Unemployment rate in the U.S. 1990-2018
Unemployment rate in the United States from 1990 to 2018
This statistic displays the unemployment rate in the U.S. from 1990 to 2017. In 1990, this rate stood at 5.6 percent. Unemployment rate stood at 3.9 percent in 2018. 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.
Unemployment
Unemployment is defined as a situation when an employed person is laid off, fired or quits his work and is still looking for a job. Even in a healthy economy unemployment occurs. 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 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. A rise in unemployment was also an effect of the financial crisis that hit the United States in 2008.
The unemployment rate in the United States varies from state to state. The state with the highest number of unemployed persons in the United States in 2017 was California. Around 919,000 unemployed persons were counted in California.
Unemployment rate in the United States from 1990 to 2018
Loading statistic...
| Unemployment rate | |
|---|---|
| '18 | 3.9% |
| '17 | 4.4% |
| '16 | 4.9% |
| '15 | 5.3% |
| '14 | 6.2% |
| '13 | 7.4% |
| '12 | 8.1% |
| '11 | 8.9% |
| '10 | 9.6% |
| '09 | 9.3% |
| '08 | 5.8% |
| '07 | 4.6% |
| '06 | 4.6% |
| '05 | 5.1% |
| '04 | 5.5% |
| '03 | 6% |
| '02 | 5.8% |
| '01 | 4.7% |
| '00 | 4% |
| '99 | 4.2% |
| '98 | 4.5% |
| '97 | 4.9% |
| '96 | 5.4% |
| '95 | 5.6% |
| '94 | 6.1% |
| '93 | 6.9% |
| '92 | 7.5% |
| '91 | 6.8% |
| '90 | 5.6% |
| Unemployment rate | |
|---|---|
| '18 | 3.9% |
| '17 | 4.4% |
| '16 | 4.9% |
| '15 | 5.3% |
| '14 | 6.2% |
| '13 | 7.4% |
| '12 | 8.1% |
| '11 | 8.9% |
| '10 | 9.6% |
| '09 | 9.3% |
| '08 | 5.8% |
| '07 | 4.6% |
| '06 | 4.6% |
| '05 | 5.1% |
| '04 | 5.5% |
| '03 | 6% |
| '02 | 5.8% |
| '01 | 4.7% |
| '00 | 4% |
| '99 | 4.2% |
| '98 | 4.5% |
| '97 | 4.9% |
| '96 | 5.4% |
| '95 | 5.6% |
| '94 | 6.1% |
| '93 | 6.9% |
| '92 | 7.5% |
| '91 | 6.8% |
| '90 | 5.6% |
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This statistic displays the unemployment rate in the U.S. from 1990 to 2017. In 1990, this rate stood at 5.6 percent. Unemployment rate stood at 3.9 percent in 2018. 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.
Unemployment
Unemployment is defined as a situation when an employed person is laid off, fired or quits his work and is still looking for a job. Even in a healthy economy unemployment occurs. 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 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. A rise in unemployment was also an effect of the financial crisis that hit the United States in 2008.
The unemployment rate in the United States varies from state to state. The state with the highest number of unemployed persons in the United States in 2017 was California. Around 919,000 unemployed persons were counted in California.
Show moreUnemployment
Unemployment is defined as a situation when an employed person is laid off, fired or quits his work and is still looking for a job. Even in a healthy economy unemployment occurs. 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 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. A rise in unemployment was also an effect of the financial crisis that hit the United States in 2008.
The unemployment rate in the United States varies from state to state. The state with the highest number of unemployed persons in the United States in 2017 was California. Around 919,000 unemployed persons were counted in California.
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- January 2019
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Statistics on "U.S. unemployment"
- Unemployment
The most important statistics
- Number of unemployed persons in the United States from 1990 to 2018 (in millions)U.S. unemployment level 1990-2018
- Unemployment rate in the United States from 1990 to 2018Unemployment rate in the U.S. 1990-2018
- Monthly number of unemployed persons in the U.S. from February 2018 to February 2019 (in millions, adjusted)U.S. unemployment level - seasonally adjusted monthly number February 2019
- Monthly unemployment rate in the United States from February 2018 to February 2019 (seasonally-adjusted)U.S. unemployment rate: seasonally adjusted February 2019
- U.S. underemployment rate from July 2016 to July 2017 (by month)U.S. underemployment rate - July 2017
- State unemployment rate in the U.S. in 2018State unemployment rate in the U.S. 2018
- State unemployment rate in the U.S. as of February 2019 (seasonally adjusted)State unemployment rate in the U.S. February 2019
- Top 20 metropolitan areas with the highest unemployment rate in the United States in 2017Top 20 metropolitan areas with the highest unemployment rate in the U.S. 2017
- Employment
The most important statistics
- Civilian labor force in the United States from 1990 to 2018 (in millions)U.S. labor force 1990-2018
- Civilian labor force participation rate in the United States from 1990 to 2018Civilian labor force participation rate in the U.S. 1990-2018
- Monthly civilian labor force in the United States from February 2018 to February 2019 (in millions, seasonally adjusted)U.S. civilian labor force: seasonally adjusted, February 2019
- Monthly civilian labor force participation rate in the United States from February 2018 to February 2019 (seasonally adjusted)U.S. civilian labor force participation rate: seasonally adjusted, February 2019
- Monthly number of full-time employees in the United States from February 2018 to February 2019 (in millions, unadjusted) Full-time employees - unadjusted monthly number in the U.S. February 2019
- Employment level of the United States from 1990 to 2018 (in millions)Employment level of the U.S. 1990-2018
- Employment rate in the United States from 1990 to 2018USA - employment rate 1990-2018
- Number of employed persons in the U.S. in 2017, by state (in 1,000)State employment in the U.S. in 2017
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- Number of unemployed persons in the United States from 1990 to 2018 (in millions)
- Unemployment rate in the United States from 1990 to 2018
- Monthly number of unemployed persons in the U.S. from February 2018 to February 2019 (in millions, adjusted)
- Monthly unemployment rate in the United States from February 2018 to February 2019 (seasonally-adjusted)
- U.S. underemployment rate from July 2016 to July 2017 (by month)
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- Monthly number of job losers in the U.S. from February 2018 to February 2019 (in millions, adjusted)
- Unemployment rate of men in the United States from 1990 to 2018
- Unemployment rate of women in the United States from 1990 to 2018
- Unemployment rate in the United States from 1990 to 2018, by age
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- Employment level of the United States from 1990 to 2018 (in millions)
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