Persons not in the labor force by desire and availability for work, age, and sex : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

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Bureau of Labor Statistics > Current Population Survey > Home

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
	2017	2018	16 to 24 years		25 to 54 years		55 years and over		Men		Women
	2017	2018	2017	2018	2017	2018	2017	2018	2017	2018	2017	2018
Total not in the labor force	94,759	95,716	16,989	17,020	23,014	22,685	54,756	56,010	38,130	38,582	56,629	57,134
Do not want a job now(1)	89,242	90,467	15,335	15,430	20,732	20,513	53,175	54,524	35,591	36,133	53,650	54,334
Want a job(1)	5,518	5,249	1,655	1,590	2,282	2,172	1,581	1,487	2,539	2,448	2,979	2,800
Did not search for work in previous year	3,320	3,161	953	925	1,281	1,195	1,086	1,040	1,450	1,399	1,870	1,762
Searched for work in previous year, but not in past 4 weeks(2)	2,198	2,088	702	665	1,001	977	495	447	1,089	1,049	1,109	1,039
Not available to work now	610	571	263	232	258	267	90	72	254	232	357	338
Marginally attached (available to work now)(3)	1,587	1,517	439	433	743	709	405	375	835	817	752	700
Discouraged over job prospects(4)	476	423	115	93	223	211	138	120	299	266	177	158
Reasons other than discouragement	1,112	1,094	324	340	519	499	268	255	536	551	575	542
Family responsibilities	188	173	23	25	121	114	44	35	53	50	135	123
In school or training	187	184	141	144	41	36	6	4	103	99	84	85
Ill health or disability	139	152	13	16	54	64	71	72	68	85	71	67
Other(5)	598	584	147	156	304	285	147	143	312	317	286	267
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 18, 2019