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

Total not in the labor force

 101,892 104,094 17,674 18,235 21,468 21,474 62,749 64,385 42,743 43,847 59,149 60,246

Do not want a job now(1)

 96,598 98,116 16,318 16,365 19,120 18,947 61,161 62,805 40,135 40,976 56,463 57,141

Want a job(1)

 5,294 5,977 1,356 1,870 2,349 2,527 1,589 1,580 2,608 2,872 2,686 3,106

Did not search for work in previous year

 3,261 3,482 794 1,028 1,298 1,320 1,169 1,135 1,553 1,648 1,707 1,834

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

 2,033 2,495 563 842 1,050 1,207 420 446 1,055 1,223 978 1,272

Not available to work now

 468 745 175 328 217 334 76 83 215 297 253 448

Marginally attached (available to work now)(3)

 1,565 1,750 388 514 833 872 345 363 840 927 725 823

Discouraged over job prospects(4)

 491 459 103 125 267 218 121 116 282 266 209 193

Reasons other than discouragement

 1,074 1,291 285 389 566 655 223 247 558 661 516 630

Family responsibilities

 193 202 17 4 122 172 53 25 84 56 109 146

In school or training

 170 231 139 201 25 30 5 0 83 91 87 140

Ill health or disability

 171 123 21 15 88 62 62 46 69 85 102 38

Other(5)

 540 735 107 169 330 390 103 176 322 429 218 306

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: January 09, 2026