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Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey
HOUSEHOLD DATA
NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED
A-38. Persons not in the labor force by desire and availability for work, age, and sex [In thousands]
Category Total Age Sex
Feb.
2024		 Feb.
2025		 16 to 24
years		 25 to 54
years		 55 years
and over		 Men Women
Feb.
2024		 Feb.
2025		 Feb.
2024		 Feb.
2025		 Feb.
2024		 Feb.
2025		 Feb.
2024		 Feb.
2025		 Feb.
2024		 Feb.
2025

Total not in the labor force

 100,426 102,731 17,762 18,101 21,018 21,432 61,646 63,198 42,221 43,297 58,205 59,435

Do not want a job now(1)

 94,880 96,922 16,070 16,318 18,750 19,077 60,060 61,526 39,600 40,600 55,280 56,322

Want a job(1)

 5,546 5,809 1,691 1,782 2,269 2,355 1,586 1,672 2,621 2,697 2,925 3,112

Did not search for work in previous year

 3,308 3,400 887 971 1,301 1,251 1,120 1,178 1,545 1,519 1,763 1,881

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

 2,238 2,410 805 811 967 1,104 466 494 1,076 1,178 1,162 1,232

Not available to work now

 679 677 250 281 319 299 110 98 284 267 395 410

Marginally attached (available to work now)(3)

 1,559 1,733 554 530 649 805 357 397 792 911 767 822

Discouraged over job prospects(4)

 425 463 144 82 172 260 108 121 245 329 180 134

Reasons other than discouragement

 1,135 1,270 410 449 477 545 248 276 548 582 587 687

Family responsibilities

 129 178 15 19 84 115 29 43 65 70 64 108

In school or training

 190 192 152 179 37 13 0 0 72 70 118 122

Ill health or disability

 156 185 19 7 66 116 72 62 79 106 77 79

Other(5)

 661 715 224 243 290 301 147 171 332 336 328 380

Footnotes
(1) Includes some persons who are not asked if they want a job, such as passive jobseekers.
(2) Persons who had a job in the prior 12 months must have searched since the end of that job.
(3) Persons "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 persons 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: March 07, 2025