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Employment–population ratio and labor force participation rate by age

August 09, 2017

The employment–population ratio for people age 16 years and over was 60.2 percent in July 2017, little changed from the previous month but up by 0.4 percentage point over the year. The labor force participation rate, at 62.9 percent in July 2017, also changed little over the month and has shown little movement over the past year.

Employment–population ratio and labor force participation rate, by age, January 2007–July 2017
Month Age 16 and over 16 to 24 25 to 54 55 and over
Employment–population ratio Labor force partcipation rate Employment–population ratio Labor force partcipation rate Employment–population ratio Labor force partcipation rate Employment–population ratio Labor force partcipation rate

Jan 2007

63.3% 66.4% 54.4% 60.7% 80.3% 83.4% 36.7% 38.0%

Feb 2007

63.3 66.3 54.2 60.2 80.1 83.2 37.1 38.3

Mar 2007

63.3 66.2 54.1 60.0 80.2 83.2 37.3 38.5

Apr 2007

63.0 65.9 53.1 59.2 80.0 83.0 37.0 38.2

May 2007

63.0 66.0 52.9 58.7 80.0 83.0 37.4 38.6

Jun 2007

63.0 66.0 53.2 59.6 79.9 82.9 37.5 38.7

Jul 2007

62.9 66.0 52.8 59.0 79.8 82.9 37.7 38.9

Aug 2007

62.7 65.8 52.0 58.2 79.8 82.9 37.5 38.8

Sep 2007

62.9 66.0 52.9 59.5 79.7 82.8 37.6 38.9

Oct 2007

62.7 65.8 52.9 59.2 79.6 82.7 37.5 38.7

Nov 2007

62.9 66.0 53.1 59.6 79.7 82.9 37.8 38.9

Dec 2007

62.7 66.0 52.2 59.2 79.7 83.1 37.7 38.9

Jan 2008

62.9 66.2 52.5 59.5 80.0 83.3 37.8 39.1

Feb 2008

62.8 66.0 51.7 58.3 79.9 83.2 38.0 39.2

Mar 2008

62.7 66.1 51.7 58.4 79.8 83.3 38.0 39.3

Apr 2008

62.7 65.9 52.4 58.8 79.6 83.1 37.8 39.0

May 2008

62.5 66.1 52.1 59.9 79.5 83.1 37.7 39.0

Jun 2008

62.4 66.1 51.6 59.2 79.4 83.1 37.9 39.2

Jul 2008

62.2 66.1 51.1 59.1 79.2 83.1 38.0 39.5

Aug 2008

62.0 66.1 51.1 58.8 78.8 83.2 38.0 39.7

Sep 2008

61.9 66.0 50.9 58.8 78.8 83.1 37.8 39.5

Oct 2008

61.7 66.0 50.6 58.6 78.4 83.0 38.1 39.9

Nov 2008

61.4 65.9 49.8 57.9 78.1 83.0 38.0 39.9

Dec 2008

61.0 65.8 49.6 58.2 77.6 82.8 38.0 40.0

Jan 2009

60.6 65.7 48.8 57.4 77.0 82.8 37.9 40.0

Feb 2009

60.3 65.8 48.8 58.1 76.7 82.8 37.6 39.9

Mar 2009

59.9 65.6 48.2 57.7 76.2 82.6 37.3 39.9

Apr 2009

59.8 65.7 48.2 57.9 76.2 82.8 37.3 39.8

May 2009

59.6 65.7 47.4 57.5 75.9 82.9 37.5 40.2

Jun 2009

59.4 65.7 47.1 57.5 75.9 82.9 37.4 40.1

Jul 2009

59.3 65.5 47.0 57.2 75.8 82.8 37.3 40.0

Aug 2009

59.1 65.4 46.5 56.7 75.6 82.8 37.3 40.0

Sep 2009

58.7 65.1 45.8 56.1 75.1 82.5 37.2 39.9

Oct 2009

58.5 65.0 44.9 55.4 75.0 82.5 37.2 39.9

Nov 2009

58.6 65.0 44.9 55.6 75.2 82.4 37.2 40.0

Dec 2009

58.3 64.6 44.9 55.3 74.8 82.0 37.0 39.9

Jan 2010

58.5 64.8 44.6 54.9 75.1 82.4 37.2 40.0

Feb 2010

58.5 64.9 44.9 55.2 75.1 82.3 37.2 40.1

Mar 2010

58.5 64.9 44.9 55.3 75.1 82.4 37.4 40.2

Apr 2010

