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1.4 million unemployed for 27 weeks or longer in May 2022
June 08, 2022
In May 2022, the number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) edged down to 1.4 million. This was 235,000 higher than in February 2020, but 2.8 million lower than its recent peak of 4.2 million in March 2021.
Number of unemployed by duration of unemployment, seasonally adjusted, January 2012–May 2022
Month
Total unemployed
Unemployed less than 5 weeks
Unemployed 5 to 14 weeks
Unemployed 15 to 26 weeks
Unemployed 27 weeks or longer
Number of unemployed
Percent of total
Number of unemployed
Percent of total
Number of unemployed
Percent of total
Number of unemployed
Percent of total
Jan 2012
12,797,000
2,474,000
19.3%
2,908,000
22.7%
1,957,000
15.3%
5,476,000
42.7%
Feb 2012
12,813,000
2,610,000
20.5
2,848,000
22.3
2,051,000
16.1
5,242,000
41.1
Mar 2012
12,713,000
2,708,000
21.4
2,788,000
22.0
1,940,000
15.3
5,236,000
41.3
Apr 2012
12,646,000
2,624,000
20.9
2,878,000
22.9
1,940,000
15.4
5,132,000
40.8
May 2012
12,660,000
2,550,000
20.2
3,006,000
23.8
1,690,000
13.4
5,401,000
42.7
Jun 2012
12,692,000
2,747,000
21.5
2,806,000
22.0
1,817,000
14.2
5,409,000
42.3
Jul 2012
12,656,000
2,662,000
21.1
2,984,000
23.6
1,773,000
14.0
5,210,000
41.2
Aug 2012
12,471,000
2,784,000
22.3
2,811,000
22.5
1,846,000
14.8
5,042,000
40.4
Sep 2012
12,115,000
2,538,000
20.9
2,819,000
23.2
1,863,000
15.4
4,911,000
40.5
Oct 2012
12,124,000
2,635,000
21.5
2,859,000
23.3
1,796,000
14.6
4,988,000
40.6
Nov 2012
12,005,000
2,620,000
21.9
2,776,000
23.2
1,745,000
14.6
4,805,000
40.2
Dec 2012
12,298,000
2,756,000
22.4
2,901,000
23.6
1,861,000
15.1
4,768,000
38.8
Jan 2013
12,471,000
2,780,000
22.3
3,115,000
25.0
1,891,000
15.2
4,681,000
37.5
Feb 2013
11,950,000
2,713,000
22.7
2,799,000
23.4
1,766,000
14.8
4,691,000
39.2
Mar 2013
11,689,000
2,462,000
21.1
2,826,000
24.2
1,830,000
15.7
4,563,000
39.1
Apr 2013
11,760,000
2,487,000
21.0
2,908,000
24.6
1,953,000
16.5
4,468,000
37.8
May 2013
11,654,000
2,674,000
23.0
2,631,000
22.6
1,986,000
17.1
4,347,000
37.3
Jun 2013
11,751,000
2,680,000
22.8
2,851,000
24.2
1,876,000
16.0
4,355,000
37.0
Jul 2013
11,335,000
2,493,000
22.0
2,768,000
24.5
1,791,000
15.8
4,258,000
37.6
Aug 2013
11,279,000
2,475,000
22.2
2,688,000
24.1
1,677,000
15.1
4,296,000
38.6
Sep 2013
11,270,000
2,604,000
23.2
2,691,000
24.0
1,797,000
16.0
4,132,000
36.8
Oct 2013
11,136,000
2,823,000
25.2
2,639,000
23.5
1,737,000
15.5
4,024,000
35.9
Nov 2013
10,787,000
2,409,000
22.4
2,586,000
24.1
1,695,000
15.8
4,042,000
37.7
Dec 2013
10,404,000
2,328,000
22.4
2,545,000
24.4
1,676,000
16.1
3,863,000
37.1
Jan 2014
10,202,000
2,473,000
24.2
2,431,000
23.8
1,696,000
16.6
3,607,000
35.3
Feb 2014
