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INITIAL JOBLESS CLAIMS

initial claims per week, seasonally adjusted, monthly average · 1967–2026 · lower is better · US Employment and Training Administration, via FRED ICSA
206K
Aug 2026 (latest)
211K
Nov 2022
4663K
high · Apr 2020
198K
low · Sep 2022
−2%
since Nov 2022
50 YearsSince 200010 Years5 Years1 Year
120K241K361K482K202120222023202420252026
┊ on the monthly chart the dashed line marks ChatGPT released (Nov 30, 2022); on the annual views, 1979 Oil shock & inflation peak · 1987 Black Monday crash · 1991 Gulf War recession · 2001 Dot-com bust & 9/11 · 2008 Global financial crisis · 2020 COVID-19 pandemic
Method & caveats. Initial claims for state unemployment insurance, weekly, seasonally adjusted, from January 1967. Stored as the average of the weeks in each month (the weekly file is the source); annual figure is the average of the twelve monthly values. The most timely official measure of layoffs.
Sources

Every value on this page is read from the publisher below. Current and historical source documents:

Monthly data

The publisher's own cadence, every period. The annual table below is derived from these values (annual average); the annual figures are what the almanac pages and the machine-readable exports carry.

PeriodInitial Jobless ClaimsChange
Aug 2026206K+1%
Jul 2026203K−9%
Jun 2026223K+5%
May 2026212K+2%
Apr 2026208K−0%
Mar 2026208K−4%
Feb 2026216K+2%
Jan 2026212K−3%
Dec 2025219K−1%
Nov 2025222K−2%
Oct 2025227K−3%
Sep 2025234K+2%
Aug 2025230K+4%
Jul 2025222K−7%
Jun 2025239K+3%
May 2025232K+3%
Apr 2025226K+1%
Mar 2025223K−1%
Feb 2025225K+5%
Jan 2025215K−3%
Dec 2024223K+2%
Nov 2024219K−7%
Oct 2024236K+5%
Sep 2024225K−3%
Aug 2024231K−3%
Jul 2024237K+1%
Jun 2024235K+6%
May 2024222K+6%
Apr 2024210K−2%
Mar 2024215K+2%
Feb 2024210K−1%
Jan 2024212K+2%
Dec 2023208K−5%
Nov 2023218K+4%
Oct 2023210K−4%
Sep 2023219K−11%
Aug 2023245K+4%
Jul 2023235K−6%
Jun 2023251K+11%
May 2023226K+4%
Apr 2023216K−6%
Mar 2023229K+7%
Feb 2023215K+5%
Jan 2023205K−2%
Dec 2022208K−1%
Nov 2022211K+4%
Oct 2022203K+3%
Sep 2022198K−9%
Aug 2022217K−1%
Jul 2022218K+3%
Jun 2022213K+1%
May 2022210K−2%
Apr 2022213K−1%
Mar 2022215K−2%
Feb 2022219K−8%
Jan 2022239K+11%
Dec 2021216K−9%
Nov 2021237K−17%
Oct 2021284K−20%
Sep 2021355K−1%
Aug 2021360K−3%
Jul 2021370K−10%
Jun 2021410K−13%
May 2021469K−20%
Apr 2021589K−12%
Mar 2021669K−11%
Feb 2021755K−9%
Jan 2021828K−1%
Dec 2020837K+11%
Nov 2020751K−6%
Oct 2020795K−7%
Sep 2020852K−8%
