Jobs, Unemployment & Labor Force · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
U.S. Unemployment Rate by Year (1948-2025)
The headline U-3 civilian unemployment rate measures the percentage of the civilian labor force actively seeking work within the prior four weeks. In 2025, unemployment rate recorded 4.26% of Labor Force, compared with 4.03 in 2024. Across the 78-year archive (1948-2025), readings have ranged between 2.93 (1953) and 9.71 (1982).
Series Summary Ledger
- 2025 Reading4.26
- 2024 Reading4.03
- All-Time High (1982)9.71
- All-Time Low (1953)2.93
- Reporting Unit% of Labor Force
- Series CodeUNRATE
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) · 1948-2025
U.S. Unemployment Rate by Year (1948-2025)
2025 Reading: 4.26 % of Labor Force
Loading historical series...
DECADE BENCHMARKS (1950s-2020s)
Unemployment Rate by Decade
| Decade | Mean | Min | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 4.51 | 2.93 | 6.84 |
| 1960s | 4.78 | 3.49 | 6.69 |
| 1970s | 6.22 | 4.86 | 8.47 |
| 1980s | 7.27 | 5.26 | 9.71 |
| 1990s | 5.76 | 4.22 | 7.49 |
| 2000s | 5.54 | 3.97 | 9.28 |
| 2010s | 6.22 | 3.68 | 9.61 |
| 2020s | 4.84 | 3.62 | 8.10 |
Unemployment Rate Year-by-Year Historical Table (1948-2025)
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) (UNRATE)| Year | Unemployment Rate (% of Labor Force) | Annual Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4.26 | +0.24 |
| 2024 | 4.03 | +0.40 |
| 2023 | 3.62 | -0.03 |
| 2022 | 3.65 | -1.70 |
| 2021 | 5.35 | -2.75 |
| 2020 | 8.10 | +4.43 |
| 2019 | 3.68 | -0.22 |
| 2018 | 3.89 | -0.47 |
| 2017 | 4.36 | -0.52 |
| 2016 | 4.88 | -0.40 |
| 2015 | 5.28 | -0.88 |
| 2014 | 6.16 | -1.20 |
| 2013 | 7.36 | -0.72 |
| 2012 | 8.08 | -0.86 |
| 2011 | 8.93 | -0.67 |
| 2010 | 9.61 | +0.32 |
| 2009 | 9.28 | +3.48 |
| 2008 | 5.80 | +1.18 |
| 2007 | 4.62 | +0.01 |
| 2006 | 4.61 | -0.47 |
| 2005 | 5.08 | -0.46 |
| 2004 | 5.54 | -0.45 |
| 2003 | 5.99 | +0.21 |
| 2002 | 5.78 | +1.04 |
| 2001 | 4.74 | +0.77 |
| 2000 | 3.97 | -0.25 |
| 1999 | 4.22 | -0.28 |
| 1998 | 4.50 | -0.44 |
| 1997 | 4.94 | -0.47 |
| 1996 | 5.41 | -0.18 |
| 1995 | 5.59 | -0.51 |
| 1994 | 6.10 | -0.81 |
| 1993 | 6.91 | -0.58 |
| 1992 | 7.49 | +0.64 |
| 1991 | 6.85 | +1.23 |
| 1990 | 5.62 | +0.36 |
| 1989 | 5.26 | -0.23 |
| 1988 | 5.49 | -0.68 |
| 1987 | 6.18 | -0.82 |
| 1986 | 7.00 | -0.19 |
| 1985 | 7.19 | -0.32 |
| 1984 | 7.51 | -2.09 |
| 1983 | 9.60 | -0.11 |
| 1982 | 9.71 | +2.09 |
| 1981 | 7.62 | +0.44 |
| 1980 | 7.18 | +1.33 |
| 1979 | 5.85 | -0.22 |
| 1978 | 6.07 | -0.98 |
| 1977 | 7.05 | -0.65 |
| 1976 | 7.70 | -0.78 |
| 1975 | 8.47 | +2.83 |
| 1974 | 5.64 | +0.78 |
| 1973 | 4.86 | -0.74 |
| 1972 | 5.60 | -0.35 |
| 1971 | 5.95 | +0.97 |
| 1970 | 4.98 | +1.49 |
| 1969 | 3.49 | -0.07 |
| 1968 | 3.56 | -0.28 |
| 1967 | 3.84 | +0.05 |
| 1966 | 3.79 | -0.72 |
| 1965 | 4.51 | -0.65 |
| 1964 | 5.16 | -0.48 |
| 1963 | 5.64 | +0.07 |
| 1962 | 5.57 | -1.12 |
| 1961 | 6.69 | +1.15 |
| 1960 | 5.54 | +0.09 |
| 1959 | 5.45 | -1.39 |
| 1958 | 6.84 | +2.54 |
| 1957 | 4.30 | +0.17 |
| 1956 | 4.12 | -0.24 |
| 1955 | 4.37 | -1.22 |
| 1954 | 5.59 | +2.67 |
| 1953 | 2.93 | -0.10 |
| 1952 | 3.03 | -0.26 |
| 1951 | 3.28 | -1.92 |
| 1950 | 5.21 | -0.84 |
| 1949 | 6.05 | +2.30 |
| 1948 | 3.75 | - |