10,349,000
2,376,000
22.9
2,590,000
25.0
1,621,000
15.6
3,783,000
36.5
Mar 2014
10,380,000
2,433,000
23.4
2,561,000
24.6
1,711,000
16.4
3,704,000
35.6
Apr 2014
9,702,000
2,424,000
24.8
2,377,000
24.3
1,502,000
15.4
3,479,000
35.6
May 2014
9,859,000
2,586,000
26.6
2,357,000
24.2
1,425,000
14.7
3,360,000
34.5
Jun 2014
9,460,000
2,417,000
25.5
2,427,000
25.6
1,503,000
15.9
3,116,000
32.9
Jul 2014
9,608,000
2,601,000
27.0
2,412,000
25.1
1,477,000
15.3
3,136,000
32.6
Aug 2014
9,599,000
2,620,000
27.7
2,389,000
25.2
1,506,000
15.9
2,958,000
31.2
Sep 2014
9,262,000
2,365,000
25.4
2,560,000
27.5
1,438,000
15.4
2,948,000
31.7
Oct 2014
8,990,000
2,494,000
27.4
2,300,000
25.3
1,400,000
15.4
2,892,000
31.8
Nov 2014
9,090,000
2,474,000
27.2
2,403,000
26.4
1,400,000
15.4
2,828,000
31.1
Dec 2014
8,717,000
2,370,000
27.1
2,320,000
26.5
1,270,000
14.5
2,799,000
32.0
Jan 2015
8,885,000
2,393,000
27.0
2,319,000
26.2
1,377,000
15.5
2,774,000
31.3
Feb 2015
8,599,000
2,392,000
27.7
2,238,000
26.0
1,333,000
15.5
2,658,000
30.8
Mar 2015
8,515,000
2,444,000
28.6
2,304,000
27.0
1,245,000
14.6
2,542,000
29.8
Apr 2015
8,550,000
2,716,000
31.2
2,345,000
26.9
1,091,000
12.5
2,560,000
29.4
May 2015
8,834,000
2,471,000
28.3
2,510,000
28.7
1,256,000
14.4
2,503,000
28.6
Jun 2015
8,247,000
2,309,000
27.9
2,396,000
29.0
1,398,000
16.9
2,162,000
26.2
Jul 2015
8,167,000
2,574,000
31.5
2,222,000
27.1
1,261,000
15.4
2,127,000
26.0
Aug 2015
7,992,000
2,073,000
26.4
2,329,000
29.6
1,283,000
16.3
2,172,000
27.6
Sep 2015
7,907,000
2,364,000
29.7
2,274,000
28.5
1,234,000
15.5
2,097,000
26.3
Oct 2015
7,922,000
2,372,000
29.7
2,277,000
28.5
1,212,000
15.2
2,130,000
26.7
Nov 2015
8,000,000
2,382,000
29.7
2,296,000
28.6
1,273,000
15.9
2,074,000
25.8
Dec 2015
7,907,000
2,399,000
30.2
2,191,000
27.6
1,232,000
15.5
2,127,000
26.8
Jan 2016
7,627,000
2,166,000
28.2
2,290,000
29.8
1,136,000
14.8
2,081,000
27.1
Feb 2016
7,702,000
2,235,000
28.9
2,187,000
28.3
1,163,000
15.0
2,150,000
27.8
Mar 2016
7,961,000
2,419,000
30.4
2,168,000
27.2
1,148,000
14.4
2,231,000
28.0
Apr 2016
8,067,000
2,594,000
32.1
2,132,000
26.4
1,209,000
15.0
2,147,000
26.6
May 2016
7,652,000
2,264,000
30.0
2,264,000
30.0
1,096,000
14.5
1,925,000
25.5
Jun 2016
7,744,000
2,396,000
31.1
2,195,000
28.5
1,117,000
14.5
1,986,000
25.8
Jul 2016
7,641,000
2,203,000
28.8
2,282,000
29.8
1,222,000
16.0
1,943,000
25.4
Aug 2016
7,784,000
2,285,000
29.7
2,352,000
30.5
1,094,000
14.2
1,970,000
25.6
Sep 2016
7,953,000
2,600,000
32.5
2,288,000
28.6
1,184,000
14.8
1,933,000
24.2
Oct 2016
7,811,000
2,434,000
31.0
2,273,000
29.0
1,190,000
15.2
1,946,000
24.8
Nov 2016
7,553,000
2,404,000
31.9
2,163,000
28.7
1,108,000
14.7
1,865,000
24.7
Dec 2016
7,521,000
2,354,000
31.1
2,117,000
28.0
1,241,000
16.4
1,860,000
