Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+) in United States
United States: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+) was 4.28 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in United States, 1994–2025
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) in United States is 4.28, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 6.5% on the previous year and down 18.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) in United States peaked at 9.63 in 2010 and was at its lowest, 3.64, in 2023.
United States ranks 58th of 78 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 32 years of available data.
Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+) in United States, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 6.12 | — |
| 1995 | 5.65 | -7.7% |
| 1996 | 5.45 | -3.5% |
| 1997 | 5 | -8.3% |
| 1998 | 4.51 | -9.8% |
| 1999 | 4.22 | -6.5% |
| 2000 | 3.99 | -5.4% |
| 2001 | 4.73 | +18.5% |
| 2002 | 5.78 | +22.2% |
| 2003 | 5.99 | +3.6% |
| 2004 | 5.53 | -7.7% |
| 2005 | 5.08 | -8.0% |
| 2006 | 4.62 | -9.1% |
| 2007 | 4.62 | -0.0% |
| 2008 | 5.78 | +25.1% |
| 2009 | 9.25 | +60.0% |
| 2010 | 9.63 | +4.1% |
| 2011 | 8.95 | -7.1% |
| 2012 | 8.07 | -9.8% |
| 2013 | 7.38 | -8.6% |
| 2014 | 6.17 | -16.4% |
| 2015 | 5.28 | -14.4% |
| 2016 | 4.87 | -7.8% |
| 2017 | 4.36 | -10.6% |
| 2018 | 3.9 | -10.5% |
| 2019 | 3.67 | -5.8% |
| 2020 | 8.05 | +119.5% |
| 2021 | 5.35 | -33.6% |
| 2022 | 3.65 | -31.8% |
| 2023 | 3.64 | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 4.02 | +10.6% |
| 2025 | 4.28 | +6.5% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 4.28 is below the median for high income countries, which is 5.16, 83% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+) in United States changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +119.5% | 3.67 | 8.05 |
| 2009 | +60.0% | 5.78 | 9.25 |
| 2008 | +25.1% | 4.62 | 5.78 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.16 | 4.22 | 6.12 | 6 |
| 2000s | 5.54 | 3.99 | 9.25 | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.23 | 3.67 | 9.63 | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.83 | 3.64 | 8.05 | 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 unemployment rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) in United States?
- Unemployment rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) in United States was 4.28 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest unemployment rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 9.63 in 2010.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.64 in 2023.
- How does United States rank for unemployment rate (previous ilo definition - icls13)?
- United States ranks 58th out of 78 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 18.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 32 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).
About this data
The unemployment rate conveys the number of persons who are unemployed as a percent of the labour force (i.e., the employed plus the unemployed). The unemployed comprise all persons of working age who were: a) without work during the reference period, i.e. were not in paid employment or self-employment; b) currently available for work, i.e. were available for paid employment or self-employment during the reference period; and c) seeking work, i.e. had taken specific steps in a specified recent period to seek paid employment or self-employment. For more information, refer to the International Labour Migration Statistics (ILMS) database description.