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Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey
CPS CPS Program Links
HOUSEHOLD DATA
ANNUAL AVERAGES
35. Persons not in the labor force by desire and availability for work, age, and sex
[In thousands]
Category Total Age Sex
2016 2017 16 to 24
years		 25 to 54
years		 55 years
and over		 Men Women
2016 2017 2016 2017 2016 2017 2016 2017 2016 2017

Total not in the labor force

 94,351 94,759 17,232 16,989 23,513 23,014 53,606 54,756 37,743 38,130 56,608 56,629

Do not want a job now(1)

 88,502 89,242 15,452 15,335 21,032 20,732 52,018 53,175 35,009 35,591 53,492 53,650

Want a job(1)

 5,849 5,518 1,780 1,655 2,481 2,282 1,587 1,581 2,733 2,539 3,116 2,979

Did not search for work in previous year

 3,415 3,320 994 953 1,353 1,281 1,069 1,086 1,522 1,450 1,894 1,870

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

 2,434 2,198 787 702 1,128 1,001 519 495 1,211 1,089 1,222 1,109

Not available to work now

 630 610 257 263 287 258 86 90 251 254 379 357

Marginally attached (available to work now)(3)

 1,804 1,587 530 439 841 743 433 405 960 835 843 752

Discouraged over job
prospects(4)

 553 476 130 115 267 223 156 138 345 299 208 177

Reasons other than discouragement

 1,250 1,112 400 324 573 519 277 268 615 536 635 575

Family responsibilities

 199 188 26 23 127 121 46 44 61 53 138 135

In school or training

 224 187 171 141 47 41 7 6 120 103 105 84

Ill health or disability

 144 139 16 13 67 54 62 71 77 68 67 71

Other(5)

 682 598 187 147 333 304 162 147 356 312 326 286

Footnotes
 (1) Includes some persons who are not asked if they want a job.
(2) Persons who had a job in the prior 12 months must have searched since the end of that job.
(3) Persons "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 persons 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: January 16, 2019