Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in United States
United States: Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) was 10.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in United States, 1960–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in United States is 10.9%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 12.5% on the previous year and down 14.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in United States peaked at 20.8% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 7.7%, in 1966.
United States ranks 93rd of 157 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in United States, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 11.5% | — |
| 1961 | 13.3% | +15.7% |
| 1962 | 11.2% | -15.8% |
| 1963 | 12.1% | +8.0% |
| 1964 | 11.1% | -8.3% |
| 1965 | 9.5% | -14.4% |
| 1966 | 7.7% | -18.9% |
| 1967 | 7.9% | +2.6% |
| 1968 | 7.8% | -1.3% |
| 1969 | 7.8% | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 11.1% | +42.3% |
| 1971 | 12.8% | +15.3% |
| 1972 | 11.9% | -7.0% |
| 1973 | 9.9% | -16.8% |
| 1974 | 11.5% | +16.2% |
| 1975 | 16.6% | +44.3% |
| 1976 | 14.8% | -10.8% |
| 1977 | 13.3% | -10.1% |
| 1978 | 11.7% | -12.0% |
| 1979 | 11.4% | -2.6% |
| 1980 | 14.6% | +28.1% |
| 1981 | 15.7% | +7.5% |
| 1982 | 19.1% | +21.7% |
| 1983 | 18.4% | -3.7% |
| 1984 | 14.4% | -21.7% |
| 1985 | 14.1% | -2.1% |
| 1986 | 13.7% | -2.8% |
| 1987 | 12.6% | -8.0% |
| 1988 | 11.4% | -9.5% |
| 1989 | 11.4% | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 11.6% | +1.8% |
| 1991 | 14.3% | +23.3% |
| 1992 | 15.3% | +7.0% |
| 1993 | 14.3% | -6.5% |
| 1994 | 13.2% | -7.7% |
| 1995 | 12.6% | -4.9% |
| 1996 | 12.7% | +1.3% |
| 1997 | 11.9% | -6.4% |
| 1998 | 11.1% | -7.1% |
| 1999 | 10.3% | -6.9% |
| 2000 | 9.7% | -5.7% |
| 2001 | 11.4% | +17.6% |
| 2002 | 12.8% | +12.2% |
| 2003 | 13.4% | +4.2% |
| 2004 | 12.6% | -5.4% |
| 2005 | 12.4% | -2.0% |
| 2006 | 11.2% | -9.3% |
| 2007 | 11.6% | +2.8% |
| 2008 | 14.4% | +24.3% |
| 2009 | 20.1% | +40.2% |
| 2010 | 20.8% | +3.5% |
| 2011 | 18.7% | -10.0% |
| 2012 | 17.6% | -5.9% |
| 2013 | 17.1% | -3.4% |
| 2014 | 14.5% | -14.7% |
| 2015 | 12.8% | -12.1% |
| 2016 | 11.4% | -10.4% |
| 2017 | 10.3% | -9.8% |
| 2018 | 9.5% | -7.8% |
| 2019 | 9.4% | -1.2% |
| 2020 | 15.0% | +59.5% |
| 2021 | 10.5% | -29.8% |
| 2022 | 8.8% | -16.7% |
| 2023 | 8.8% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 9.7% | +10.8% |
| 2025 | 10.9% | +12.5% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 10.9% is below the median for high income countries, which is 14.2%, 77% of the median. (68 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 10.0% | 7.7% | 13.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | 12.5% | 9.9% | 16.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 14.5% | 11.4% | 19.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 12.7% | 10.3% | 15.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.0% | 9.7% | 20.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.2% | 9.4% | 20.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.6% | 8.8% | 15.0% | 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, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in United States?
- Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in United States was 10.9% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 20.8% in 2010.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.7% in 1966.
- How does United States rank for unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24)?
- United States ranks 93rd out of 157 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.