Table 4. Percent of weeks individuals were employed, unemployed, or not in the labor force from age 18 to age 40 in 1978-2004 by age, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

Table 4.  Percent of weeks individuals were employed, unemployed, or not in the labor force 
from age 18 to age 40 in 1978-2004 by age, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

                                                             Percent of total weeks

             Age and characteristic                                               Not in
                                                         Employed  Unemployed  labor force

Total, ages 18 to 40 in 1978-2004 (1) ...............      77.2       4.7          17.6
  Ages 18 to 21 in 1978-1986 (2) ....................      62.9       8.9          27.7
  Ages 22 to 25 in 1979-1990 ........................      75.0       6.5          18.0
  Ages 26 to 30 in 1983-1995 ........................      79.1       4.1          16.3
  Ages 31 to 35 in 1988-2000 ........................      80.9       3.3          15.3
  Ages 36 to 40 in 1993-2004 (3) ....................      83.1       2.7          13.8

Men, ages 18 to 40 in 1978-2004 (1) .................      84.5       5.1           9.8
  Ages 18 to 21 in 1978-1986 (2) ....................      67.5      10.0          21.9
  Ages 22 to 25 in 1979-1990 ........................      81.9       7.5          10.1
  Ages 26 to 30 in 1983-1995 ........................      88.2       4.6           6.6
  Ages 31 to 35 in 1988-2000 ........................      89.3       3.6           6.6
  Ages 36 to 40 in 1993-2004 (3) ....................      90.3       2.8           6.4

Women, ages 18 to 40 in 1978-2004 (1) ...............      69.6       4.3          25.6
  Ages 18 to 21 in 1978-1986 (2) ....................      58.1       7.8          33.7
  Ages 22 to 25 in 1979-1990 ........................      68.0       5.5          26.2
  Ages 26 to 30 in 1983-1995 ........................      69.7       3.6          26.3
  Ages 31 to 35 in 1988-2000 ........................      72.2       3.0          24.3
  Ages 36 to 40 in 1993-2004 (3) ....................      75.6       2.6          21.4

White non-Hispanic, ages 18 to 40 in 1978-2004 (1) ..      79.4       3.9          16.2
  Ages 18 to 21 in 1978-1986 (2) ....................      65.8       7.8          25.8
  Ages 22 to 25 in 1979-1990 ........................      77.5       5.6          16.5
  Ages 26 to 30 in 1983-1995 ........................      81.2       3.3          15.0
  Ages 31 to 35 in 1988-2000 ........................      82.8       2.7          14.1
  Ages 36 to 40 in 1993-2004 (3) ....................      84.5       2.1          13.0

Black non-Hispanic, ages 18 to 40 in 1978-2004 (1) ..      68.3       8.9          22.2
  Ages 18 to 21 in 1978-1986 (2) ....................      49.6      14.9          35.1
  Ages 22 to 25 in 1979-1990 ........................      65.3      11.5          22.8
  Ages 26 to 30 in 1983-1995 ........................      70.5       8.3          20.6
  Ages 31 to 35 in 1988-2000 ........................      73.3       6.6          19.5
  Ages 36 to 40 in 1993-2004 (3) ....................      76.9       5.5          17.2

Hispanic or Latino, ages 18 to 40 in 1978-2004 (1) ..      71.9       5.3          22.2
  Ages 18 to 21 in 1978-1986 (2) ....................      58.4       9.3          31.8
  Ages 22 to 25 in 1979-1990 ........................      68.7       7.2          23.6
  Ages 26 to 30 in 1983-1995 ........................      72.7       4.7          21.9
  Ages 31 to 35 in 1988-2000 ........................      75.9       3.9          19.5
  Ages 36 to 40 in 1993-2004 (3) ....................      79.2       3.7          16.5

  1  This category excludes individuals who turned age 18 before January 1, 1978, or who 
had not yet turned age 41 when interviewed in 2004-05.
  2  This category excludes individuals who turned age 18 before January 1, 1978.
  3  This category excludes individuals who had not yet turned age 41 when interviewed
in 2004-05.
  NOTE:  Totals do not add to 100 percent due to a small number of respondents whose 
employment status cannot be determined for all weeks.
  The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 consists of men and women who were born
in the years 1957-64 and were ages 14 to 22 when first interviewed in 1979.  These 
individuals were ages 39 to 48 in 2004-05.  Race and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity groups
are mutually exclusive but not exhaustive.  Other race groups, which are included in the
overall totals, are not shown separately because their representation in the survey sample
is not sufficiently large to provide statistically reliable estimates.