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5.6 percent of people not in labor force wanted a job in August 2022
September 08, 2022
In August 2022, 99.4 million people in the United States were counted as not in the labor force, meaning they were neither employed nor unemployed. Of this number, 5.5 million, or 5.6 percent, wanted a job. These people were not counted as unemployed because they were not actively looking for work during the 4 weeks preceding the survey or were unavailable to take a job. This measure remained above its February 2020 level of 5.0 million, or 5.3 percent, before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Percentage of people not in the labor force who currently want a job, January 2000–August 2022, seasonally adjusted
Month
Percent who currently want a job
Persons not in the labor force who currently want a job
Persons not in the labor force
Jan 2000
6.2%
4,302,000
69,142,000
Feb 2000
6.4
4,458,000
69,120,000
Mar 2000
6.8
4,689,000
69,338,000
Apr 2000
6.4
4,428,000
69,267,000
May 2000
6.3
4,385,000
69,853,000
Jun 2000
6.2
4,313,000
69,876,000
Jul 2000
6.3
4,430,000
70,398,000
Aug 2000
6.1
4,290,000
70,401,000
Sep 2000
6.2
4,389,000
70,645,000
Oct 2000
6.2
4,393,000
70,782,000
Nov 2000
6.1
4,332,000
70,579,000
Dec 2000
6.5
4,551,000
70,488,000
Jan 2001
6.3
4,401,000
70,088,000
Feb 2001
6.5
4,571,000
70,409,000
Mar 2001
6.1
4,297,000
70,381,000
Apr 2001
6.4
4,509,000
70,956,000
May 2001
6.3
4,516,000
71,414,000
Jun 2001
6.5
4,637,000
71,592,000
Jul 2001
6.3
4,489,000
71,526,000
Aug 2001
6.8
4,900,000
72,136,000
Sep 2001
6.4
4,577,000
71,676,000
Oct 2001
6.5
4,691,000
71,817,000
Nov 2001
6.6
4,751,000
71,876,000
Dec 2001
6.6
4,737,000
72,010,000
Jan 2002
6.6
4,803,000
72,623,000
Feb 2002
6.3
4,559,000
72,010,000
Mar 2002
6.4
4,598,000
72,343,000
Apr 2002
6.4
4,609,000
72,281,000
May 2002
6.7
4,825,000
72,260,000
Jun 2002
6.6
4,766,000
72,600,000
Jul 2002
6.7
4,847,000
72,827,000
Aug 2002
6.4
4,627,000
72,856,000
Sep 2002
6.5
4,687,000
72,554,000
Oct 2002
6.1
4,429,000
73,026,000
Nov 2002
6.4
4,733,000
73,508,000
Dec 2002
6.2
4,567,000
73,675,000
Jan 2003
6.3
4,632,000
73,960,000
Feb 2003
6.2
4,600,000
74,015,000
Mar 2003
6.6
4,916,000
74,295,000
Apr 2003
6.0
4,451,000
74,066,000
May 2003
6.5
4,810,000
74,268,000
Jun 2003
6.4
4,740,000
73,958,000
Jul 2003
6.5
4,855,000
74,767,000
Aug 2003
6.4
4,830,000
75,062,000
Sep 2003
6.4
4,832,000
75,249,000
Oct 2003
6.3
4,760,000
75,324,000
Nov 2003
6.0
4,534,000
75,280,000
Dec 2003
6.2
4,695,000
75,780,000
Jan 2004
6.3
4,769,000
75,319,000
Feb 2004
6.3
4,750,000
75,648,000
Mar 2004
6.4
4,816,000
75,606,000
