Unemployment rate, United States
The unemployment rate in the United States was 4.20% in , up 0.10 pp from and down 0.20 pp from a year earlier. Over the latest 12 readings it moved between 4.10% and 4.50%. The next reading is for October 2026. Source: BLS, Employment Situation (CPS); history from .
Key takeaways
- The unemployment rate at 4.20% in beats 27% of readings since (BLS).
- Against a ten-year average of 4.54%, the unemployment rate is below that norm by 0.34 pp (BLS).
- On the unemployment rate, the United States ranks 4th highest of 4 countries (national publishers).
What this indicator is and why it matters
The unemployment rate is the share of the US civilian labor force that is out of work, available and actively looking for a job. The Bureau of Labor Statistics measures it from the Current Population Survey, a monthly survey of around 60,000 households, and publishes it with the payroll figures in the Employment Situation report. The series here is seasonally adjusted.
It is the main measure of slack in the labor market and one of the two goals in the Federal Reserve's mandate, alongside stable prices. Rising unemployment eases wage pressure and usually comes with weaker spending and higher loan delinquencies, so banks watch it as a guide to credit risk on consumer lending.
Several points help when reading it. Because it comes from a sample of households, a change of a tenth of a percentage point is within sampling error; trends over several months matter more. People who stop looking for work leave the labor force and are no longer counted as unemployed, so the rate can fall for the wrong reason; the participation rate shows whether that is happening. And the household survey sometimes moves differently from the payroll survey of employers, since the two use different samples and definitions.
Where it sits in history
The unemployment rate is at its highest since , when it stood at 4.30%. Within ten years, the unemployment rate beats 55% of readings; earlier years held the unemployment rate higher.
| Window | Latest is higher than | Average | Highest | Lowest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Since January 2006 | 27% of readings | 5.73% | 14.80% | 3.40% |
| Last ten years | 55% of readings | 4.54% | 14.80% | 3.40% |
| Last five years | 66% of readings | 3.97% | 4.70% | 3.40% |
- Unemployment rate 4.2%
Recent readings
Last five years
- Unemployment rate 4.2%
Latest readings
| Period | Value | Change from previous |
|---|---|---|
| 4.20% | +0.10 pp | |
| 4.10% | 0.00 pp | |
| 4.10% | -0.10 pp | |
| 4.20% | -0.10 pp | |
| 4.30% | 0.00 pp | |
| 4.30% | 0.00 pp | |
| 4.30% | -0.10 pp | |
| 4.40% | +0.10 pp | |
| 4.30% | -0.10 pp | |
| 4.40% | -0.10 pp | |
| 4.50% | +0.10 pp | |
| 4.40% | +0.10 pp | |
| 4.30% | 0.00 pp |
Annual averages
By calendar-year average, the unemployment rate peaked in (9.61%) and bottomed in (3.62%). 2026 to date: 4.24%, after 4.26% in 2025.
| Year | Average | Low | High | Readings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (part year) | 4.24% | 4.10% | 4.40% | 9 |
| 2025 (part year) | 4.26% | 4.00% | 4.50% | 11 |
| 2024 | 4.03% | 3.70% | 4.20% | 12 |
| 2023 | 3.62% | 3.40% | 3.90% | 12 |
| 2022 | 3.65% | 3.50% | 4.00% | 12 |
| 2021 | 5.35% | 3.90% | 6.40% | 12 |
| 2020 | 8.10% | 3.50% | 14.80% | 12 |
| 2019 | 3.68% | 3.50% | 4.00% | 12 |
| 2018 | 3.89% | 3.70% | 4.10% | 12 |
| 2017 | 4.36% | 4.10% | 4.70% | 12 |
| 2016 | 4.88% | 4.70% | 5.10% | 12 |
| 2015 | 5.28% | 5.00% | 5.70% | 12 |
| 2014 | 6.16% | 5.60% | 6.70% | 12 |
| 2013 | 7.36% | 6.70% | 8.00% | 12 |
| 2012 | 8.08% | 7.70% | 8.30% | 12 |
| 2011 | 8.93% | 8.50% | 9.10% | 12 |
| 2010 | 9.61% | 9.30% | 9.90% | 12 |
| 2009 | 9.28% | 7.80% | 10.00% | 12 |
| 2008 | 5.80% | 4.90% | 7.30% | 12 |
| 2007 | 4.62% | 4.40% | 5.00% | 12 |
| 2006 | 4.61% | 4.40% | 4.80% | 12 |
Same measure in other countries
The unemployment rate in the United States is above 0 of the other 3 comparable readings. Four countries compared.
| Country | Series | Latest | Period | Change on a year earlier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Unemployment rate | 4.20% | -0.20 pp | |
| Canada | Unemployment rate | 6.50% | September 2026 | -0.60 pp |
| Australia | Unemployment rate | 4.72% | September 2026 | +0.29 pp |
| United Kingdom | Unemployment rate | 4.90% | June 2026 | +0.20 pp |
How is it measured?
Unemployed as a percent of the civilian labor force, seasonally adjusted.
BLS publishes the unemployment rate monthly in Employment Situation (CPS), in percent and is seasonally adjusted. Code: LNS14000000. Method for the unemployment rate.
Questions
How high is the unemployment rate in the United States now?
4.20% in (BLS), down 0.20 pp on a year earlier.
Is the unemployment rate high by historical standards?
The unemployment rate beats 27% of readings since ; its peak was 14.80% (), its low 3.40% ().
When is the unemployment rate updated?
Monthly, in Employment Situation (CPS). Next reading: October 2026.
Where can I check the unemployment rate at the source?
BLS data, code LNS14000000.