Persons not in the labor force, by desire and availability 
for work, age, and sex, annual averages, 1997

Characteristic		1997		1998

Total			4,941,000	4,812,000

16 to 24		1,909,000	1,852,000
25 to 54		2,241,000	2,152,000
55 and older		791,000		807,000

Men 			2,034,000	2,008,000
Women			2,907,000	2,803,000