Apr 2004
6.2
4,690,000
75,907,000
May 2004
6.2
4,741,000
75,903,000
Jun 2004
6.1
4,648,000
75,735,000
Jul 2004
6.2
4,661,000
75,730,000
Aug 2004
6.5
4,933,000
76,113,000
Sep 2004
6.4
4,930,000
76,526,000
Oct 2004
6.9
5,277,000
76,399,000
Nov 2004
6.7
5,113,000
76,259,000
Dec 2004
6.5
4,949,000
76,581,000
Jan 2005
6.5
4,992,000
76,808,000
Feb 2005
6.5
4,968,000
76,677,000
Mar 2005
6.5
5,018,000
76,846,000
Apr 2005
6.7
5,114,000
76,514,000
May 2005
6.2
4,771,000
76,409,000
Jun 2005
6.8
5,222,000
76,673,000
Jul 2005
6.4
4,947,000
76,721,000
Aug 2005
6.3
4,813,000
76,642,000
Sep 2005
6.5
4,990,000
76,739,000
Oct 2005
6.5
4,993,000
76,958,000
Nov 2005
6.2
4,818,000
77,138,000
Dec 2005
6.7
5,183,000
77,394,000
Jan 2006
6.4
4,964,000
77,339,000
Feb 2006
6.4
4,901,000
77,122,000
Mar 2006
6.4
4,918,000
77,161,000
Apr 2006
6.1
4,719,000
77,318,000
May 2006
6.0
4,635,000
77,359,000
Jun 2006
6.1
4,726,000
77,317,000
Jul 2006
6.3
4,862,000
77,535,000
Aug 2006
6.4
4,951,000
77,451,000
Sep 2006
6.0
4,666,000
77,757,000
Oct 2006
6.3
4,868,000
77,634,000
Nov 2006
6.2
4,818,000
77,499,000
Dec 2006
5.7
4,390,000
77,376,000
Jan 2007
5.8
4,506,000
77,506,000
Feb 2007
6.0
4,706,000
77,851,000
Mar 2007
5.9
4,565,000
77,982,000
Apr 2007
6.1
4,794,000
78,818,000
May 2007
6.3
4,968,000
78,810,000
Jun 2007
6.2
4,857,000
78,671,000
Jul 2007
6.0
4,737,000
78,904,000
Aug 2007
6.1
4,827,000
79,461,000
Sep 2007
6.0
4,750,000
79,047,000
Oct 2007
5.5
4,352,000
79,532,000
Nov 2007
5.9
4,648,000
79,105,000
Dec 2007
5.9
4,657,000
79,238,000
Jan 2008
6.2
4,846,000
78,554,000
Feb 2008
6.0
4,739,000
79,156,000
Mar 2008
6.0
4,718,000
79,087,000
Apr 2008
6.0
4,733,000
79,429,000
May 2008
6.1
4,851,000
79,102,000
Jun 2008
6.2
4,929,000
79,314,000
Jul 2008
6.3
5,023,000
79,395,000
Aug 2008
6.2
4,922,000
79,466,000
Sep 2008
6.5
5,153,000
79,790,000
Oct 2008
6.4
5,094,000
79,736,000
Nov 2008
6.8
5,421,000
80,189,000
Dec 2008
6.8
5,431,000
80,380,000
Jan 2009
7.1
5,708,000
80,529,000
Feb 2009
7.0
5,617,000
80,374,000
Mar 2009
7.2
5,807,000
80,953,000
Apr 2009
7.3
5,927,000
80,762,000
May 2009
7.4
5,986,000
80,705,000
Jun 2009
7.3
5,908,000
80,938,000
Jul 2009
7.4
6,003,000
81,367,000
Aug 2009
6.9
5,649,000
81,780,000
Sep 2009
7.2
5,949,000
82,495,000
Oct 2009
7.3
6,002,000
82,766,000
Nov 2009
7.2
5,998,000
82,865,000
Dec 2009
7.4
6,186,000
83,813,000
Jan 2010
7.1
5,942,000
83,349,000
Feb 2010
7.3
6,098,000
83,304,000
Mar 2010
7.2
5,993,000
83,206,000
Apr 2010
7.1
5,913,000
82,707,000
May 2010
7.0
5,824,000
83,409,000
Jun 2010
7.0
5,909,000
84,075,000
Jul 2010
7.0
5,895,000
84,199,000
Aug 2010
7.2
6,037,000
84,014,000
Sep 2010
