Figure 5. Unemployment rate historical data compared with assumed rate in projections, from 1996–2006, 1998–2008, and 2000–10
| Year |
Annual unemployment rate |
Assumed rate in projections (2006, 2008, and 2010) |
|
1950
|
5.3 |
— |
|
1951
|
3.3 |
— |
|
1952
|
3.0 |
— |
|
1953
|
2.9 |
— |
|
1954
|
5.5 |
— |
|
1955
|
4.4 |
— |
|
1956
|
4.1 |
— |
|
1957
|
4.3 |
— |
|
1958
|
6.8 |
— |
|
1959
|
5.5 |
— |
|
1960
|
5.5 |
— |
|
1961
|
6.7 |
— |
|
1962
|
5.5 |
— |
|
1963
|
5.7 |
— |
|
1964
|
5.2 |
— |
|
1965
|
4.5 |
— |
|
1966
|
3.8 |
— |
|
1967
|
3.8 |
— |
|
1968
|
3.6 |
— |
|
1969
|
3.5 |
— |
|
1970
|
4.9 |
— |
|
1971
|
5.9 |
— |
|
1972
|
5.6 |
— |
|
1973
|
4.9 |
— |
|
1974
|
5.6 |
— |
|
1975
|
8.5 |
— |
|
1976
|
7.7 |
— |
|
1977
|
7.1 |
— |
|
1978
|
6.1 |
— |
|
1979
|
5.8 |
— |
|
1980
|
7.1 |
— |
|
1981
|
7.6 |
— |
|
1982
|
9.7 |
— |
|
1983
|
9.6 |
— |
|
1984
|
7.5 |
— |
|
1985
|
7.2 |
— |
|
1986
|
7.0 |
— |
|
1987
|
6.2 |
— |
|
1988
|
5.5 |
— |
|
1989
|
5.3 |
— |
|
1990
|
5.6 |
— |
|
1991
|
6.8 |
— |
|
1992
|
7.5 |
— |
|
1993
|
6.9 |
— |
|
1994
|
6.1 |
— |
|
1995
|
5.6 |
— |
|
1996
|
5.4 |
— |
|
1997
|
4.9 |
— |
|
1998
|
4.5 |
— |
|
1999
|
4.2 |
— |
|
2000
|
4.0 |
— |
|
2001
|
4.7 |
— |
|
2002
|
5.8 |
— |
|
2003
|
6.0 |
— |
|
2004
|
5.5 |
— |
|
2005
|
5.1 |
— |
|
2006
|
4.6 |
5.4 |
|
2007
|
4.6 |
— |
|
2008
|
5.8 |
4.7 |
|
2009
|
9.3 |
— |
|
2010
|
9.6 |
4.0 |