Unemployment Rate: United States
Current Value (2025)
4.3%
All-Time Peak (1982)
9.7%
All-Time Low (1953)
2.9%
Unemployment Rate — United States
Analysis# US Unemployment Rate Analysis (1948–2025)
The current 4.3% rate sits comfortably between historical extremes, reflecting a moderately tight labor market that contrasts sharply with the 9.7% peak during the early 1980s recession triggered by aggressive Federal Reserve rate hikes to combat stagflation. The 2.9% low in 1953 represents an era of post-WWII full employment and sustained manufacturing demand, a baseline rarely approached in modern periods due to structural labor market changes and demographic shifts. Over 77 years of data, unemployment has generally trended downward from the volatile 1970s-80s, with recent rates (post-
Historical Data
| Year | Value | Change % |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4.3% | +7.50% |
| 2024 | 4.0% | +11.11% |
| 2023 | 3.6% | -2.70% |
| 2022 | 3.7% | -31.48% |
| 2021 | 5.4% | -33.33% |
| 2020 | 8.1% | +118.92% |
| 2019 | 3.7% | -5.13% |
| 2018 | 3.9% | -11.36% |
| 2017 | 4.4% | -10.20% |
| 2016 | 4.9% | -7.55% |
| 2015 | 5.3% | -14.52% |
| 2014 | 6.2% | -16.22% |
| 2013 | 7.4% | -8.64% |
| 2012 | 8.1% | -8.99% |
| 2011 | 8.9% | -7.29% |
| 2010 | 9.6% | +3.23% |
| 2009 | 9.3% | +60.34% |
| 2008 | 5.8% | +26.09% |
| 2007 | 4.6% | +0.00% |
| 2006 | 4.6% | -9.80% |
Show all 78 rows
| Year | Value | Change % |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 5.1% | -7.27% |
| 2004 | 5.5% | -8.33% |
| 2003 | 6.0% | +3.45% |
| 2002 | 5.8% | +23.40% |
| 2001 | 4.7% | +17.50% |
| 2000 | 4.0% | -4.76% |
| 1999 | 4.2% | -6.67% |
| 1998 | 4.5% | -8.16% |
| 1997 | 4.9% | -9.26% |
| 1996 | 5.4% | -3.57% |
| 1995 | 5.6% | -8.20% |
| 1994 | 6.1% | -11.59% |
| 1993 | 6.9% | -8.00% |
| 1992 | 7.5% | +8.70% |
| 1991 | 6.9% | +23.21% |
| 1990 | 5.6% | +5.66% |
| 1989 | 5.3% | -3.64% |
| 1988 | 5.5% | -11.29% |
| 1987 | 6.2% | -11.43% |
| 1986 | 7.0% | -2.78% |
| 1985 | 7.2% | -4.00% |
| 1984 | 7.5% | -21.87% |
| 1983 | 9.6% | -1.03% |
| 1982 | 9.7% | +27.63% |
| 1981 | 7.6% | +5.56% |
| 1980 | 7.2% | +22.03% |
| 1979 | 5.9% | -3.28% |
| 1978 | 6.1% | -14.08% |
| 1977 | 7.1% | -7.79% |
| 1976 | 7.7% | -9.41% |
| 1975 | 8.5% | +51.79% |
| 1974 | 5.6% | +14.29% |
| 1973 | 4.9% | -12.50% |
| 1972 | 5.6% | -6.67% |
| 1971 | 6.0% | +20.00% |
| 1970 | 5.0% | +42.86% |
| 1969 | 3.5% | -2.78% |
| 1968 | 3.6% | -5.26% |
| 1967 | 3.8% | +0.00% |
| 1966 | 3.8% | -15.56% |
| 1965 | 4.5% | -13.46% |
| 1964 | 5.2% | -7.14% |
| 1963 | 5.6% | +0.00% |
| 1962 | 5.6% | -16.42% |
| 1961 | 6.7% | +21.82% |
| 1960 | 5.5% | +0.00% |
| 1959 | 5.5% | -19.12% |
| 1958 | 6.8% | +58.14% |
| 1957 | 4.3% | +4.88% |
| 1956 | 4.1% | -6.82% |
| 1955 | 4.4% | -21.43% |
| 1954 | 5.6% | +93.10% |
| 1953 | 2.9% | -3.33% |
| 1952 | 3.0% | -9.09% |
| 1951 | 3.3% | -36.54% |
| 1950 | 5.2% | -14.75% |
| 1949 | 6.1% | +60.53% |
| 1948 | 3.8% | — |