24.6
Jan 2017
7,468,000
2,424,000
32.2
2,034,000
27.0
1,197,000
15.9
1,866,000
24.8
Feb 2017
7,379,000
2,511,000
33.6
2,129,000
28.5
1,032,000
13.8
1,803,000
24.1
Mar 2017
7,073,000
2,327,000
32.8
2,071,000
29.2
1,024,000
14.4
1,677,000
23.6
Apr 2017
7,089,000
2,324,000
32.8
2,070,000
29.2
979,000
13.8
1,709,000
24.1
May 2017
7,000,000
2,116,000
30.8
1,970,000
28.6
1,075,000
15.6
1,721,000
25.0
Jun 2017
6,873,000
2,321,000
34.1
1,924,000
28.2
916,000
13.4
1,654,000
24.3
Jul 2017
6,892,000
2,075,000
30.3
2,026,000
29.6
1,018,000
14.9
1,720,000
25.2
Aug 2017
7,082,000
2,258,000
31.7
2,065,000
29.0
1,107,000
15.6
1,687,000
23.7
Sep 2017
6,854,000
2,245,000
32.7
1,905,000
27.8
1,024,000
14.9
1,683,000
24.5
Oct 2017
6,700,000
2,126,000
32.1
1,961,000
29.6
925,000
14.0
1,609,000
24.3
Nov 2017
6,774,000
2,278,000
33.8
1,886,000
28.0
987,000
14.6
1,589,000
23.6
Dec 2017
6,632,000
2,237,000
33.6
1,966,000
29.6
932,000
14.0
1,516,000
22.8
Jan 2018
6,505,000
2,256,000
34.4
1,884,000
28.7
964,000
14.7
1,460,000
22.2
Feb 2018
6,586,000
2,490,000
37.0
1,903,000
28.3
893,000
13.3
1,436,000
21.4
Mar 2018
6,457,000
2,321,000
35.8
2,003,000
30.9
822,000
12.7
1,338,000
20.6
Apr 2018
6,448,000
2,154,000
33.5
1,981,000
30.8
919,000
14.3
1,385,000
21.5
May 2018
6,188,000
1,961,000
32.3
1,947,000
32.1
922,000
15.2
1,237,000
20.4
Jun 2018
6,446,000
2,254,000
35.4
1,841,000
28.9
867,000
13.6
1,406,000
22.1
Jul 2018
6,173,000
1,959,000
31.8
1,818,000
29.5
995,000
16.1
1,395,000
22.6
Aug 2018
6,167,000
2,242,000
35.8
1,747,000
27.9
988,000
15.8
1,278,000
20.4
Sep 2018
6,065,000
2,061,000
34.0
1,724,000
28.5
935,000
15.4
1,340,000
22.1
Oct 2018
6,230,000
2,033,000
33.1
1,850,000
30.1
907,000
14.8
1,353,000
22.0
Nov 2018
6,132,000
2,168,000
35.5
1,803,000
29.5
882,000
14.5
1,250,000
20.5
Dec 2018
6,379,000
2,143,000
33.4
2,024,000
31.6
923,000
14.4
1,317,000
20.6
Jan 2019
6,458,000
2,352,000
36.2
1,968,000
30.3
892,000
13.7
1,282,000
19.7
Feb 2019
6,122,000
2,269,000
36.1
1,808,000
28.8
896,000
14.3
1,304,000
20.8
Mar 2019
6,166,000
2,196,000
35.4
1,832,000
29.5
873,000
14.1
1,309,000
21.1
Apr 2019
5,898,000
1,956,000
33.3
1,865,000
31.8
745,000
12.7
1,306,000
22.2
May 2019
5,935,000
2,093,000
36.4
1,569,000
27.3
741,000
12.9
1,340,000
23.3
Jun 2019
5,906,000
1,879,000
32.2
1,805,000
30.9
798,000
13.7
1,360,000
23.3
Jul 2019
5,984,000
2,098,000
35.0
1,798,000
30.0
952,000
15.9
1,146,000
19.1
Aug 2019
5,993,000
2,275,000
37.4
1,721,000
28.3
897,000
14.7
1,197,000
19.7
Sep 2019
5,766,000
1,838,000
31.9
1,750,000
30.4
889,000
15.4
1,285,000
22.3
Oct 2019
5,980,000
1,922,000
32.7
1,763,000
30.0
940,000
16.0
1,253,000
21.3
Nov 2019
5,930,000
2,065,000
35.0
1,738,000
29.5
884,000
15.0
1,205,000
20.4
Dec 2019
5,861,000
2,094,000