58.7 65.2 45.0 55.9 75.4 82.6 37.5 40.3

May 2010

58.6 64.9 45.4 55.5 75.1 82.3 37.6 40.4

Jun 2010

58.5 64.6 44.7 54.7 75.2 82.2 37.6 40.3

Jul 2010

58.5 64.6 44.9 55.1 75.1 81.9 37.6 40.4

Aug 2010

58.6 64.7 45.7 55.5 75.0 82.0 37.5 40.5

Sep 2010

58.5 64.6 45.0 54.8 75.1 82.0 37.6 40.4

Oct 2010

58.3 64.4 44.9 55.2 75.0 81.8 37.2 40.0

Nov 2010

58.2 64.6 45.1 55.4 74.8 82.0 37.3 40.1

Dec 2010

58.3 64.3 44.9 54.7 75.0 81.9 37.4 40.2

Jan 2011

58.3 64.2 45.3 55.3 75.2 81.7 37.2 39.9

Feb 2011

58.4 64.1 45.2 54.9 75.1 81.6 37.4 40.0

Mar 2011

58.4 64.2 45.4 55.1 75.3 81.7 37.4 40.0

Apr 2011

58.4 64.2 45.2 54.8 75.1 81.7 37.6 40.2

May 2011

58.3 64.1 45.1 54.5 75.2 81.7 37.5 40.2

Jun 2011

58.2 64.0 45.1 54.4 75.0 81.7 37.5 40.2

Jul 2011

58.2 64.0 44.9 54.2 75.0 81.4 37.5 40.2

Aug 2011

58.3 64.1 45.5 55.1 75.1 81.6 37.6 40.3

Sep 2011

58.4 64.2 45.7 55.3 74.9 81.5 37.9 40.6

Oct 2011

58.4 64.1 46.3 55.6 74.9 81.3 37.8 40.6

Nov 2011

58.6 64.1 46.0 55.4 75.3 81.5 37.8 40.4

Dec 2011

58.6 64.0 45.9 55.2 75.4 81.6 37.8 40.3

Jan 2012

58.4 63.7 45.8 54.6 75.5 81.5 37.7 40.1

Feb 2012

58.5 63.8 45.8 54.9 75.5 81.5 38.0 40.4

Mar 2012

58.5 63.8 45.8 54.7 75.7 81.5 37.9 40.4

Apr 2012

58.4 63.7 45.7 54.7 75.7 81.4 37.7 40.3

May 2012

58.5 63.7 46.0 54.8 75.7 81.4 37.9 40.5

Jun 2012

58.6 63.8 46.1 55.0 75.6 81.5 38.1 40.6

Jul 2012

58.5 63.7 46.1 55.1 75.6 81.4 37.7 40.2

Aug 2012

58.4 63.5 45.2 54.3 75.7 81.4 38.1 40.4

Sep 2012

58.7 63.6 46.2 54.7 76.0 81.5 38.1 40.4

Oct 2012

58.8 63.8 46.4 55.2 76.1 81.6 38.3 40.7

Nov 2012

58.7 63.6 46.5 55.3 75.8 81.2 38.3 40.7

Dec 2012

58.7 63.7 46.1 55.2 76.0 81.4 38.3 40.7

Jan 2013

58.5 63.6 46.3 55.6 75.6 81.1 38.3 40.7

Feb 2013

58.5 63.4 46.0 55.0 75.8 81.0 38.2 40.5

Mar 2013

58.5 63.3 45.6 54.3 75.8 81.0 38.2 40.4

Apr 2013

58.6 63.4 46.2 55.2 75.9 81.0 38.2 40.4

May 2013

58.6 63.4 45.9 54.8 76.0 81.2 38.3 40.4

Jun 2013

58.6 63.4 46.5 55.4 75.9 81.1 38.3 40.5

Jul 2013

58.7 63.3 46.7 55.1 76.0 81.2 38.2 40.2

Aug 2013

58.7 63.3 46.5 55.1 75.9 81.0 38.4 40.5

Sep 2013

58.7 63.3 47.2 55.5 76.0 81.0 38.0 40.2

Oct 2013

58.3 62.8 46.6 54.8 75.6 80.6 37.9 40.1

Nov 2013

58.6 63.0 47.0 54.8 76.1 81.0 38.0 39.9

Dec 2013

58.7 62.9 47.3 54.7 76.2 80.9 37.9 39.9

Jan 2014

58.7 62.9 46.8 54.6 76.4 81.0 38.0 39.8

Feb 2014

58.7 62.9 46.3 54.2 76.4 81.1 38.2 40.0

Mar 2014

58.9 63.1 47.5 55.5 76.6 81.2 38.0 39.9

Apr 2014

58.9 62.8 47.5 54.6 76.5 80.8 38.1 39.9

May 2014

58.9 62.8 47.6 54.9 76.4 80.7 38.2 40.0

Jun 2014

59.0 62.8 47.4 54.6 76.8 80.9 38.2 40.0

Jul 2014

59.1 62.9 47.8 55.3 76.7 80.9 38.3 40.1

Aug 2014

59.0 62.9 47.5 54.7 76.8 81.1 38.2 40.0

Sep 2014

59.1 62.8 47.6 55.2 76.8 80.8 38.3 39.9

Oct 2014

59.3 62.9 49.0 56.0 77.0 80.9 38.3 40.0

Nov 2014

59.2 62.9 48.5 55.6 77.0 80.9 38.3 40.1

Dec 2014

59.2 62.7 48.1 54.9 77.1 80.9 38.3 39.9

