For more information read our LAUS Program Information Sheet and go to the Bureau of Labor Statistics website.

County Unemployment Rate

*To access historical data, scroll down to the bottom of the table and click , specify Date Range From, To then choose whether you want to Preview/Print or download in a specific format .*

Read Also: Best Dental Insurance For Unemployed

Us Job Growth Strong In September As Labor Market Forges Ahead

• Nonfarm payrolls increase 263,000 in September
• Unemployment rate falls to 3.5% from 3.7%
• Average hourly earning rise 0.3% up 5.0% year-on-year
• Average workweek unchanged at 34.5 hours

WASHINGTON, Oct 7 U.S. employers hired more workers than expected in September, while the unemployment rate dropped to 3.5%, pointing to a tight labor market which keeps the Federal Reserve on its aggressive monetary policy tightening campaign for a while.

Though the 0.2 point decline in the jobless rate from 3.7% in August was partly because of people leaving the workforce, the Labor Departments closely watched employment report on Friday also showed fewer Americans working part-time for economic reasons last month. The labor market continues to show resilience despite the Feds stiff interest rate hikes.

The labor market isnt just rolling along, its a virtual steam-roller that does nothing to slow economic demand and help the Fed in its inflation fight, said Christopher Rupkey, chief economist at FWDBONDS in New York.

Nonfarm payrolls increased by 263,000 jobs last month after rising by an unrevised 315,000 in August, the survey of establishments showed. Job growth has averaged 420,000 per month this year, down from the monthly average of 562,000 in 2021.

Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 250,000 job gains, with estimates ranging from as low as 127,000 to as high as 375,000. The unemployment rate was forecast unchanged at 3.7%.

Don’t Miss: How Much Taxes Do I Owe For Unemployment

Influencing Factors On The Us Unemployment Rate

There are a number of factors that influence the unemployment rate in the United States, including the number of people leaving the workforce, hiring rates, and economic growth. The current pandemic has had a significant impact on unemployment rates as well, with many businesses shutting down or reducing hours. In November 2009, there were 25.2 million unemployed workers nationwide, but by December 2010 this number was up to 27.5 million. From January 2007 to July 2011, the unemployment rate increased from 4.4% to 9.1%. After reaching its peak at 10.0% in October 2009, it fell to 8.6% in June 2011 before rising again over the next two months . According to data compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 45 percent of unemployed individuals have been without work for 27 weeks or more .

Read Also: How To Get Healthcare When Unemployed

Jobs Created By Presidential Term

Job creation is reported monthly and receives significant media attention, as a proxy for the overall health of the economy. Comparing job creation by President involves determining which starting and ending month to use, as recent Presidents typically begin in January, the fourth month into the last fiscal year budgeted by their predecessor. Journalist Glenn Kessler of The Washington Post explained in 2020 that economists debate which month to use as the base for counting job creation, between either January of the first term or February. The Washington Post uses the February jobs level as the starting point. For example, for President Obama, the computation takes the 145.815 million jobs of February 2017 and subtracts the 133.312 million jobs of February 2009 to arrive at a 12.503 million job creation figure. Using this method, the five Presidents with the most job gains were: Bill Clinton 22.745 Ronald Reagan 16.322 Barack Obama 12.503 Lyndon B. Johnson 12.338 and Jimmy Carter 10.117. Four of the top five were Democrats.

Writing in The New York Times, Steven Rattner compared job creation in the last 35 months under President Obama with the first 35 months of President Trump . President Obama added 227,000 jobs/month on average versus 191,000 jobs/month for Trump, nearly 20% more. The unemployment rate fell by 2 percentage points under Obama versus 1.2 points under Trump.

You May Like: Where Can I File Unemployment Taxes For Free

National Labor Force Data

CPS economists are available to assist you Monday through Friday , excluding federal holidays.

• Contact us by e-mail
• Contact us by phone: 691-6378To enable us to better serve all of our customers, please do not submit e-mail questions and then call for the same information.

For assistance with these special topics:

• State, city, county, and other local area data from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics program: 691-6392 or e-mail
• CPS public use microdata files are available from the Census Bureau
• BLS microdata estimation methodology for CPS:
• CPS seasonal adjustment methodology: e-mail

Current Unemployment Rates For States And Historical Highs/lows

State

Preliminary

Note: Rates shown are a percentage of the labor force. Data refer to place of residence. Seriesbegin in January 1976. Historical highs and lows show the most recent month that a rate wasrecorded in the event of multiple occurrences. Estimates for at least the latest five years aresubject to revision early in the following calendar year. Estimates for the current month aresubject to revision the following month.

September 16, 2022

Read Also: What Is The Unemployment Rate In Haiti

Unemployment Benefits In Usa

If youre out of work and looking for unemployment benefits in the United States, there are a few things you should know. First, the unemployment rate is a measure of the percentage of people in the labor force who are looking for work but cannot find it. The unemployment number fluctuates from month to month as people enter and leave the workforce. Third, unemployment benefits are available to eligible workers who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own.

To receive benefits, you must file a claim with your states unemployment office. You will be asked about the reasons for your job loss and how much money you earned before becoming unemployed. Your eligibility for unemployment compensation will depend on several factors, including whether you qualified for regular benefits , if you voluntarily left your job, and the number of weeks you worked during the base period . The maximum amount of time that an individual can collect weekly benefits is 26 weeks.

In order to qualify for an extension, your continued lack of employment needs to be due to circumstances beyond your control, such as illness or injury that has resulted in a diminished capacity to work natural disaster military service involuntary layoff because of plant closure or curtailment or reemployment after retirement. You also need to demonstrate what you are doing to look for new work. A reduced benefit period may apply if youre enrolled in school full-time.

The Unemployment Rate Rose Markedly For Those With Less Education

Among workers ages 25 and older, jobless rates across all education levels spiked to their highest point ever following the onset of the pandemic in the second quarter of 2020 .11 Unemployment rates for people with less than a high school diploma and for high school graduates reached 19.0 percent and 14.9 percent, respectively, in the second quarter of 2020. For those with some college or an associate degree, and those with a bachelors degree and higher, jobless rates in the second quarter were 13.0 percent and 7.5 percent, respectively.

Although these measures improved after the second quarter, they remained about twice as high in the fourth quarter of 2020, as compared with a year earlier. The jobless rate for people with less than a high school diploma was 9.6 percent in the fourth quarter of 2020, 4.1 percentage points higher than a year earlier. The unemployment rate for high school graduates with no college degree and for those with some college or an associate degree increased by a similar amount over the year . The rate for those with a bachelors degree and higher increased by 2.1 percentage points over the year, reaching 4.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2020. As has historically been the case, jobless rates for those with higher levels of education remained well below the rates for those with less formal education.

Donât Miss: How Do I Contact Alabama Unemployment

Don’t Miss: What To Do When In Debt And Unemployed