Data / Unemployment rate / United States

Unemployment rate in United States

Unemployment rate in the United States was 4.2% in September 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That is down 0.2 pts from September 2025. That is the 112th highest of 181 countries in 2025.

September 20264.2%
Change on September 2025-0.2 pts
Rank112th of 181Countries ranked
Series high14.8April 2020
Series low3.4April 2023

Unemployment rate in United States, January 2000 to September 2026

CSVChart (SVG)

2.557.51012.5152000-012003-112007-092011-072015-052019-032023-012026-092000-01: 4 %2000-02: 4.1 %2000-03: 4 %2000-04: 3.8 %2000-05: 4 %2000-06: 4 %2000-07: 4 %2000-08: 4.1 %2000-09: 3.9 %2000-10: 3.9 %2000-11: 3.9 %2000-12: 3.9 %2001-01: 4.2 %2001-02: 4.2 %2001-03: 4.3 %2001-04: 4.4 %2001-05: 4.3 %2001-06: 4.5 %2001-07: 4.6 %2001-08: 4.9 %2001-09: 5 %2001-10: 5.3 %2001-11: 5.5 %2001-12: 5.7 %2002-01: 5.7 %2002-02: 5.7 %2002-03: 5.7 %2002-04: 5.9 %2002-05: 5.8 %2002-06: 5.8 %2002-07: 5.8 %2002-08: 5.7 %2002-09: 5.7 %2002-10: 5.7 %2002-11: 5.9 %2002-12: 6 %2003-01: 5.8 %2003-02: 5.9 %2003-03: 5.9 %2003-04: 6 %2003-05: 6.1 %2003-06: 6.3 %2003-07: 6.2 %2003-08: 6.1 %2003-09: 6.1 %2003-10: 6 %2003-11: 5.8 %2003-12: 5.7 %2004-01: 5.7 %2004-02: 5.6 %2004-03: 5.8 %2004-04: 5.6 %2004-05: 5.6 %2004-06: 5.6 %2004-07: 5.5 %2004-08: 5.4 %2004-09: 5.4 %2004-10: 5.5 %2004-11: 5.4 %2004-12: 5.4 %2005-01: 5.3 %2005-02: 5.4 %2005-03: 5.2 %2005-04: 5.2 %2005-05: 5.1 %2005-06: 5 %2005-07: 5 %2005-08: 4.9 %2005-09: 5 %2005-10: 5 %2005-11: 5 %2005-12: 4.9 %2006-01: 4.7 %2006-02: 4.8 %2006-03: 4.7 %2006-04: 4.7 %2006-05: 4.6 %2006-06: 4.6 %2006-07: 4.7 %2006-08: 4.7 %2006-09: 4.5 %2006-10: 4.4 %2006-11: 4.5 %2006-12: 4.4 %2007-01: 4.6 %2007-02: 4.5 %2007-03: 4.4 %2007-04: 4.5 %2007-05: 4.4 %2007-06: 4.6 %2007-07: 4.7 %2007-08: 4.6 %2007-09: 4.7 %2007-10: 4.7 %2007-11: 4.7 %2007-12: 5 %2008-01: 5 %2008-02: 4.9 %2008-03: 5.1 %2008-04: 5 %2008-05: 5.4 %2008-06: 5.6 %2008-07: 5.8 %2008-08: 6.1 %2008-09: 6.1 %2008-10: 6.5 %2008-11: 6.8 %2008-12: 7.3 %2009-01: 7.8 %2009-02: 8.3 %2009-03: 8.7 %2009-04: 9 %2009-05: 9.4 %2009-06: 9.5 %2009-07: 9.5 %2009-08: 9.6 %2009-09: 9.8 %2009-10: 10 %2009-11: 9.9 %2009-12: 9.9 %2010-01: 9.8 %2010-02: 9.8 %2010-03: 9.9 %2010-04: 9.9 %2010-05: 9.6 %2010-06: 9.4 %2010-07: 9.4 %2010-08: 9.5 %2010-09: 9.5 %2010-10: 9.4 %2010-11: 9.8 %2010-12: 9.3 %2011-01: 9.1 %2011-02: 9 %2011-03: 9 %2011-04: 9.1 %2011-05: 9 %2011-06: 9.1 %2011-07: 9 %2011-08: 9 %2011-09: 9 %2011-10: 8.8 %2011-11: 8.6 %2011-12: 8.5 %2012-01: 8.3 %2012-02: 8.3 %2012-03: 8.2 %2012-04: 8.2 %2012-05: 8.2 %2012-06: 8.2 %2012-07: 8.2 %2012-08: 8.1 %2012-09: 7.8 %2012-10: 7.8 %2012-11: 7.7 %2012-12: 7.9 %2013-01: 8 %2013-02: 7.7 %2013-03: 7.5 %2013-04: 7.6 %2013-05: 7.5 %2013-06: 7.5 %2013-07: 7.3 %2013-08: 7.2 %2013-09: 7.2 %2013-10: 7.2 %2013-11: 6.9 %2013-12: 6.7 %2014-01: 6.6 %2014-02: 6.7 %2014-03: 6.7 %2014-04: 6.2 %2014-05: 6.3 %2014-06: 6.1 %2014-07: 6.2 %2014-08: 6.1 %2014-09: 5.9 %2014-10: 5.7 %2014-11: 5.8 %2014-12: 5.6 %2015-01: 5.7 %2015-02: 5.5 %2015-03: 5.4 %2015-04: 5.4 %2015-05: 5.6 %2015-06: 5.3 %2015-07: 5.2 %2015-08: 5.1 %2015-09: 5 %2015-10: 5 %2015-11: 5.1 %2015-12: 5 %2016-01: 4.8 %2016-02: 4.9 %2016-03: 5 %2016-04: 5.1 %2016-05: 4.8 %2016-06: 4.9 %2016-07: 4.8 %2016-08: 4.9 %2016-09: 5 %2016-10: 4.9 %2016-11: 4.7 %2016-12: 4.7 %2017-01: 4.7 %2017-02: 4.6 %2017-03: 4.4 %2017-04: 4.4 %2017-05: 4.4 %2017-06: 4.3 %2017-07: 4.3 %2017-08: 4.4 %2017-09: 4.3 %2017-10: 4.2 %2017-11: 4.2 %2017-12: 4.1 %2018-01: 4 %2018-02: 4.1 %2018-03: 4 %2018-04: 4 %2018-05: 3.8 %2018-06: 4 %2018-07: 3.8 %2018-08: 3.8 %2018-09: 3.7 %2018-10: 3.8 %2018-11: 3.8 %2018-12: 3.9 %2019-01: 4 %2019-02: 3.8 %2019-03: 3.8 %2019-04: 3.7 %2019-05: 3.6 %2019-06: 3.6 %2019-07: 3.7 %2019-08: 3.6 %2019-09: 3.5 %2019-10: 3.6 %2019-11: 3.6 %2019-12: 3.6 %2020-01: 3.6 %2020-02: 3.5 %2020-03: 4.4 %2020-04: 14.8 %2020-05: 13.2 %2020-06: 11 %2020-07: 10.2 %2020-08: 8.4 %2020-09: 7.8 %2020-10: 6.9 %2020-11: 6.7 %2020-12: 6.7 %2021-01: 6.4 %2021-02: 6.2 %2021-03: 6.1 %2021-04: 6.1 %2021-05: 5.8 %2021-06: 5.9 %2021-07: 5.4 %2021-08: 5.1 %2021-09: 4.7 %2021-10: 4.5 %2021-11: 4.1 %2021-12: 3.9 %2022-01: 4 %2022-02: 3.9 %2022-03: 3.7 %2022-04: 3.7 %2022-05: 3.6 %2022-06: 3.6 %2022-07: 3.5 %2022-08: 3.6 %2022-09: 3.5 %2022-10: 3.6 %2022-11: 3.6 %2022-12: 3.5 %2023-01: 3.5 %2023-02: 3.6 %2023-03: 3.5 %2023-04: 3.4 %2023-05: 3.6 %2023-06: 3.6 %2023-07: 3.5 %2023-08: 3.7 %2023-09: 3.7 %2023-10: 3.9 %2023-11: 3.7 %2023-12: 3.8 %2024-01: 3.7 %2024-02: 3.9 %2024-03: 3.9 %2024-04: 3.9 %2024-05: 3.9 %2024-06: 4.1 %2024-07: 4.2 %2024-08: 4.2 %2024-09: 4.1 %2024-10: 4.1 %2024-11: 4.2 %2024-12: 4.1 %2025-01: 4 %2025-02: 4.2 %2025-03: 4.2 %2025-04: 4.2 %2025-05: 4.3 %2025-06: 4.1 %2025-07: 4.3 %2025-08: 4.3 %2025-09: 4.4 %2025-11: 4.5 %2025-12: 4.4 %2026-01: 4.3 %2026-02: 4.4 %2026-03: 4.3 %2026-04: 4.3 %2026-05: 4.3 %2026-06: 4.2 %2026-07: 4.1 %2026-08: 4.1 %2026-09: 4.2 %
%. Source: BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-08, published 2026-10-02.
All 320 values
Period%
2026-094.2
2026-084.1
2026-074.1
2026-064.2
2026-054.3
2026-044.3
2026-034.3
2026-024.4
2026-014.3
2025-124.4
2025-114.5
2025-094.4
2025-084.3
2025-074.3
2025-064.1
2025-054.3
2025-044.2
2025-034.2
2025-024.2
2025-014
2024-124.1
2024-114.2
2024-104.1
2024-094.1
2024-084.2
2024-074.2
2024-064.1
2024-053.9
2024-043.9
2024-033.9
2024-023.9
2024-013.7
2023-123.8
2023-113.7
2023-103.9
2023-093.7
2023-083.7
2023-073.5
2023-063.6
2023-053.6
2023-043.4
2023-033.5
2023-023.6
2023-013.5
2022-123.5
2022-113.6
2022-103.6
2022-093.5
2022-083.6
2022-073.5
2022-063.6
2022-053.6
2022-043.7
2022-033.7
2022-023.9
