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

Total not in the labor force

 102,871 103,951 18,166 18,469 21,685 20,985 63,020 64,497 43,166 43,784 59,705 60,167

Do not want a job now(1)

 97,213 98,021 16,594 16,690 19,310 18,515 61,308 62,816 40,565 40,908 56,649 57,113

Want a job(1)

 5,658 5,930 1,572 1,779 2,374 2,470 1,711 1,681 2,601 2,876 3,056 3,054

Did not search for work in previous year

 3,337 3,475 866 956 1,244 1,342 1,227 1,177 1,388 1,591 1,950 1,884

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

 2,320 2,456 706 824 1,130 1,129 484 504 1,214 1,286 1,107 1,170

Not available to work now

 618 693 206 290 294 278 118 125 276 327 342 365

Marginally attached (available to work now)(3)

 1,703 1,763 500 534 836 851 366 378 938 958 765 804

Discouraged over job prospects(4)

 630 509 171 143 311 230 148 137 392 334 238 176

Reasons other than discouragement

 1,073 1,254 330 391 525 620 218 242 546 625 527 629

Family responsibilities

 198 167 10 9 131 111 58 46 60 62 138 105

In school or training

 215 205 159 166 51 39 5 0 119 112 96 94

Ill health or disability

 76 170 2 0 31 92 43 78 35 84 41 86

Other(5)

 584 711 159 216 313 377 112 117 333 367 252 344

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.

 

Last Modified Date: February 11, 2026