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Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey

See also PDF and XLSX versions of this table.

HOUSEHOLD DATA
ANNUAL AVERAGES
35. Persons not in the labor force by desire and availability for work, age, and sex
[In thousands]
CategoryTotalAgeSex
2019202016 to 24
years
25 to 54
years
55 years
and over
MenWomen
2019202020192020201920202019202020192020

Total not in the labor force

95,63699,58716,65617,27822,10223,41656,87958,89338,66740,71856,97058,869

Do not want a job now(1)

90,59392,46415,15315,36420,02320,05255,41757,04836,25237,25654,34155,208

Want a job(1)

5,0437,1231,5031,9142,0783,3631,4621,8462,4153,4622,6293,661

Did not search for work in previous year

3,0844,5888831,1761,1572,0681,0451,3441,4302,1661,6542,423

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

1,9592,5356207399211,2954185019841,2969751,239

Not available to work now

5565722291932522997580242241314331

Marginally attached (available to work now)(3)

1,4031,9623915456699963434217421,055661907

Discouraged over job
prospects(4)

38257486136193301103137239343143231

Reasons other than discouragement

1,0211,388306409476694240285503712519676

Family responsibilities

1561242118103843222444011284

In school or training

14614111611027294276687073

Ill health or disability

13512314146357585273686355

Other(5)

5841,000155267283524147209310536274464

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 22, 2021