Aug 2020922K−33%
Jul 20201384K−7%
Jun 20201490K−31%
May 20202173K−53%
Apr 20204663K+100%
Mar 20202335K+1011%
Feb 2020210K−2%
Jan 2020216K−9%
Dec 2019236K+5%
Nov 2019224K+6%
Oct 2019212K+1%
Sep 2019210K−1%
Aug 2019211K+1%
Jul 2019209K−7%
Jun 2019225K+3%
May 2019219K+4%
Apr 2019210K−1%
Mar 2019212K−5%
Feb 2019223K−0%
Jan 2019223K−1%
Dec 2018225K−0%
Nov 2018225K+6%
Oct 2018213K+4%
Sep 2018205K−2%
Aug 2018209K−0%
Jul 2018210K−6%
Jun 2018223K+1%
May 2018221K−0%
Apr 2018222K−2%
Mar 2018226K+2%
Feb 2018221K−6%
Jan 2018235K−3%
Dec 2017243K−2%
Nov 2017248K+2%
Oct 2017242K−11%
Sep 2017272K+10%
Aug 2017248K−1%
Jul 2017251K+1%
Jun 2017248K+4%
May 2017239K+5%
Apr 2017228K−3%
Mar 2017234K+2%
Feb 2017230K−6%
Jan 2017244K−3%
Dec 2016252K+3%
Nov 2016246K−4%
Oct 2016256K+2%
Sep 2016252K−5%
Aug 2016264K+2%
Jul 2016259K−2%
Jun 2016265K−3%
May 2016275K+3%
Apr 2016266K+1%
Mar 2016263K−1%
Feb 2016267K−5%
Jan 2016280K+3%
Dec 2015271K+1%
Nov 2015269K+1%
Oct 2015267K−1%
Sep 2015270K−2%
Aug 2015275K−1%
Jul 2015278K+1%
Jun 2015274K−0%
May 2015274K−4%
Apr 2015286K+1%
Mar 2015284K−6%
Feb 2015301K+5%
Jan 2015288K+1%
Dec 2014285K−2%
Nov 2014292K+1%
Oct 2014289K−2%
Sep 2014295K−2%
Aug 2014302K+0%
Jul 2014302K−4%
Jun 2014314K−0%
May 2014314K−3%
Apr 2014323K+1%
Mar 2014321K−4%
Feb 2014335K+3%
Jan 2014327K−6%
Dec 2013346K+5%
Nov 2013328K−8%
Oct 2013359K+14%
Sep 2013314K−6%
Aug 2013333K−4%
Jul 2013346K+0%
Jun 2013345K−1%
May 2013348K+0%
Apr 2013347K−1%
Mar 2013352K−0%
Feb 2013353K+0%
Jan 2013353K−2%
Dec 2012359K−11%
Nov 2012401K+9%
Oct 2012369K−3%
Sep 2012382K+2%
Aug 2012373K+0%
Jul 2012373K−2%
Jun 2012379K+2%
May 2012374K−2%
Apr 2012382K+4%
Mar 2012367K+1%
Feb 2012363K−4%
Jan 2012378K+0%
Dec 2011377K−3%
Nov 2011389K−3%
Oct 2011402K−4%
Sep 2011418K+2%
Aug 2011410K−1%
Jul 2011413K−1%
Jun 2011418K−1%
May 2011423K+0%
Apr 2011421K+4%
Mar 2011406K+1%
Feb 2011402K−6%
Jan 2011427K+2%
Dec 2010420K−1%
Nov 2010426K−5%
Oct 2010447K−1%
Sep 2010454K−5%
Aug 2010475K+3%
Jul 2010459K−0%
Jun 2010461K+0%
May 2010459K−2%
Apr 2010469K−0%
Mar 2010470K−3%
Feb 2010486K+1%
Jan 2010480K−1%
Dec 2009486K−2%
Nov 2009494K−6%
Oct 2009525K−4%
Sep 2009548K−2%
Aug 2009559K−1%
Jul 2009567K−5%
Jun 2009598K−2%
May 2009612K−3%
Apr 2009628K−5%
Mar 2009659K+2%
Feb 2009644K+13%
Jan 2009572K+1%
Dec 2008564K+9%
Nov 2008520K+9%
Oct 2008475K+2%
Sep 2008464K+7%
Aug 2008433K+9%
Jul 2008398K+4%
Jun 2008383K+4%
May 2008367K+2%
Apr 2008360K−1%
Mar 2008363K+5%
Feb 2008347K+2%
Jan 2008339K−3%
Dec 2007348K+4%
Nov 2007336K+2%
Oct 2007328K+5%
