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Persons not in the labor force by desire and availability for work, age, and sex

(See other file formats and other annual average tables or tables for other years.)

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
	2021	2022	16 to 24 years		25 to 54 years		55 years and over		Men		Women
	2021	2022	2021	2022	2021	2022	2021	2022	2021	2022	2021	2022
Total not in the labor force	100,241	99,686	16,574	16,864	23,241	22,325	60,426	60,497	40,983	41,197	59,259	58,490
Do not want a job now(1)	93,912	94,047	14,919	15,292	20,272	19,865	58,722	58,891	37,999	38,506	55,913	55,541
Want a job(1)	6,329	5,639	1,656	1,573	2,969	2,460	1,704	1,606	2,984	2,691	3,346	2,948
Did not search for work in previous year	3,925	3,500	1,010	929	1,699	1,405	1,216	1,166	1,774	1,636	2,151	1,864
Searched for work in previous year, but not in past 4 weeks(2)	2,404	2,139	646	644	1,270	1,055	488	440	1,209	1,055	1,194	1,084
Not available to work now	622	656	206	239	329	320	87	97	253	273	369	382
Marginally attached (available to work now)(3)	1,782	1,484	440	405	941	735	401	343	956	782	826	702
Discouraged over job prospects(4)	510	407	104	97	279	204	127	106	312	254	198	153
Reasons other than discouragement	1,272	1,077	336	308	662	531	273	237	644	528	628	549
Family responsibilities	155	171	20	23	107	112	28	36	54	58	101	114
In school or training	154	132	108	106	41	23	4	3	76	66	78	66
Ill health or disability	142	140	18	17	70	67	54	56	79	67	63	73
Other(5)	820	633	190	161	444	329	187	143	435	337	385	296
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 25, 2023