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

Total not in the labor force

 103,009 105,256 18,113 17,710 21,162 21,106 63,733 66,439 43,144 43,582 59,864 61,674

Do not want a job now(1)

 97,217 99,624 16,414 16,010 18,707 18,913 62,096 64,701 40,456 41,009 56,761 58,615

Want a job(1)

 5,792 5,631 1,699 1,700 2,456 2,193 1,637 1,739 2,688 2,573 3,104 3,059

Did not search for work in previous year

 3,422 3,479 929 959 1,321 1,174 1,172 1,345 1,526 1,497 1,896 1,981

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

 2,370 2,153 770 741 1,135 1,019 465 394 1,163 1,076 1,207 1,077

Not available to work now

 563 668 190 247 309 337 64 84 183 264 380 404

Marginally attached (available to work now)(3)

 1,807 1,485 580 493 827 682 401 310 980 812 827 673

Discouraged over job prospects(4)

 537 394 134 125 272 190 132 80 331 242 207 153

Reasons other than discouragement

 1,269 1,091 446 369 554 492 269 230 649 570 620 521

Family responsibilities

 150 171 15 2 101 142 33 26 76 35 74 135

In school or training

 202 222 146 162 53 52 4 8 84 121 119 101

Ill health or disability

 175 135 28 24 79 31 68 80 62 79 113 56

Other(5)

 742 564 256 180 321 267 164 116 428 335 313 229

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: October 02, 2026