Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in United States
United States: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) was 4.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in United States, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
United States recorded 4.2% for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in 2025.
The figure is up 4.4% on the previous year and down 20.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in United States peaked at 9.6% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 3.6%, in 2023.
United States ranks 118th of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in United States, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 6.8% | — |
| 1992 | 7.5% | +10.3% |
| 1993 | 6.9% | -8.0% |
| 1994 | 6.1% | -11.3% |
| 1995 | 5.7% | -7.7% |
| 1996 | 5.5% | -3.5% |
| 1997 | 5.0% | -8.3% |
| 1998 | 4.5% | -9.8% |
| 1999 | 4.2% | -6.5% |
| 2000 | 4.0% | -5.4% |
| 2001 | 4.7% | +18.5% |
| 2002 | 5.8% | +22.2% |
| 2003 | 6.0% | +3.6% |
| 2004 | 5.5% | -7.7% |
| 2005 | 5.1% | -8.0% |
| 2006 | 4.6% | -9.1% |
| 2007 | 4.6% | -0.0% |
| 2008 | 5.8% | +25.1% |
| 2009 | 9.3% | +60.0% |
| 2010 | 9.6% | +4.1% |
| 2011 | 8.9% | -7.1% |
| 2012 | 8.1% | -9.8% |
| 2013 | 7.4% | -8.6% |
| 2014 | 6.2% | -16.4% |
| 2015 | 5.3% | -14.4% |
| 2016 | 4.9% | -7.8% |
| 2017 | 4.4% | -10.6% |
| 2018 | 3.9% | -10.5% |
| 2019 | 3.7% | -5.8% |
| 2020 | 8.1% | +119.5% |
| 2021 | 5.3% | -33.6% |
| 2022 | 3.6% | -31.8% |
| 2023 | 3.6% | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 4.0% | +10.6% |
| 2025 | 4.2% | +4.4% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 4.2% is below the median for high income countries, which is 5.0%, 83% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in United States changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +119.5% | 3.7% | 8.1% |
| 2009 | +60.0% | 5.8% | 9.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.8% | 4.2% | 7.5% | 9 |
| 2000s | 5.5% | 4.0% | 9.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.2% | 3.7% | 9.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.8% | 3.6% | 8.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States
- 115 Democratic Republic of Congo 4.4% compare
- 116 Turkmenistan 4.3% compare
- 117 India 4.2% compare
- 119 Australia 4.1% compare
- 120 Sri Lanka 4.0% compare
- 121 Netherlands 3.9% compare
More education data for United States
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1.74 million (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 419,732 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 4.34 million (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 4.14 million (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 25.35 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 23.83 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.33 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0708 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in United States?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in United States was 4.2% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 9.6% in 2010.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.6% in 2023.
- How does United States rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- United States ranks 118th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.