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

Total not in the labor force

 102,369 104,756 17,743 18,251 21,479 20,736 63,147 65,769 42,857 43,799 59,512 60,957

Do not want a job now(1)

 96,769 99,028 16,030 16,503 19,025 18,315 61,714 64,210 40,173 41,060 56,596 57,969

Want a job(1)

 5,600 5,728 1,713 1,748 2,454 2,421 1,433 1,559 2,684 2,740 2,916 2,989

Did not search for work in previous year

 3,346 3,212 983 898 1,281 1,243 1,082 1,071 1,578 1,572 1,768 1,640

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

 2,254 2,516 730 850 1,173 1,178 351 488 1,106 1,167 1,148 1,349

Not available to work now

 715 708 342 325 301 284 72 99 310 290 405 418

Marginally attached (available to work now)(3)

 1,539 1,809 388 525 872 894 279 389 796 877 743 931

Discouraged over job prospects(4)

 458 468 120 120 256 264 81 84 276 216 182 253

Reasons other than discouragement

 1,082 1,340 268 405 616 630 198 305 521 662 561 679

Family responsibilities

 133 240 8 47 82 119 43 74 43 63 89 176

In school or training

 133 152 102 129 26 23 5 0 71 87 62 65

Ill health or disability

 136 172 12 16 91 78 33 78 76 110 60 62

Other(5)

 680 776 146 212 416 411 117 154 330 401 350 376

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: April 03, 2026