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

See also other file formats and 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
	2022	2023	16 to 24 years		25 to 54 years		55 years and over		Men		Women
	2022	2023	2022	2023	2022	2023	2022	2023	2022	2023	2022	2023
Total not in the labor force	99,686	99,826	16,864	17,210	22,325	21,400	60,497	61,215	41,197	41,599	58,490	58,227
Do not want a job now(1)	94,047	94,496	15,292	15,574	19,865	19,172	58,891	59,749	38,506	39,072	55,541	55,424
Want a job(1)	5,639	5,330	1,573	1,636	2,460	2,228	1,606	1,466	2,691	2,527	2,948	2,803
Did not search for work in previous year	3,500	3,277	929	943	1,405	1,280	1,166	1,054	1,636	1,514	1,864	1,763
Searched for work in previous year, but not in past 4 weeks(2)	2,139	2,053	644	693	1,055	948	440	412	1,055	1,013	1,084	1,040
Not available to work now	656	595	239	253	320	252	97	90	273	261	382	333
Marginally attached (available to work now)(3)	1,484	1,458	405	440	735	696	343	322	782	752	702	706
Discouraged over job prospects(4)	407	370	97	101	204	186	106	83	254	226	153	144
Reasons other than discouragement	1,077	1,088	308	339	531	510	237	239	528	526	549	562
Family responsibilities	171	151	23	17	112	102	36	31	58	56	114	95
In school or training	132	146	106	115	23	28	3	3	66	71	66	75
Ill health or disability	140	124	17	16	67	52	56	56	67	55	73	69
Other(5)	633	667	161	191	329	327	143	149	337	344	296	323
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 26, 2024