An official website of the United States government
Unemployment rate 7.9 percent in January
February 05, 2013
In January 2013, the unemployment rate was 7.9 percent and has been at or near that level since September 2012; in January 2012, the unemployment rate was 8.3 percent.
| Demographic group | January 2012 | January 2013 |
|---|---|---|
Total, 16 years and over | 8.3 | 7.9 |
Adult men (20 years and over) | 7.7 | 7.3 |
Adult women (20 years and over) | 7.7 | 7.3 |
Teenagers (16 to 19 years) | 23.4 | 23.4 |
White | 7.4 | 7.0 |
Black or African American | 13.6 | 13.8 |
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity | 10.5 | 9.7 |
NOTE: Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. | ||
Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rates for adult men and adult women were both 7.3 percent in January 2013; a year earlier they were both 7.7 percent.
The unemployment rate for teenagers in January 2013 (23.4 percent) was unchanged from a year earlier.
The unemployment rate for whites (7.0 percent) and Hispanics (9.7 percent) in January 2013 were somewhat lower than a year earlier, while the unemployment rate for blacks (13.8 percent) was little changed from the previous year.
These data are from the Current Population Survey and are seasonally adjusted. To learn more, see "The Employment Situation — January 2013," (HTML) (PDF) news release USDL-13-0144. Note that persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race.
SUGGESTED CITATION
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Unemployment rate 7.9 percent in January on the Internet at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2013/ted_20130205.htm (visited October 28, 2020).
OF INTEREST
Recent editions of Spotlight on Statistics
- Gulf War Era Veterans in the Labor Force
Examines the demographic, employment, and unemployment characteristics of civilians who served in the U.S. military during Gulf War era. - Using BLS Data to Match People with Disabilities with Jobs Presents data that can help increase access and opportunity for people with disabilities in the nation’s labor market.
- How Women and Aging Affect Trends in Labor Force Growth Examines how women’s labor force participation and the aging of the U.S. population affect trends in labor force growth.
- Meal Appeal: Patterns of Expenditures on Food away from Home
Examines spending on food away from home, such as meals or snacks from restaurants, vending machines, employer cafeterias, or other venues.

