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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
Nov.
2024
Nov.
2025
16 to 24
years
25 to 54
years
55 years
and over
Men Women
Nov.
2024
Nov.
2025
Nov.
2024
Nov.
2025
Nov.
2024
Nov.
2025
Nov.
2024
Nov.
2025
Nov.
2024
Nov.
2025

Total not in the labor force

101,299 103,165 17,742 17,962 21,121 21,086 62,436 64,117 42,450 43,433 58,850 59,733

Do not want a job now(1)

96,166 97,392 16,317 16,202 18,973 18,737 60,877 62,452 40,160 40,592 56,006 56,800

Want a job(1)

5,133 5,774 1,426 1,760 2,148 2,348 1,559 1,665 2,290 2,841 2,843 2,933

Did not search for work in previous year

2,968 3,345 788 964 1,131 1,222 1,048 1,159 1,227 1,559 1,741 1,785

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

2,166 2,429 638 796 1,017 1,126 511 506 1,063 1,282 1,103 1,147

Not available to work now

550 556 175 213 282 254 94 89 210 297 341 258

Marginally attached (available to work now)(3)

1,615 1,873 463 583 735 873 417 418 853 984 762 889

Discouraged over job prospects(4)

427 681 109 192 205 325 113 165 234 442 194 240

Reasons other than discouragement

1,188 1,192 355 392 530 548 303 252 619 542 568 649

Family responsibilities

151 161 44 24 66 111 41 27 67 37 84 124

In school or training

168 198 121 189 36 7 10 1 72 82 96 116

Ill health or disability

154 179 6 29 51 91 98 60 85 68 69 111

Other(5)

714 654 183 149 377 339 155 165 395 356 319 298

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: December 16, 2025