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Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey

Labor Force Characteristics by Race and Ethnicity, 2008

(Numbers in thousands)
Table 13. Persons in the labor force and not in the labor force by selected characteristics, 2008 annual averages
Race, age, sex,
and Hispanic origin
Civilian
labor
force (1)
Not in the labor force
TotalWant a jobDo not
want job
now
Total (2)Searched for work
in the prior year
TotalAvailable for work now (3)
TotalDiscouraged
workers (4)
Other
Total

Total, 16 years and over

154,28779,5014,9832,1571,6144621,15274,519

16 to 24 years

22,03215,4521,73381956814542213,719

25 to 54 years

104,39621,2552,1681,02378022655419,087

55 years and over

27,85842,7941,0823142669017641,712

Men, 16 years and over

82,52030,5932,2281,04182728254528,365

16 to 24 years

11,5387,372885437314932216,487

25 to 54 years

56,2025,8768504493761382385,027

55 years and over

14,78017,345494156137518616,851

Women, 16 years and over

71,76748,9082,7551,11578718060746,154

16 to 24 years

10,4948,080848383254522017,233

25 to 54 years

48,19515,3791,3195744048831514,060

55 years and over

13,07825,449588158129399024,861
White

Total, 16 years and over

125,63563,9053,5961,5011,09729380460,309

16 to 24 years

17,78611,2121,216559370842859,996

25 to 54 years

83,92216,3461,53170152514338214,815

55 years and over

23,92736,3478502412036613735,497

Men, 16 years and over

68,35124,3741,59472055917638322,780

16 to 24 years

9,3945,347621298203531504,726

25 to 54 years

46,0564,258580300248851633,678

55 years and over

12,90114,769393122108387014,376

Women, 16 years and over

57,28439,5312,00278153811742137,529

16 to 24 years

8,3925,865595261166311355,270

25 to 54 years

37,86612,0889514012775821911,137

55 years and over

11,02621,57845711995286721,121
Black or African American

Total, 16 years and over

17,74010,1039644663821292539,139

16 to 24 years

2,7672,822369192153511022,453

25 to 54 years

12,5893,054427223184611232,627

55 years and over

2,3844,227168504516284,059

Men, 16 years and over

8,3474,169438225195811143,731

16 to 24 years

1,3691,337180998334491,157

25 to 54 years

5,9011,146188104924053958

55 years and over

1,0771,6867022208121,616

Women, 16 years and over

9,3935,934526241187481395,408

16 to 24 years

1,3991,485189947118531,296

25 to 54 years

6,6881,9092391199222701,670

55 years and over

1,3072,5409829259162,443
Asians

Total, 16 years and over

7,2023,549213916621453,336

16 to 24 years

683819542415411765

25 to 54 years

5,4081,207116513811271,091

55 years and over

1,1101,523431613671,480

Men, 16 years and over

3,8521,260102503813251,158

16 to 24 years

35340032141037368

25 to 54 years

2,921268482721714220

55 years and over

578592229743570

Women, 16 years and over

3,3502,28911141287202,178

16 to 24 years

330419229514397

25 to 54 years

2,488938682516412870

55 years and over

532932217624911
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

Total, 16 years and over

22,02410,116831339258771819,286

16 to 24 years

3,7892,87333415111531842,539

25 to 54 years

16,1173,91339415811840783,519

55 years and over

2,1183,33110329267193,228

Men, 16 years and over

13,2553,27031514511841772,954

16 to 24 years

2,2201,224148715518381,075

25 to 54 years

9,81378112459492029658

55 years and over

1,2221,2644315144111,221

Women, 16 years and over

8,7696,847516193140361046,331

16 to 24 years

1,5691,649186805913471,463

25 to 54 years

6,3043,131270996920492,862

55 years and over

8962,066601412482,006

Footnotes:
(1) The sum of the employed plus the unemployed.
(2) Includes those who did not actively look for work in the prior 4 weeks for such reasons as school or family responsibilities, ill health, and transportation problems, as well as a small number for whom reason for was not determined.
(3) Refers to persons who have searched for work during the prior 12 months (but not the prior 4 weeks) and were available to take a job during the reference week, also are referred to as "marginally attached to the labor force."
(4) Includes the following reasons for not actively looking for work in the prior 4 weeks: Thinks no work available, could not find work, lacks schooling or training, employer thinks too young or old, and other types of discrimination.

NOTE: Estimates for the above race groups (white, black or African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are not presented for all races. Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race.

 

SOURCE: Current Population Survey, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Last Modified Date: December 4, 2009