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Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey
HOUSEHOLD DATA
NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED
A-38. People not in the labor force by desire and availability for work, age, and sex [In thousands]
Category Total Age Sex
Sept.
2024		 Sept.
2025		 16 to 24
years		 25 to 54
years		 55 years
and over		 Men Women
Sept.
2024		 Sept.
2025		 Sept.
2024		 Sept.
2025		 Sept.
2024		 Sept.
2025		 Sept.
2024		 Sept.
2025		 Sept.
2024		 Sept.
2025

Total not in the labor force

 100,511 103,009 17,757 18,113 20,745 21,162 62,009 63,733 41,978 43,144 58,533 59,864

Do not want a job now(1)

 94,920 97,217 16,110 16,414 18,528 18,707 60,282 62,096 39,497 40,456 55,423 56,761

Want a job(1)

 5,591 5,792 1,647 1,699 2,216 2,456 1,727 1,637 2,480 2,688 3,110 3,104

Did not search for work in previous year

 3,338 3,422 984 929 1,145 1,321 1,209 1,172 1,453 1,526 1,885 1,896

Searched for work in previous year(2),
but not in past 4 weeks

 2,253 2,370 663 770 1,071 1,135 519 465 1,027 1,163 1,225 1,207

Not available to work now

 577 563 185 190 282 309 110 64 197 183 380 380

Marginally attached (available to work now)(3)

 1,676 1,807 478 580 790 827 408 401 830 980 845 827

Discouraged over job prospects(4)

 432 537 106 134 201 272 125 132 218 331 214 207

Reasons other than discouragement

 1,244 1,269 372 446 589 554 283 269 612 649 631 620

Family responsibilities

 199 150 12 15 96 101 91 33 65 76 134 74

In school or training

 146 202 120 146 26 53 0 4 81 84 66 119

Ill health or disability

 141 175 13 28 67 79 61 68 80 62 61 113

Other(5)

 758 742 227 256 399 321 131 164 387 428 371 313

Footnotes
(1) Includes some people who are not asked if they want a job, such as passive jobseekers.
(2) People who had a job in the prior 12 months must have searched since the end of that job.
(3) People "marginally attached to the labor force" are those who want a job, have searched for work during the prior 12 months, and were available to take a job during the reference week, but had not looked for work in the past 4 weeks.
(4) Discouraged workers are people marginally attached to the labor force who did not actively look for work in the prior 4 weeks for reasons such as thinks no work available, could not find work, lacks schooling or training, employer thinks too young or old, and other types of discrimination.
(5) Includes those who did not actively look for work in the prior 4 weeks for such reasons as child-care and transportation problems, as well as a small number for which reason for nonparticipation was not ascertained.

NOTE: Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.

 

Last Modified Date: November 20, 2025