35.7
1,765,000
30.1
817,000
13.9
1,196,000
20.4
Jan 2020
5,826,000
2,069,000
35.2
1,742,000
29.7
877,000
14.9
1,186,000
20.2
Feb 2020
5,717,000
2,123,000
36.2
1,830,000
31.2
793,000
13.5
1,121,000
19.1
Mar 2020
7,165,000
3,446,000
47.9
1,825,000
25.3
760,000
10.6
1,170,000
16.2
Apr 2020
23,038,000
14,251,000
61.9
7,066,000
30.7
705,000
3.1
1,012,000
4.4
May 2020
20,940,000
3,846,000
18.4
14,806,000
71.0
996,000
4.8
1,204,000
5.8
Jun 2020
17,616,000
2,884,000
16.3
11,522,000
65.2
1,928,000
10.9
1,340,000
7.6
Jul 2020
16,288,000
3,141,000
19.3
5,145,000
31.6
6,509,000
40.0
1,480,000
9.1
Aug 2020
13,532,000
2,342,000
17.2
3,105,000
22.9
6,580,000
48.4
1,554,000
11.4
Sep 2020
12,584,000
2,535,000
20.1
2,735,000
21.7
4,962,000
39.3
2,396,000
19.0
Oct 2020
11,115,000
2,467,000
22.4
2,342,000
21.3
2,654,000
24.1
3,558,000
32.3
Nov 2020
10,777,000
2,485,000
23.2
2,440,000
22.7
1,873,000
17.5
3,935,000
36.7
Dec 2020
10,789,000
2,906,000
26.9
2,344,000
21.7
1,563,000
14.5
3,979,000
36.9
Jan 2021
10,180,000
2,307,000
22.7
2,454,000
24.2
1,336,000
13.2
4,046,000
39.9
Feb 2021
9,992,000
2,234,000
22.2
2,285,000
22.7
1,383,000
13.8
4,156,000
41.3
Mar 2021
9,691,000
2,204,000
22.7
1,950,000
20.0
1,371,000
14.1
4,201,000
43.2
Apr 2021
9,719,000
2,400,000
24.7
1,981,000
20.4
1,160,000
11.9
4,187,000
43.0
May 2021
9,251,000
1,974,000
21.5
2,218,000
24.1
1,230,000
13.4
3,765,000
41.0
Jun 2021
9,502,000
1,972,000
20.8
2,182,000
23.1
1,338,000
14.1
3,973,000
42.0
Jul 2021
8,671,000
2,246,000
26.0
1,794,000
20.7
1,203,000
13.9
3,411,000
39.4
Aug 2021
8,339,000
2,110,000
25.1
1,927,000
23.0
1,248,000
14.9
3,105,000
37.0
Sep 2021
7,666,000
2,227,000
29.1
1,727,000
22.5
1,047,000
13.7
2,664,000
34.8
Oct 2021
7,375,000
2,051,000
28.2
1,876,000
25.8
1,001,000
13.8
2,339,000
32.2
Nov 2021
6,802,000
1,985,000
29.4
1,703,000
25.2
870,000
12.9
2,193,000
32.5
Dec 2021
6,319,000
1,977,000
31.2
1,571,000
24.8
780,000
12.3
2,008,000
31.7
Jan 2022
6,513,000
2,417,000
37.0
1,607,000
24.6
816,000
12.5
1,691,000
25.9
Feb 2022
6,270,000
2,131,000
33.5
1,800,000
28.3
735,000
11.5
1,702,000
26.7
Mar 2022
5,952,000
2,289,000
38.3
1,684,000
28.2
571,000
9.6
1,428,000
23.9
Apr 2022
5,941,000
2,227,000
37.9
1,617,000
27.5
551,000
9.4
1,483,000
25.2
May 2022
5,950,000
2,066,000
35.3
1,767,000
30.2
661,000
11.3
1,356,000
23.2
Note: Data shown will not necessarily add to total unemployed because of the independent seasonal adjustment of the various series.
The long-term unemployed accounted for 23.2 percent of all unemployed persons in May 2022. In March 2021, the long-term unemployed were 43.2 percent of total unemployment.
Before the onset of the COVID pandemic, long-term unemployment had been on the decline.
United States Department of Labor
