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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
Feb.
2025		 Feb.
2026		 16 to 24
years		 25 to 54
years		 55 years
and over		 Men Women
Feb.
2025		 Feb.
2026		 Feb.
2025		 Feb.
2026		 Feb.
2025		 Feb.
2026		 Feb.
2025		 Feb.
2026		 Feb.
2025		 Feb.
2026

Total not in the labor force

 102,731 104,560 18,101 18,193 21,432 20,746 63,198 65,622 43,297 43,750 59,435 60,810

Do not want a job now(1)

 96,922 98,681 16,318 16,536 19,077 18,416 61,526 63,728 40,600 40,876 56,322 57,804

Want a job(1)

 5,809 5,880 1,782 1,656 2,355 2,330 1,672 1,894 2,697 2,874 3,112 3,005

Did not search for work in previous year

 3,400 3,503 971 836 1,251 1,277 1,178 1,389 1,519 1,626 1,881 1,877

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

 2,410 2,377 811 820 1,104 1,053 494 504 1,178 1,249 1,232 1,128

Not available to work now

 677 751 281 336 299 319 98 96 267 381 410 370

Marginally attached (available to work now)(3)

 1,733 1,626 530 484 805 734 397 408 911 868 822 758

Discouraged over job prospects(4)

 463 352 82 73 260 145 121 134 329 231 134 121

Reasons other than discouragement

 1,270 1,274 449 411 545 589 276 274 582 636 687 637

Family responsibilities

 178 155 19 6 115 94 43 55 70 32 108 123

In school or training

 192 261 179 220 13 41 0 0 70 159 122 103

Ill health or disability

 185 161 7 32 116 73 62 56 106 53 79 108

Other(5)

 715 696 243 152 301 381 171 163 336 392 380 304

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: March 06, 2026