Unemployment during 2002 by race, Hispanic ethnicity, and sex

December 29, 2003

In 2002, the "work-experience unemployment rate" for all workers—defined as the number unemployed at some time during the year as a proportion of the number who worked or looked for work at any time during the year—rose by 0.6 percentage point to 11.0 percent.

[Chart data—TXT]

In 2002, the "work-experience unemployment rate" for black men (16.3 percent) was somewhat higher than that for black women (13.7 percent), as was the rate for white men (11.2 percent) versus white women (9.1 percent). In contrast, among Hispanics and Asians, there was little difference in the rates for men and women (see chart).

At 11.0 percent in 2002, the "work-experience unemployment rate" for all workers was the highest it has been since 1996, when it was 11.7 percent.

These data come from the Annual Social and Economic Supplement to the Current Population Survey. For additional information, see "Work Experience of the Population in 2002" (PDF) (TXT), news release USDL 03-911. Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race and, therefore, are classified by ethnicity as well as by race. Data refer to persons 16 years and over.