Table 13. Persons in the labor force and not in the labor force by selected characteristics, 2008 annual averages : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

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Labor Force Characteristics by Race and Ethnicity, 2008

(Numbers in thousands)

Table 13. Persons in the labor force and not in the labor force by selected characteristics, 2008 annual averages
Race, age, sex, and Hispanic origin	Civilian labor force (1)	Not in the labor force
		Total	Want a job					Do not want job now
			Total (2)	Searched for work in the prior year
				Total	Available for work now (3)
				Total	Total	Discouraged workers (4)	Other
Total
Total, 16 years and over	154,287	79,501	4,983	2,157	1,614	462	1,152	74,519
16 to 24 years	22,032	15,452	1,733	819	568	145	422	13,719
25 to 54 years	104,396	21,255	2,168	1,023	780	226	554	19,087
55 years and over	27,858	42,794	1,082	314	266	90	176	41,712
Men, 16 years and over	82,520	30,593	2,228	1,041	827	282	545	28,365
16 to 24 years	11,538	7,372	885	437	314	93	221	6,487
25 to 54 years	56,202	5,876	850	449	376	138	238	5,027
55 years and over	14,780	17,345	494	156	137	51	86	16,851
Women, 16 years and over	71,767	48,908	2,755	1,115	787	180	607	46,154
16 to 24 years	10,494	8,080	848	383	254	52	201	7,233
25 to 54 years	48,195	15,379	1,319	574	404	88	315	14,060
55 years and over	13,078	25,449	588	158	129	39	90	24,861
White
Total, 16 years and over	125,635	63,905	3,596	1,501	1,097	293	804	60,309
16 to 24 years	17,786	11,212	1,216	559	370	84	285	9,996
25 to 54 years	83,922	16,346	1,531	701	525	143	382	14,815
55 years and over	23,927	36,347	850	241	203	66	137	35,497
Men, 16 years and over	68,351	24,374	1,594	720	559	176	383	22,780
16 to 24 years	9,394	5,347	621	298	203	53	150	4,726
25 to 54 years	46,056	4,258	580	300	248	85	163	3,678
55 years and over	12,901	14,769	393	122	108	38	70	14,376
Women, 16 years and over	57,284	39,531	2,002	781	538	117	421	37,529
16 to 24 years	8,392	5,865	595	261	166	31	135	5,270
25 to 54 years	37,866	12,088	951	401	277	58	219	11,137
55 years and over	11,026	21,578	457	119	95	28	67	21,121
Black or African American
Total, 16 years and over	17,740	10,103	964	466	382	129	253	9,139
16 to 24 years	2,767	2,822	369	192	153	51	102	2,453
25 to 54 years	12,589	3,054	427	223	184	61	123	2,627
55 years and over	2,384	4,227	168	50	45	16	28	4,059
Men, 16 years and over	8,347	4,169	438	225	195	81	114	3,731
16 to 24 years	1,369	1,337	180	99	83	34	49	1,157
25 to 54 years	5,901	1,146	188	104	92	40	53	958
55 years and over	1,077	1,686	70	22	20	8	12	1,616
Women, 16 years and over	9,393	5,934	526	241	187	48	139	5,408
16 to 24 years	1,399	1,485	189	94	71	18	53	1,296
25 to 54 years	6,688	1,909	239	119	92	22	70	1,670
55 years and over	1,307	2,540	98	29	25	9	16	2,443
Asians
Total, 16 years and over	7,202	3,549	213	91	66	21	45	3,336
16 to 24 years	683	819	54	24	15	4	11	765
25 to 54 years	5,408	1,207	116	51	38	11	27	1,091
55 years and over	1,110	1,523	43	16	13	6	7	1,480
Men, 16 years and over	3,852	1,260	102	50	38	13	25	1,158
16 to 24 years	353	400	32	14	10	3	7	368
25 to 54 years	2,921	268	48	27	21	7	14	220
55 years and over	578	592	22	9	7	4	3	570
Women, 16 years and over	3,350	2,289	111	41	28	7	20	2,178
16 to 24 years	330	419	22	9	5	1	4	397
25 to 54 years	2,488	938	68	25	16	4	12	870
55 years and over	532	932	21	7	6	2	4	911
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity
Total, 16 years and over	22,024	10,116	831	339	258	77	181	9,286
16 to 24 years	3,789	2,873	334	151	115	31	84	2,539
25 to 54 years	16,117	3,913	394	158	118	40	78	3,519
55 years and over	2,118	3,331	103	29	26	7	19	3,228
Men, 16 years and over	13,255	3,270	315	145	118	41	77	2,954
16 to 24 years	2,220	1,224	148	71	55	18	38	1,075
25 to 54 years	9,813	781	124	59	49	20	29	658
55 years and over	1,222	1,264	43	15	14	4	11	1,221
Women, 16 years and over	8,769	6,847	516	193	140	36	104	6,331
16 to 24 years	1,569	1,649	186	80	59	13	47	1,463
25 to 54 years	6,304	3,131	270	99	69	20	49	2,862
55 years and over	896	2,066	60	14	12	4	8	2,006
Footnotes: (1) The sum of the employed plus the unemployed. (2) Includes those who did not actively look for work in the prior 4 weeks for such reasons as school or family responsibilities, ill health, and transportation problems, as well as a small number for whom reason for was not determined. (3) Refers to persons who have searched for work during the prior 12 months (but not the prior 4 weeks) and were available to take a job during the reference week, also are referred to as "marginally attached to the labor force." (4) Includes the following reasons for not actively looking for work in the prior 4 weeks: Thinks no work available, could not find work, lacks schooling or training, employer thinks too young or old, and other types of discrimination.
NOTE: Estimates for the above race groups (white, black or African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are not presented for all races. Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. SOURCE: Current Population Survey, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Last Modified Date: December 4, 2009