Jan 2015

59.3 62.9 48.3 55.1 77.1 81.0 38.4 40.0

Feb 2015

59.3 62.7 48.7 55.3 77.2 80.9 38.0 39.7

Mar 2015

59.3 62.7 48.0 54.7 77.2 80.8 38.4 39.9

Apr 2015

59.3 62.8 48.2 54.6 77.2 81.0 38.5 40.0

May 2015

59.4 62.9 48.7 55.5 77.2 81.0 38.5 39.9

Jun 2015

59.3 62.6 48.5 55.1 77.2 80.7 38.4 39.9

Jul 2015

59.3 62.6 48.6 54.9 77.1 80.7 38.6 40.1

Aug 2015

59.4 62.6 49.2 55.3 77.2 80.7 38.3 39.8

Sep 2015

59.3 62.4 48.5 54.5 77.3 80.6 38.2 39.7

Oct 2015

59.3 62.5 48.8 54.9 77.3 80.8 38.5 39.9

Nov 2015

59.4 62.5 48.5 54.7 77.5 80.9 38.5 40.0

Dec 2015

59.6 62.7 49.3 55.5 77.5 81.0 38.6 39.9

Jan 2016

59.6 62.7 49.2 54.9 77.7 81.1 38.5 40.0

Feb 2016

59.8 62.9 49.6 55.5 77.8 81.2 38.6 40.1

Mar 2016

59.9 63.0 49.6 55.4 78.0 81.4 38.6 40.1

Apr 2016

59.7 62.8 49.2 55.1 77.7 81.2 38.6 40.1

May 2016

59.7 62.6 49.4 55.1 77.8 81.1 38.4 39.7

Jun 2016

59.6 62.7 49.1 55.0 77.8 81.2 38.6 40.0

Jul 2016

59.8 62.8 49.0 54.9 78.0 81.3 38.8 40.3

Aug 2016

59.7 62.8 50.0 55.6 77.8 81.3 38.6 40.0

Sep 2016

59.8 62.9 49.6 55.3 78.0 81.5 38.6 40.0

Oct 2016

59.7 62.8 49.2 54.9 78.2 81.6 38.5 40.0

Nov 2016

59.7 62.6 49.5 55.1 78.2 81.4 38.5 39.9

Dec 2016

59.7 62.7 49.7 55.2 78.2 81.5 38.2 39.7

Jan 2017

59.9 62.9 49.9 55.6 78.2 81.5 38.5 39.9

Feb 2017

60.0 63.0 50.2 55.8 78.3 81.7 38.6 39.9

Mar 2017

60.1 63.0 50.7 55.8 78.5 81.7 38.7 40.1

Apr 2017

60.2 62.9 50.7 55.9 78.6 81.7 38.6 39.9

May 2017

60.0 62.7 50.3 55.1 78.4 81.5 38.7 39.9

Jun 2017

60.1 62.8 50.3 55.4 78.5 81.6 38.8 40.1

Jul 2017

60.2 62.9 50.5 55.5 78.7 81.8 38.8 40.1

Among people ages 16 to 24, the employment–population ratio was 50.5 percent and the labor force participation rate was 55.5 percent in July 2017. For people ages 25 to 54, the employment–population ratio was 78.7 percent and the participation rate was 81.8 percent. People age 55 and over had an employment–population ratio of 38.8 percent and a participation rate of 40.1 percent in July 2017.

These data are from the Current Population Survey. For more information, see "The Employment Situation — July 2017" (HTML) (PDF). More charts featuring Current Population Survey data are presented in Charts related to the latest "The Employment Situation" news release. The employmentpopulation ratio is the proportion of the civilian noninstitutional population that is employed. The labor force participation rate is the labor force (the sum of the employed and the unemployed) as a percentage of the civilian noninstitutional population.

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Employment–population ratio and labor force participation rate by age at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2017/employment-population-ratio-and-labor-force-participation-rate-by-age.htm (visited October 15, 2024).

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