Sep 2007313K−2%
Aug 2007320K+2%
Jul 2007313K−1%
Jun 2007315K+4%
May 2007304K−5%
Apr 2007320K+4%
Mar 2007309K−4%
Feb 2007323K+2%
Jan 2007317K−2%
Dec 2006324K−1%
Nov 2006326K+3%
Oct 2006316K−0%
Sep 2006316K+1%
Aug 2006314K−1%
Jul 2006319K+4%
Jun 2006306K−8%
May 2006333K+10%
Apr 2006304K+1%
Mar 2006302K+4%
Feb 2006291K−2%
Jan 2006296K−7%
Dec 2005316K−0%
Nov 2005317K−10%
Oct 2005352K−8%
Sep 2005383K+21%
Aug 2005316K−3%
Jul 2005324K−0%
Jun 2005326K−0%
May 2005327K+1%
Apr 2005323K−3%
Mar 2005332K+6%
Feb 2005312K−9%
Jan 2005343K+6%
Dec 2004325K−1%
Nov 2004329K−2%
Oct 2004334K−1%
Sep 2004337K−1%
Aug 2004341K−1%
Jul 2004343K−2%
Jun 2004349K+4%
May 2004336K−3%
Apr 2004348K+2%
Mar 2004342K−5%
Feb 2004361K+0%
Jan 2004360K+1%
Dec 2003358K−1%
Nov 2003363K−5%
Oct 2003382K−3%
Sep 2003396K−1%
Aug 2003400K−3%
Jul 2003412K−2%
Jun 2003422K−1%
May 2003424K−3%
Apr 2003436K+2%
Mar 2003427K+4%
Feb 2003411K+4%
Jan 2003395K−5%
Dec 2002414K+6%
Nov 2002392K−4%
Oct 2002408K−0%
Sep 2002410K+4%
Aug 2002394K+2%
Jul 2002386K−0%
Jun 2002387K−5%
May 2002409K−5%
Apr 2002429K+3%
Mar 2002415K+4%
Feb 2002399K−2%
Jan 2002409K−2%
Dec 2001417K−7%
Nov 2001448K−7%
Oct 2001481K+11%
Sep 2001435K+9%
Aug 2001398K+0%
Jul 2001398K+0%
Jun 2001397K+1%
May 2001395K−1%
Apr 2001397K+2%
Mar 2001387K+4%
Feb 2001371K+9%
Jan 2001340K−2%
Dec 2000346K+4%
Nov 2000334K+11%
Oct 2000301K+0%
Sep 2000300K−4%
Aug 2000313K+6%
Jul 2000295K+1%
Jun 2000291K+3%
May 2000282K+4%
Apr 2000272K−1%
Mar 2000275K−6%
Feb 2000294K+2%
Jan 2000288K+4%
Dec 1999279K−1%
Nov 1999282K−3%
Oct 1999290K+0%
Sep 1999290K−0%
Aug 1999291K−2%
Jul 1999298K+1%
Jun 1999294K−3%
May 1999302K−2%
Apr 1999309K+2%
Mar 1999303K+0%
Feb 1999302K−8%
Jan 1999326K+3%
Dec 1998316K+0%
Nov 1998316K+2%
Oct 1998311K+2%
Sep 1998304K−3%
Aug 1998313K−6%
Jul 1998333K−1%
Jun 1998338K+9%
May 1998311K+0%
Apr 1998311K−1%
Mar 1998315K−1%
Feb 1998319K−1%
Jan 1998321K+3%
Dec 1997313K−0%
Nov 1997315K+1%
Oct 1997310K−2%
Sep 1997315K−5%
Aug 1997330K+3%
Jul 1997320K−2%
Jun 1997326K+1%
May 1997324K−1%
Apr 1997327K+2%
Mar 1997319K−0%
Feb 1997321K−5%
Jan 1997339K−4%
Dec 1996354K+5%
Nov 1996336K−1%
Oct 1996339K−1%
Sep 1996343K+3%
Aug 1996332K−2%
Jul 1996337K−2%
Jun 1996342K−1%
May 1996345K−4%
Apr 1996359K−7%
Mar 1996386K+2%
Feb 1996377K+1%
Jan 1996374K+2%
Dec 1995365K−3%
Nov 1995377K+1%
Oct 1995372K+3%
Sep 1995362K+2%
Aug 1995356K−4%
Jul 1995371K+1%
Jun 1995366K−1%
May 1995370K+6%
Apr 1995350K+3%
Mar 1995340K+1%
Feb 1995338K+1%
Jan 1995334K+3%
Dec 1994323K−1%
Nov 1994328K−2%
Oct 1994333K+1%
