Department of Labor Logo United States Department of Labor
Dot gov

The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

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
Aug.
2024
Aug.
2025
16 to 24
years
25 to 54
years
55 years
and over
Men Women
Aug.
2024
Aug.
2025
Aug.
2024
Aug.
2025
Aug.
2024
Aug.
2025
Aug.
2024
Aug.
2025
Aug.
2024
Aug.
2025

Total not in the labor force

100,092 102,966 16,965 17,598 20,925 21,480 62,203 63,889 41,939 42,538 58,153 60,429

Do not want a job now(1)

94,343 96,467 15,254 15,612 18,547 18,897 60,542 61,959 39,179 39,574 55,164 56,893

Want a job(1)

5,749 6,499 1,711 1,986 2,377 2,583 1,661 1,930 2,760 2,963 2,989 3,536

Did not search for work in previous year

3,759 4,049 1,158 1,136 1,331 1,499 1,271 1,415 1,779 1,891 1,980 2,159

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

1,990 2,450 553 850 1,046 1,084 390 516 981 1,073 1,009 1,377

Not available to work now

631 659 195 285 332 327 104 47 281 229 350 430

Marginally attached (available to work now)(3)

1,359 1,791 359 565 715 757 286 469 700 844 659 947

Discouraged over job prospects(4)

341 492 72 162 218 195 51 134 200 251 141 241

Reasons other than discouragement

1,018 1,299 287 403 497 562 235 335 500 593 518 706

Family responsibilities

137 194 15 22 91 88 31 84 48 68 89 126

In school or training

120 185 87 139 25 46 7 0 64 101 56 84

Ill health or disability

121 171 18 19 57 57 46 95 46 67 75 104

Other(5)

640 749 166 223 324 371 150 155 342 357 298 392

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: September 05, 2025