The unemployment rate in the United States was at 4.1% in October of 2024, remaining unchanged from the three-month low in the prior month, and aligned with market expectations. The number of unemployed individuals was broadly unchanged at 7 million. Among those without employment, permanent job losers rose slightly to 1.8 million, while temporary layoffs were little changed at 846 thousand. In turn, long-term unemployment was little changed from the previous month at 1.6 million. In the meantime, the labor force participation rate eased by 0.1 percentage points to 62.6%. source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Unemployment Rate in the United States remained unchanged at 4.10 percent in October. Unemployment Rate in the United States averaged 5.69 percent from 1948 until 2024, reaching an all time high of 14.90 percent in April of 2020 and a record low of 2.50 percent in May of 1953. This page provides the latest reported value for - United States Unemployment Rate - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news. United States Unemployment Rate - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on November of 2024.

Unemployment Rate in the United States remained unchanged at 4.10 percent in October. Unemployment Rate in the United States is expected to be 4.30 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the United States Unemployment Rate is projected to trend around 4.40 percent in 2025 and 4.30 percent in 2026, according to our econometric models.




Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2024-10-04 12:30 PM
Unemployment Rate
Sep 4.1% 4.2% 4.2% 4.3%
2024-11-01 12:30 PM
Unemployment Rate
Oct 4.1% 4.1% 4.1% 4.2%
2024-12-06 01:30 PM
Unemployment Rate
Nov 4.1%

Components Last Previous Unit Reference
Long Term Unemployment Rate 0.95 0.97 percent Oct 2024
Youth Unemployment Rate 9.50 9.20 percent Oct 2024

Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Average Hourly Earnings MoM 0.40 0.30 percent Oct 2024
Average Hourly Earnings YoY 4.00 3.90 percent Oct 2024
Average Weekly Hours 34.30 34.30 Hours Oct 2024
Employment Rate 60.00 60.20 percent Oct 2024
Government Payrolls 40.00 31.00 Thousand Oct 2024
Participation Rate 62.60 62.70 percent Oct 2024
Manufacturing Payrolls -46.00 -6.00 Thousand Oct 2024
Non Farm Payrolls 12.00 223.00 Thousand Oct 2024
Nonfarm Payrolls Private -28.00 192.00 Thousand Oct 2024
Unemployed Persons 6984.00 6834.00 Thousand Oct 2024
Unemployment Rate 4.10 4.10 percent Oct 2024

United States Unemployment Rate
In the United States, the unemployment rate measures the number of people actively looking for a job as a percentage of the labour force.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
4.10 4.10 14.90 2.50 1948 - 2024 percent Monthly


News Stream
US Unemployment Rate Holds at 4.1% as Expected
The unemployment rate in the United States was at 4.1% in October of 2024, remaining unchanged from the three-month low in the prior month, and aligned with market expectations. The number of unemployed individuals was broadly unchanged at 7 million. Among those without employment, permanent job losers rose slightly to 1.8 million, while temporary layoffs were little changed at 846 thousand. In turn, long-term unemployment was little changed from the previous month at 1.6 million. In the meantime, the labor force participation rate eased by 0.1 percentage points to 62.6%.
2024-11-01
US Jobless Rate Unexpectedly Falls to 4.1%
The unemployment rate in the United States fell to 4.1% in September 2024, the lowest in three months, down from 4.2% in the previous month and surprising market expectations, which had forecasted the rate to remain unchanged. The number of unemployed individuals decreased by 281,000 to 6.834 million, while employment levels increased by 430,000 to 161.864 million. Meanwhile, the labor force participation rate was steady at 62.7%, and the employment-population ratio increased to 60.2% from 60%.
2024-10-04
US Unemployment Rate Edges Down
The unemployment rate in the United States eased to 4.2% in August of 2024 from the October 2021 high of 4.3% in the prior month, aligning with market expectations. The number of unemployed individuals was broadly unchanged from the previous month at 7.1 million. Among the unemployed, permanent job losers were loosely unchanged at 1.7 million, while individuals at a temporary layoff status dropped by 190 thousand to 872 thousand. Additionally, the number of long-term unemployed individuals seeking employment for over 27 weeks was steady at 1.5 million, making up for 21.3% of the unemployed population. Meanwhile, the labor force participation rate remained unchanged from the prior month at 62.7%.
2024-09-06