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Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey
HOUSEHOLD DATA
ANNUAL AVERAGES
35. Persons not in the labor force by desire and availability for work, age, and sex

[In thousands]
CategoryTotalAgeSex
2015201616 to 24
years
25 to 54
years
55 years
and over
MenWomen
2015201620152016201520162015201620152016

Total not in the labor force

93,67194,35117,36717,23223,95723,51352,34753,60637,48137,74356,19056,608

Do not want a job now(1)

87,58988,50215,52515,45221,34421,03250,71952,01834,68135,00952,90753,492

Want a job(1)

6,0825,8491,8421,7802,6122,4811,6281,5872,7992,7333,2833,116

Did not search for work in previous year

3,4543,4151,0309941,3571,3531,0671,0691,5071,5221,9471,894

Searched for work in previous year,
but not in past 4 weeks(2)

2,6282,4348127871,2561,1285615191,2921,2111,3361,222

Not available to work now

6736302872573072877986277251395379

Marginally attached (available to work now)(3)

1,9561,8045255309498414824331,015960941843

Discouraged over job
prospects(4)

664553159130316267189156404345261208

Reasons other than discouragement

1,2911,250366400632573293277611615680635

Family responsibilities

216199232613812755466461153138

In school or training

212224154171514777106120107105

Ill health or disability

16814416167767756284778467

Other(5)

695682174187366333155162358356337326

Footnotes
(1) Includes some persons who are not asked if they want a job.
(2) Persons who had a job in the prior 12 months must have searched since the end of that job.
(3) Persons "marginally attached to the labor force" are those who want a job, have searched for work during the prior 12 months, and were available to take a job during the reference week, but had not looked for work in the past 4 weeks.
(4) Discouraged workers are persons marginally attached to the labor force who did not actively look for work in the prior 4 weeks for reasons such as thinks no work available, could not find work, lacks schooling or training, employer thinks too young or old, and other types of discrimination.
(5) Includes those who did not actively look for work in the prior 4 weeks for such reasons as child-care and transportation problems, as well as a small number for which reason for nonparticipation was not ascertained.

NOTE: Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.

 

Last Modified Date: February 8, 2017