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

Total not in the labor force

 102,140 105,047 16,099 16,196 22,155 22,097 63,886 66,755 42,212 43,136 59,928 61,911

Do not want a job now(1)

 95,607 98,790 14,096 14,204 19,392 19,697 62,120 64,889 39,217 40,243 56,390 58,547

Want a job(1)

 6,533 6,258 2,003 1,993 2,763 2,400 1,767 1,865 2,995 2,893 3,538 3,364

Did not search for work in previous year

 4,043 3,730 1,192 1,018 1,494 1,336 1,357 1,376 1,782 1,560 2,260 2,170

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

 2,490 2,528 810 975 1,269 1,064 410 489 1,213 1,333 1,277 1,195

Not available to work now

 739 657 233 244 403 325 103 88 322 290 417 367

Marginally attached (available to work now)(3)

 1,751 1,871 577 730 866 739 308 401 891 1,043 860 828

Discouraged over job prospects(4)

 457 503 199 210 222 173 35 121 270 293 187 210

Reasons other than discouragement

 1,294 1,367 378 521 644 566 272 280 621 749 673 618

Family responsibilities

 249 216 55 30 142 118 52 67 93 64 156 151

In school or training

 182 193 125 169 57 21 0 3 107 124 75 69

Ill health or disability

 115 160 7 34 60 60 48 66 59 109 57 51

Other(5)

 748 798 191 288 385 366 171 144 362 452 386 347

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: August 07, 2026