Population outside the labour force — Persons outside the labour force in United States
United States: Population outside the labour force — Persons outside the labour force was 100,465 Persons in 2024. ▲ Rising
Population outside the labour force — Persons outside the labour force in United States, 1977–2024
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Persons.
Analysis
In 2024, population outside the labour force — persons outside the labour force in United States stood at 100,465 Persons. That is the highest value across all 48 years on record.
The figure is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 9.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population outside the labour force — persons outside the labour force in United States peaked at 100,465 Persons in 2024 and was at its lowest, 59,659 Persons, in 1978.
United States ranks 2nd of 33 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 48 years of available data.
Population outside the labour force — Persons outside the labour force in United States, year by year
| Year | Persons | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 60,024 Persons | — |
| 1978 | 59,659 Persons | -0.6% |
| 1979 | 59,900 Persons | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 60,806 Persons | +1.5% |
| 1981 | 61,460 Persons | +1.1% |
| 1982 | 62,067 Persons | +1.0% |
| 1983 | 62,665 Persons | +1.0% |
| 1984 | 62,839 Persons | +0.3% |
| 1985 | 62,744 Persons | -0.2% |
| 1986 | 62,752 Persons | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 62,888 Persons | +0.2% |
| 1988 | 62,944 Persons | +0.1% |
| 1989 | 62,547 Persons | -0.6% |
| 1990 | 63,324 Persons | +1.2% |
| 1991 | 64,578 Persons | +2.0% |
| 1992 | 64,700 Persons | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 65,638 Persons | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 65,753 Persons | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 66,280 Persons | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 66,647 Persons | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 66,837 Persons | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 67,547 Persons | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 68,385 Persons | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 69,994 Persons | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 71,359 Persons | +1.9% |
| 2002 | 72,707 Persons | +1.9% |
| 2003 | 74,658 Persons | +2.7% |
| 2004 | 75,956 Persons | +1.7% |
| 2005 | 76,762 Persons | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 77,387 Persons | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 78,743 Persons | +1.8% |
| 2008 | 79,501 Persons | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 81,659 Persons | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 83,941 Persons | +2.8% |
| 2011 | 86,001 Persons | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 88,310 Persons | +2.7% |
| 2013 | 90,290 Persons | +2.2% |
| 2014 | 92,025 Persons | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 93,671 Persons | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 94,351 Persons | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 94,759 Persons | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 95,716 Persons | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 95,636 Persons | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 99,587 Persons | +4.1% |
| 2021 | 100,241 Persons | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 99,686 Persons | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 99,826 Persons | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 100,465 Persons | +0.6% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 100,465 Persons is above the median for high income countries, which is 3,454 Persons, 29.1× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 59,861 Persons | 59,659 Persons | 60,024 Persons | 3 |
| 1980s | 62,371 Persons | 60,806 Persons | 62,944 Persons | 10 |
| 1990s | 65,969 Persons | 63,324 Persons | 68,385 Persons | 10 |
| 2000s | 75,873 Persons | 69,994 Persons | 81,659 Persons | 10 |
| 2010s | 91,470 Persons | 83,941 Persons | 95,716 Persons | 10 |
| 2020s | 99,961 Persons | 99,587 Persons | 100,465 Persons | 5 |
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 population outside the labour force — persons outside the labour force in United States?
- Population outside the labour force — persons outside the labour force in United States was 100,465 Persons in 2024, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest population outside the labour force — persons outside the labour force recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 100,465 Persons in 2024.
- What is the lowest population outside the labour force — persons outside the labour force recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 59,659 Persons in 1978.
- How does United States rank for population outside the labour force — persons outside the labour force?
- United States ranks 2nd out of 33 countries with data for 2024.
- Is population outside the labour force — persons outside the labour force rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Population outside the labour force — Persons outside the labour force. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
The infra-annual dataflow on the outside the labour force population is a subset of the infra-annual labour statistics database, which contains predominantly monthly and quarterly statistics on the outside the labour force population by age groups (15+, 15-24, 25-54, 55-64, 15-64 and 15-74 where available) and sex and associated statistical methodological information and associated statistical methodological information, for the OECD member countries and for selected other economies. The persons outside the labour force comprise all persons of working age who, during the specified reference period, were not in the labour force (that is, were not employed or unemployed). The infra-annual labour statistics compiled for all OECD member countries, are drawn from Labour Force Surveys based on definition provided by the 19th Conference of Labour Statisticians in 2013. The uniform application of these definitions across all OECD member countries results in estimates that are internationally comparable.