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

Total not in the labor force

 - 104,775 - 17,496 - 21,077 - 66,202 - 43,500 - 61,276

Do not want a job now(1)

 - 99,066 - 15,878 - 18,741 - 64,447 - 40,814 - 58,252

Want a job(1)

 - 5,709 - 1,618 - 2,336 - 1,756 - 2,685 - 3,024

Did not search for work in previous year

 - 3,544 - 879 - 1,328 - 1,337 - 1,616 - 1,927

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

 - 2,166 - 739 - 1,008 - 418 - 1,069 - 1,097

Not available to work now

 - 555 - 233 - 270 - 52 - 231 - 324

Marginally attached (available to work now)(3)

 - 1,610 - 507 - 738 - 366 - 838 - 772

Discouraged over job prospects(4)

 - 451 - 100 - 231 - 120 - 278 - 173

Reasons other than discouragement

 - 1,159 - 407 - 506 - 246 - 560 - 599

Family responsibilities

 - 210 - 38 - 101 - 72 - 82 - 128

In school or training

 - 180 - 152 - 28 - 0 - 76 - 104

Ill health or disability

 - 137 - 16 - 48 - 72 - 89 - 48

Other(5)

 - 632 - 201 - 329 - 102 - 313 - 319

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. Data for October 2025 were not collected due to the federal government shutdown.

 

Last Modified Date: November 06, 2026