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64.2 percent of the population worked at some point in 2023
September 02, 2025
Overall, 64.2 percent of the U.S. population worked in 2023, up from 63.8 percent in 2022. In 2023, the percentage of women who worked at some time during the year increased by 0.5 percentage point to 59.4 percent, and the percentage of men who worked was up by 0.4 percentage point to 69.2 percent. Men continued to be more likely to work than women.
Percent of population who worked during the year by race, Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, and sex, 2023
Race and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity
Total, both sexes
Men
Women
Percent who worked during the year
Number who worked during the year
Percent who worked during the year
Number who worked during the year
Percent who worked during the year
Number who worked during the year
Total, all races and ethnicities
64.2
171,937,000
69.2
90,339,000
59.4
81,598,000
White
64.2
131,478,000
69.6
70,263,000
59.0
61,214,000
Black or African American
63.0
21,957,000
64.6
10,411,000
61.6
11,547,000
Asian
65.6
11,803,000
72.0
6,226,000
59.6
5,577,000
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity
67.2
32,670,000
75.0
18,220,000
59.5
14,450,000
Note: Data refer to people 16 years and over. Estimates for the above race groups (White, Black or African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are not presented for all races. People of Hispanic or Latino ethnicity may be of any race.
People of Hispanic or Latino ethnicity were more likely to have worked in 2023 (67.2 percent) than people who are Asian (65.6 percent), White (64.2 percent), or Black (63.0 percent). The proportion of people who are White that worked at some time during the year increased by 0.5 percentage point from the prior year, while the proportions for other groups were little changed.
These data are from the Current Population Survey. For more information, see "Work Experience of the Population — 2023." People who did not work during the year were either unemployed or not in the labor force. Common reasons for not being in the labor force include retirement, school enrollment, disability, and home or childcare responsibilities. Data refer to people age 16 years and over.
United States Department of Labor
