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

Total not in the labor force

100,672 103,169 17,335 17,926 21,112 21,765 62,225 63,477 42,191 43,102 58,481 60,067

Do not want a job now(1)

94,413 96,602 14,955 15,299 18,739 19,524 60,718 61,778 39,096 39,954 55,317 56,648

Want a job(1)

6,259 6,567 2,380 2,627 2,373 2,241 1,506 1,699 3,096 3,148 3,163 3,419

Did not search for work in previous year

3,742 3,957 1,408 1,444 1,245 1,305 1,090 1,209 1,761 1,821 1,981 2,136

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

2,517 2,610 972 1,183 1,128 936 416 490 1,335 1,327 1,182 1,282

Not available to work now

1,036 1,109 515 672 413 328 108 109 539 545 497 564

Marginally attached (available to work now)(3)

1,481 1,500 457 511 715 609 309 381 796 782 685 718

Discouraged over job prospects(4)

445 352 99 78 252 167 94 108 273 197 172 155

Reasons other than discouragement

1,036 1,148 358 433 463 442 215 273 523 585 513 563

Family responsibilities

171 155 24 48 107 60 41 47 34 39 137 116

In school or training

198 220 174 187 23 32 0 1 112 97 86 123

Ill health or disability

122 155 16 10 54 86 52 59 65 99 57 56

Other(5)

546 618 144 188 280 263 122 167 313 349 233 269

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: June 06, 2025