Sep 1994330K−2%
Aug 1994336K−2%
Jul 1994342K+1%
Jun 1994340K−5%
May 1994359K+4%
Apr 1994344K+2%
Mar 1994336K−4%
Feb 1994349K−3%
Jan 1994359K+11%
Dec 1993323K−5%
Nov 1993341K−3%
Oct 1993350K+3%
Sep 1993339K−1%
Aug 1993341K−3%
Jul 1993351K+2%
Jun 1993343K−0%
May 1993344K−3%
Apr 1993355K+1%
Mar 1993351K+4%
Feb 1993338K−2%
Jan 1993346K+2%
Dec 1992339K−6%
Nov 1992362K−4%
Oct 1992378K−9%
Sep 1992417K+2%
Aug 1992407K−8%
Jul 1992443K+6%
Jun 1992419K+0%
May 1992417K−0%
Apr 1992418K−3%
Mar 1992430K−3%
Feb 1992442K+1%
Jan 1992439K−4%
Dec 1991457K+3%
Nov 1991445K+5%
Oct 1991423K−0%
Sep 1991425K−2%
Aug 1991432K+3%
Jul 1991418K−2%
Jun 1991429K−4%
May 1991447K−4%
Apr 1991467K−6%
Mar 1991499K+3%
Feb 1991484K+10%
Jan 1991440K−3%
Dec 1990455K+2%
Nov 1990447K+5%
Oct 1990425K+8%
Sep 1990394K+3%
Aug 1990384K+5%
Jul 1990367K+1%
Jun 1990362K+2%
May 1990355K−2%
Apr 1990362K+5%
Mar 1990345K−4%
Feb 1990358K−1%
Jan 1990361K+2%
Dec 1989355K+5%
Nov 1989337K−7%
Oct 1989363K+8%
Sep 1989336K+0%
Aug 1989335K−2%
Jul 1989342K+3%
Jun 1989333K+3%
May 1989325K+4%
Apr 1989312K−3%
Mar 1989322K+6%
Feb 1989304K+5%
Jan 1989290K−1%
Dec 1988293K+1%
Nov 1988291K−0%
Oct 1988291K−4%
Sep 1988305K−3%
Aug 1988315K−2%
Jul 1988322K+4%
Jun 1988308K−2%
May 1988314K+0%
Apr 1988312K+2%
Mar 1988306K−4%
Feb 1988319K−5%
Jan 1988336K+5%
Dec 1987319K+4%
Nov 1987307K+2%
Oct 1987300K−3%
Sep 1987310K−5%
Aug 1987326K+2%
Jul 1987319K−1%
Jun 1987322K−3%
May 1987331K−2%
Apr 1987336K+1%
Mar 1987333K−4%
Feb 1987349K+1%
Jan 1987346K−4%
Dec 1986358K−1%
Nov 1986363K−5%
Oct 1986383K−3%
Sep 1986396K−3%
Aug 1986407K+13%
Jul 1986362K−2%
Jun 1986371K−4%
May 1986386K+0%
Apr 1986386K+1%
Mar 1986381K+3%
Feb 1986370K+1%
Jan 1986367K−5%
Dec 1985385K−2%
Nov 1985393K−3%
Oct 1985406K−1%
Sep 1985409K+1%
Aug 1985404K+7%
Jul 1985378K−4%
Jun 1985392K−0%
May 1985393K−1%
Apr 1985398K+5%
Mar 1985381K−3%
Feb 1985392K+6%
Jan 1985371K−4%
Dec 1984386K−5%
Nov 1984407K−3%
Oct 1984419K+6%
Sep 1984395K+2%
Aug 1984390K+8%
Jul 1984361K−0%
Jun 1984361K+0%
May 1984360K−2%
Apr 1984369K+7%
Mar 1984346K+2%
Feb 1984339K−3%
Jan 1984351K−5%
Dec 1983369K−6%
Nov 1983393K−2%
Oct 1983402K−2%
Sep 1983409K−6%
Aug 1983436K+7%
Jul 1983408K−8%
Jun 1983444K−5%
May 1983468K−6%
Apr 1983496K+3%
Mar 1983480K−2%
Feb 1983489K−2%
Jan 1983501K−4%
Dec 1982524K−12%
Nov 1982594K−9%
Oct 1982652K−1%
Sep 1982661K+5%
Aug 1982630K+9%
Jul 1982576K−4%
Jun 1982600K+3%
May 1982584K−1%
Apr 1982587K+5%
Mar 1982557K+4%
Feb 1982534K−0%
Jan 1982535K−3%
Dec 1981551K+8%
Nov 1981512K+4%
Oct 1981493K+4%
