Labor force participation rate in United States
United States: Labor force participation rate was 61.7% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate in United States, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, labor force participation rate in United States stood at 61.7%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.4% on the previous year and down 0.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in United States peaked at 66.1% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 61.5%, in 2021.
That places United States 92nd out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate in United States, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 65.3% | — |
| 1991 | 65.0% | -0.4% |
| 1992 | 65.3% | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 65.1% | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 65.5% | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 65.6% | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 65.8% | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 66.1% | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 66.0% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 66.1% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 66.1% | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 65.9% | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 65.6% | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 65.2% | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 65.0% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 65.0% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 65.2% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 65.0% | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 65.0% | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 64.4% | -0.9% |
| 2010 | 63.7% | -1.0% |
| 2011 | 63.2% | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 63.1% | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 62.7% | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 62.4% | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 62.3% | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 62.4% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 62.5% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 62.6% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 62.8% | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 61.6% | -2.1% |
| 2021 | 61.5% | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 61.8% | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 62.1% | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 62.0% | -0.2% |
| 2025 | 61.7% | -0.4% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 61.7% is below the median for high income countries, which is 62.3%, 99% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 65.6% | 65.0% | 66.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 65.2% | 64.4% | 66.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 62.8% | 62.3% | 63.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 61.8% | 61.5% | 62.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States
- 89 El Salvador 62.1% compare
- 90 Zambia 61.9% compare
- 91 Argentina 61.9% compare
- 93 Mexico 61.6% compare
- 94 Luxembourg 61.5% compare
- 95 United Kingdom 61.4% compare
More work & labour data for United States
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 113,208 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 61.24 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 178,849 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 4.4 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 1.05 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 159,991 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 141,322 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 58.55 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 1.27 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 0.3372 % change on previous year (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate in United States?
- Labor force participation rate in United States was 61.7% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest labor force participation rate recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 66.1% in 2000.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 61.5% in 2021.
- How does United States rank for labor force participation rate?
- United States ranks 92nd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).