2022-014
2021-123.9
2021-114.1
2021-104.5
2021-094.7
2021-085.1
2021-075.4
2021-065.9
2021-055.8
2021-046.1
2021-036.1
2021-026.2
2021-016.4
2020-126.7
2020-116.7
2020-106.9
2020-097.8
2020-088.4
2020-0710.2
2020-0611
2020-0513.2
2020-0414.8
2020-034.4
2020-023.5
2020-013.6
2019-123.6
2019-113.6
2019-103.6
2019-093.5
2019-083.6
2019-073.7
2019-063.6
2019-053.6
2019-043.7
2019-033.8
2019-023.8
2019-014
2018-123.9
2018-113.8
2018-103.8
2018-093.7
2018-083.8
2018-073.8
2018-064
2018-053.8
2018-044
2018-034
2018-024.1
2018-014
2017-124.1
2017-114.2
2017-104.2
2017-094.3
2017-084.4
2017-074.3
2017-064.3
2017-054.4
2017-044.4
2017-034.4
2017-024.6
2017-014.7
2016-124.7
2016-114.7
2016-104.9
2016-095
2016-084.9
2016-074.8
2016-064.9
2016-054.8
2016-045.1
2016-035
2016-024.9
2016-014.8
2015-125
2015-115.1
2015-105
2015-095
2015-085.1
2015-075.2
2015-065.3
2015-055.6
2015-045.4
2015-035.4
2015-025.5
2015-015.7
2014-125.6
2014-115.8
2014-105.7
2014-095.9
2014-086.1
2014-076.2
2014-066.1
2014-056.3
2014-046.2
2014-036.7
2014-026.7
2014-016.6
2013-126.7
2013-116.9
2013-107.2
2013-097.2
2013-087.2
2013-077.3
2013-067.5
2013-057.5
2013-047.6
2013-037.5
2013-027.7
2013-018
2012-127.9
2012-117.7
2012-107.8
2012-097.8
2012-088.1
2012-078.2
2012-068.2
2012-058.2
2012-048.2
2012-038.2
2012-028.3
2012-018.3
2011-128.5
2011-118.6
2011-108.8
2011-099
2011-089
2011-079
2011-069.1
2011-059
2011-049.1
2011-039
2011-029
2011-019.1
2010-129.3
2010-119.8
2010-109.4
2010-099.5
2010-089.5
2010-079.4
2010-069.4
2010-059.6
2010-049.9
2010-039.9
2010-029.8
2010-019.8
2009-129.9
2009-119.9
2009-1010
2009-099.8
2009-089.6
2009-079.5
2009-069.5
2009-059.4
2009-049
2009-038.7
2009-028.3
2009-017.8
2008-127.3
2008-116.8
2008-106.5
2008-096.1
2008-086.1
2008-075.8
2008-065.6
2008-055.4
2008-045
2008-035.1
2008-024.9
2008-015
2007-125
2007-114.7
2007-104.7
2007-094.7
2007-084.6
2007-074.7
2007-064.6
2007-054.4
2007-044.5
2007-034.4
2007-024.5
2007-014.6
2006-124.4
2006-114.5
2006-104.4
2006-094.5
2006-084.7
2006-074.7
2006-064.6
2006-054.6
2006-044.7
2006-034.7
2006-024.8
2006-014.7
2005-124.9
2005-115
2005-105
2005-095
2005-084.9
2005-075
2005-065
2005-055.1
2005-045.2
2005-035.2
2005-025.4
2005-015.3
2004-125.4
2004-115.4
2004-105.5
2004-095.4
2004-085.4
2004-075.5
2004-065.6
2004-055.6
2004-045.6
2004-035.8
2004-025.6
2004-015.7
2003-125.7
2003-115.8
2003-106
2003-096.1
2003-086.1
2003-076.2
2003-066.3
2003-056.1
2003-046
2003-035.9
2003-025.9
2003-015.8
2002-126
2002-115.9
2002-105.7
2002-095.7
2002-085.7
2002-075.8
2002-065.8
2002-055.8
2002-045.9
2002-035.7
2002-025.7
2002-015.7
2001-125.7
2001-115.5
2001-105.3
2001-095
2001-084.9
2001-074.6
2001-064.5
2001-054.3
2001-044.4
2001-034.3
2001-024.2
2001-014.2
2000-123.9
2000-113.9
2000-103.9
2000-093.9
2000-084.1
2000-074
2000-064
2000-054
2000-043.8
2000-034
2000-024.1
2000-014