7.4
6,270,000
84,347,000
Oct 2010
7.4
6,289,000
84,895,000
Nov 2010
7.3
6,182,000
84,590,000
Dec 2010
7.5
6,431,000
85,240,000
Jan 2011
7.6
6,472,000
85,441,000
Feb 2011
7.5
6,390,000
85,637,000
Mar 2011
7.6
6,527,000
85,623,000
Apr 2011
7.6
6,537,000
85,603,000
May 2011
7.3
6,289,000
85,834,000
Jun 2011
7.6
6,519,000
86,144,000
Jul 2011
7.5
6,513,000
86,383,000
Aug 2011
7.5
6,463,000
86,111,000
Sep 2011
7.3
6,262,000
85,940,000
Oct 2011
7.4
6,384,000
86,308,000
Nov 2011
7.6
6,538,000
86,312,000
Dec 2011
7.3
6,323,000
86,589,000
Jan 2012
7.2
6,343,000
87,888,000
Feb 2012
7.2
6,335,000
87,765,000
Mar 2012
7.2
6,302,000
87,855,000
Apr 2012
7.3
6,426,000
88,239,000
May 2012
7.2
6,309,000
88,100,000
Jun 2012
7.5
6,564,000
88,073,000
Jul 2012
7.4
6,516,000
88,405,000
Aug 2012
7.9
7,011,000
88,803,000
Sep 2012
7.7
6,817,000
88,613,000
Oct 2012
7.4
6,551,000
88,429,000
Nov 2012
7.7
6,833,000
88,836,000
Dec 2012
7.6
6,728,000
88,722,000
Jan 2013
7.5
6,637,000
88,900,000
Feb 2013
7.6
6,772,000
89,516,000
Mar 2013
7.4
6,670,000
89,990,000
Apr 2013
7.2
6,428,000
89,780,000
May 2013
7.5
6,726,000
89,827,000
Jun 2013
7.4
6,614,000
89,803,000
Jul 2013
7.2
6,526,000
90,156,000
Aug 2013
7.0
6,284,000
90,355,000
Sep 2013
6.8
6,119,000
90,481,000
Oct 2013
6.6
6,024,000
91,708,000
Nov 2013
6.3
5,754,000
91,302,000
Dec 2013
6.7
6,126,000
91,563,000
Jan 2014
6.9
6,360,000
91,563,000
Feb 2014
6.6
6,011,000
91,603,000
Mar 2014
6.8
6,174,000
91,230,000
Apr 2014
6.7
6,207,000
92,070,000
May 2014
7.1
6,553,000
91,938,000
Jun 2014
6.7
6,207,000
92,107,000
Jul 2014
6.8
6,264,000
92,016,000
Aug 2014
6.9
6,376,000
92,099,000
Sep 2014
6.8
6,326,000
92,406,000
Oct 2014
7.0
6,431,000
92,240,000
Nov 2014
7.1
6,558,000
92,350,000
Dec 2014
6.9
6,406,000
92,695,000
Jan 2015
6.8
6,300,000
92,694,000
Feb 2015
7.0
6,503,000
93,256,000
Mar 2015
6.8
6,355,000
93,437,000
Apr 2015
6.7
6,221,000
93,205,000
May 2015
6.5
6,051,000
92,804,000
Jun 2015
6.5
6,130,000
93,601,000
Jul 2015
6.5
6,097,000
93,880,000
Aug 2015
6.3
5,890,000
93,924,000
Sep 2015
6.2
5,868,000
94,592,000
Oct 2015
6.4
5,997,000
94,374,000
Nov 2015
6.0
5,649,000
94,284,000
Dec 2015
6.3
5,909,000
93,901,000
Jan 2016
6.4
6,006,000
94,117,000
Feb 2016
6.3
5,927,000
93,937,000
Mar 2016
6.1
5,730,000
93,589,000
Apr 2016
6.2
5,812,000
93,828,000
May 2016
6.3
5,962,000
94,390,000
Jun 2016
5.9
5,590,000
94,430,000
Jul 2016
6.3
5,906,000
94,426,000
Aug 2016
6.1
5,752,000
94,292,000
Sep 2016
6.4
6,017,000
94,377,000
Oct 2016
6.3
5,948,000
94,716,000
Nov 2016
6.2
5,864,000
95,034,000
Dec 2016
6.0
5,668,000
95,064,000
Jan 2017
6.1
5,758,000
94,462,000
Feb 2017
6.0
5,653,000
