Labor force participation rates for women ages 15 24 2020 vs 1980 in United States
United States: Labor force participation rates for women ages 15 24 2020 vs 1980 was 54.88 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
54.88
Change on year
down 0.9%
World rank
22nd
of 171 countries
All-time high
64.6
in 1987
All-time low
42.8
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Labor force participation rates for women ages 15 24 2020 vs 1980 in United States, 1960–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, labor force participation rates for women ages 15 24 2020 vs 1980 in United States stood at 54.88.
The figure is down 0.9% on the previous year and up 2.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rates for women ages 15 24 2020 vs 1980 in United States peaked at 64.6 in 1987 and was at its lowest, 42.8, in 1960.
That places United States 22nd out of 171 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Labor force participation rates for women ages 15 24 2020 vs 1980 in United States, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 42.8 | — |
| 1961 | 43.4 | +1.4% |
| 1962 | 43.3 | -0.2% |
| 1963 | 42.9 | -0.9% |
| 1964 | 43.3 | +0.9% |
| 1965 | 44 | +1.6% |
| 1966 | 46.5 | +5.7% |
| 1967 | 47.6 | +2.4% |
| 1968 | 48.5 | +1.9% |
| 1969 | 50.4 | +3.9% |
| 1970 | 51.3 | +1.8% |
| 1971 | 51.1 | -0.4% |
| 1972 | 53 | +3.7% |
| 1973 | 54.9 | +3.6% |
| 1974 | 56.6 | +3.1% |
| 1975 | 57.2 | +1.1% |
| 1976 | 58 | +1.4% |
| 1977 | 59.6 | +2.8% |
| 1978 | 61.7 | +3.5% |
| 1979 | 62.5 | +1.3% |
| 1980 | 61.9 | -1.0% |
| 1981 | 61.9 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 62 | +0.2% |
| 1983 | 61.9 | -0.2% |
| 1984 | 62.8 | +1.5% |
| 1985 | 63.7 | +1.4% |
| 1986 | 64.3 | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 64.6 | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 64.5 | -0.2% |
| 1989 | 64.4 | -0.2% |
| 1990 | 62.9 | -2.3% |
| 1991 | 61.7 | -1.9% |
| 1992 | 61.8 | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 62 | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 62.74 | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 62.48 | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 62.39 | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 62.93 | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 63.34 | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 62.91 | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 63 | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 62 | -1.6% |
| 2002 | 61.05 | -1.5% |
| 2003 | 59.23 | -3.0% |
| 2004 | 58.66 | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 58.58 | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 57.86 | -1.2% |
| 2007 | 57.2 | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 56.5 | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 55.23 | -2.2% |
| 2010 | 53.55 | -3.0% |
| 2011 | 53.28 | -0.5% |
| 2012 | 53.2 | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 53.48 | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 53.58 | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 53.79 | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 53.79 | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 54.27 | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 54.52 | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 55.15 | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 53.21 | -3.5% |
| 2021 | 54.53 | +2.5% |
| 2022 | 54.64 | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 55.92 | +2.3% |
| 2024 | 55.38 | -1.0% |
| 2025 | 54.88 | -0.9% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 54.88 is above the median for high income countries, which is 36.18, 1.5× the median. (69 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 45.27 | 42.8 | 50.4 | 10 |
| 1970s | 56.59 | 51.1 | 62.5 | 10 |
| 1980s | 63.2 | 61.9 | 64.6 | 10 |
| 1990s | 62.52 | 61.7 | 63.34 | 10 |
| 2000s | 58.93 | 55.23 | 63 | 10 |
| 2010s | 53.86 | 53.2 | 55.15 | 10 |
| 2020s | 54.76 | 53.21 | 55.92 | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States
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 rates for women ages 15 24 2020 vs 1980 in United States?
- Labor force participation rates for women ages 15 24 2020 vs 1980 in United States was 54.88 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest labor force participation rates for women ages 15 24 2020 vs 1980 recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 64.6 in 1987.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rates for women ages 15 24 2020 vs 1980 recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 42.8 in 1960.
- How does United States rank for labor force participation rates for women ages 15 24 2020 vs 1980?
- United States ranks 22nd out of 171 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rates for women ages 15 24 2020 vs 1980 rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Labor force participation rates for women ages 15 24 2020 vs 1980. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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