Rankings

Definition

Unemployed people as a percentage of the labour force, using the survey definition of unemployment: without work, available and looking for work. Spain: EPA, aged 16 and over. EU: Labour Force Survey, aged 15 to 74. United States: civilian labour force aged 16 and over, from the Current Population Survey for the nation and from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics models, consistent with that survey, for states and counties. Other countries and the World: ILO modelled estimates published by the World Bank, aged 15 and over.

Survey-based. Available for Spain, regions, provinces, EU countries, US states and US counties, not Spanish municipalities. For municipalities use registered_unemployment_rate. US national and state rates are seasonally adjusted; county rates are not. Countries without a national or Eurostat series get the annual ILO modelled estimate, a model output rather than a survey result.

How to cite

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Current Population Survey: unemployment rate, 16 years and over, seasonally adjusted (LNS14000000). https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/ln/ln.data.1.AllData. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

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Questions

What is the unemployment rate in United States?

Unemployment rate in the United States was 4.2% in September 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That is down 0.2 pts from September 2025. That is the 112th highest of 181 countries in 2025.

Where does this figure come from?

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Current Population Survey: unemployment rate, 16 years and over, seasonally adjusted (LNS14000000). Retrieved by Invokely on 2026-10-08.

What was the highest unemployment rate in United States?

14.8% in April 2020, the highest value since January 2000 in this series.

More statistics for United States

All statistics for United States