94,386,000
Mar 2017
6.1
5,758,000
94,277,000
Apr 2017
6.1
5,708,000
94,243,000
May 2017
5.8
5,465,000
94,699,000
Jun 2017
5.6
5,277,000
94,766,000
Jul 2017
5.7
5,425,000
94,689,000
Aug 2017
6.1
5,734,000
94,771,000
Sep 2017
6.0
5,637,000
94,423,000
Oct 2017
5.5
5,293,000
95,457,000
Nov 2017
5.5
5,219,000
95,370,000
Dec 2017
5.5
5,275,000
95,574,000
Jan 2018
5.4
5,191,000
95,782,000
Feb 2018
5.4
5,169,000
95,088,000
Mar 2018
5.3
5,044,000
95,338,000
Apr 2018
5.4
5,163,000
95,462,000
May 2018
5.4
5,188,000
95,571,000
Jun 2018
5.5
5,204,000
95,462,000
Jul 2018
5.4
5,195,000
95,554,000
Aug 2018
5.6
5,413,000
96,387,000
Sep 2018
5.5
5,288,000
96,255,000
Oct 2018
5.6
5,408,000
95,990,000
Nov 2018
5.6
5,398,000
95,969,000
Dec 2018
5.6
5,320,000
95,742,000
Jan 2019
5.5
5,262,000
95,168,000
Feb 2019
5.5
5,216,000
95,278,000
Mar 2019
5.4
5,136,000
95,502,000
Apr 2019
5.3
5,107,000
96,051,000
May 2019
5.2
4,994,000
96,058,000
Jun 2019
5.5
5,272,000
96,008,000
Jul 2019
5.2
4,999,000
95,753,000
Aug 2019
5.4
5,212,000
95,658,000
Sep 2019
5.1
4,852,000
95,623,000
Oct 2019
5.0
4,778,000
95,509,000
Nov 2019
5.1
4,849,000
95,586,000
Dec 2019
5.1
4,839,000
95,549,000
Jan 2020
5.2
4,937,000
95,023,000
Feb 2020
5.3
4,996,000
95,045,000
Mar 2020
5.6
5,462,000
96,994,000
Apr 2020
9.6
9,921,000
103,538,000
May 2020
8.7
8,916,000
101,925,000
Jun 2020
8.2
8,182,000
100,370,000
Jul 2020
7.7
7,712,000
100,358,000
Aug 2020
7.1
7,070,000
99,851,000
Sep 2020
7.2
7,194,000
100,590,000
Oct 2020
6.7
6,685,000
100,091,000
Nov 2020
7.1
7,120,000
100,546,000
Dec 2020
7.2
7,277,000
100,559,000
Jan 2021
6.9
6,956,000
100,667,000
Feb 2021
6.9
6,923,000
100,560,000
Mar 2021
6.8
6,822,000
100,372,000
Apr 2021
6.6
6,628,000
100,125,000
May 2021
6.6
6,583,000
100,409,000
Jun 2021
6.4
6,422,000
100,224,000
Jul 2021
6.5
6,529,000
100,094,000
Aug 2021
5.7
5,701,000
100,106,000
Sep 2021
5.9
5,918,000
100,294,000
Oct 2021
5.9
5,935,000
100,298,000
Nov 2021
5.8
5,819,000
99,902,000
Dec 2021
5.7
5,713,000
99,842,000
Jan 2022
5.7
5,704,000
99,516,000
Feb 2022
5.4
5,355,000
99,333,000
Mar 2022
5.8
5,737,000
99,035,000
Apr 2022
5.9
5,859,000
99,513,000
May 2022
5.7
5,681,000
99,302,000
Jun 2022
5.7
5,656,000
99,812,000
Jul 2022
5.9
5,910,000
100,051,000
Aug 2022
5.6
5,549,000
99,438,000
In April 2020, at the end of the February–April 2020 recession, 9.6 percent of people not in the labor force wanted a job, the highest percentage during the 2000–22 period. The percentage of people not in the labor force who wanted a job had been 5.0 percent in October 2019, its lowest percentage over the past 22 years.
United States Department of Labor
