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Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey
HOUSEHOLD DATA
NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED
A-38. People not in the labor force by desire and availability for work, age, and sex [In thousands]
Category Total Age Sex
Aug.
2025		 Aug.
2026		 16 to 24
years		 25 to 54
years		 55 years
and over		 Men Women
Aug.
2025		 Aug.
2026		 Aug.
2025		 Aug.
2026		 Aug.
2025		 Aug.
2026		 Aug.
2025		 Aug.
2026		 Aug.
2025		 Aug.
2026

Total not in the labor force

 102,966 105,367 17,598 17,139 21,480 21,807 63,889 66,422 42,538 43,272 60,429 62,096

Do not want a job now(1)

 96,467 99,484 15,612 15,323 18,897 19,348 61,959 64,812 39,574 40,602 56,893 58,882

Want a job(1)

 6,499 5,884 1,986 1,816 2,583 2,459 1,930 1,609 2,963 2,670 3,536 3,214

Did not search for work in previous year

 4,049 3,605 1,136 1,035 1,499 1,345 1,415 1,225 1,891 1,627 2,159 1,979

Searched for work in previous year(2),
but not in past 4 weeks

 2,450 2,278 850 781 1,084 1,113 516 384 1,073 1,043 1,377 1,235

Not available to work now

 659 623 285 169 327 370 47 84 229 225 430 398

Marginally attached (available to work now)(3)

 1,791 1,655 565 613 757 743 469 300 844 818 947 837

Discouraged over job prospects(4)

 492 411 162 119 195 198 134 94 251 226 241 185

Reasons other than discouragement

 1,299 1,244 403 493 562 545 335 206 593 592 706 652

Family responsibilities

 194 175 22 49 88 83 84 44 68 45 126 130

In school or training

 185 252 139 218 46 34 0 0 101 67 84 185

Ill health or disability

 171 115 19 20 57 86 95 8 67 60 104 55

Other(5)

 749 702 223 207 371 342 155 154 357 420 392 282

Footnotes
(1) Includes some people who are not asked if they want a job, such as passive jobseekers.
(2) People who had a job in the prior 12 months must have searched since the end of that job.
(3) People "marginally attached to the labor force" are those who want a job, have searched for work during the prior 12 months, and were available to take a job during the reference week, but had not looked for work in the past 4 weeks.
(4) Discouraged workers are people marginally attached to the labor force who did not actively look for work in the prior 4 weeks for reasons such as thinks no work available, could not find work, lacks schooling or training, employer thinks too young or old, and other types of discrimination.
(5) Includes those who did not actively look for work in the prior 4 weeks for such reasons as child-care and transportation problems, as well as a small number for which reason for nonparticipation was not ascertained.

NOTE: Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.

 

Last Modified Date: September 04, 2026