Sep 1981473K+5%
Aug 1981450K+5%
Jul 1981431K−1%
Jun 1981433K+4%
May 1981416K+1%
Apr 1981410K+1%
Mar 1981408K−5%
Feb 1981429K+4%
Jan 1981413K+1%
Dec 1980410K−1%
Nov 1980413K−6%
Oct 1980438K−9%
Sep 1980483K−9%
Aug 1980528K−6%
Jul 1980559K−8%
Jun 1980607K−1%
May 1980616K+16%
Apr 1980530K+22%
Mar 1980434K+4%
Feb 1980418K+1%
Jan 1980414K−3%
Dec 1979428K+4%
Nov 1979413K+3%
Oct 1979402K+4%
Sep 1979386K−2%
Aug 1979394K+4%
Jul 1979379K+5%
Jun 1979360K+3%
May 1979348K−16%
Apr 1979416K+16%
Mar 1979358K−0%
Feb 1979359K+0%
Jan 1979358K+1%
Dec 1978356K+8%
Nov 1978331K+1%
Oct 1978328K+2%
Sep 1978323K−7%
Aug 1978349K−0%
Jul 1978350K+8%
Jun 1978324K−1%
May 1978327K+0%
Apr 1978326K−7%
Mar 1978349K−9%
Feb 1978383K+9%
Jan 1978351K−2%
Dec 1977360K+2%
Nov 1977354K−2%
Oct 1977359K−3%
Sep 1977369K+0%
Aug 1977367K+2%
Jul 1977361K+0%
Jun 1977361K−5%
May 1977380K+3%
Apr 1977367K+2%
Mar 1977360K−20%
Feb 1977451K+12%
Jan 1977402K+8%
Dec 1976374K−4%
Nov 1976390K−5%
Oct 1976409K+0%
Sep 1976408K+5%
Aug 1976389K−1%
Jul 1976391K−1%
Jun 1976394K+1%
May 1976392K+6%
Apr 1976370K+3%
Mar 1976361K+4%
Feb 1976348K−6%
Jan 1976371K−1%
Dec 1975374K−7%
Nov 1975401K−5%
Oct 1975421K−5%
Sep 1975445K−1%
Aug 1975452K+2%
Jul 1975442K−11%
Jun 1975496K−1%
May 1975499K−5%
Apr 1975525K−4%
Mar 1975547K+0%
Feb 1975545K+2%
Jan 1975535K+2%
Dec 1974524K+15%
Nov 1974458K+15%
Oct 1974397K+10%
Sep 1974361K+6%
Aug 1974341K+10%
Jul 1974310K+1%
Jun 1974306K+3%
May 1974298K+2%
Apr 1974293K−6%
Mar 1974312K−2%
Feb 1974319K+4%
Jan 1974305K+7%
Dec 1973284K+12%
Nov 1973254K+5%
Oct 1973242K−2%
Sep 1973247K−4%
Aug 1973258K+6%
Jul 1973243K+2%
Jun 1973239K−1%
May 1973240K+1%
Apr 1973239K+5%
Mar 1973227K+2%
Feb 1973222K−3%
Jan 1973229K−6%
Dec 1972242K−3%
Nov 1972251K−0%
Oct 1972251K−2%
Sep 1972256K+1%
Aug 1972254K−15%
Jul 1972298K+9%
Jun 1972273K+2%
May 1972268K+2%
Apr 1972263K+0%
Mar 1972263K−0%
Feb 1972264K−3%
Jan 1972271K−1%
Dec 1971273K−5%
Nov 1971287K−4%
Oct 1971298K−7%
Sep 1971320K−2%
Aug 1971325K+11%
Jul 1971293K−1%
Jun 1971297K+1%
May 1971292K+2%
Apr 1971288K−2%
Mar 1971294K+3%
Feb 1971284K−5%
Jan 1971299K−2%
Dec 1970306K−6%
Nov 1970325K−3%
Oct 1970334K+5%
Sep 1970319K+12%
Aug 1970285K−0%
Jul 1970287K−3%
Jun 1970297K−4%
May 1970310K−5%
Apr 1970325K+21%
Mar 1970268K+4%
Feb 1970259K+5%
Jan 1970247K+12%
Dec 1969220K+7%
Nov 1969205K+3%
Oct 1969199K+2%
Sep 1969195K−2%
Aug 1969198K−5%
Jul 1969209K+9%
Jun 1969192K+6%
May 1969181K−2%
Apr 1969184K−3%
Mar 1969189K−4%
Feb 1969196K+2%
Jan 1969192K−4%
Dec 1968200K+9%
Nov 1968183K−1%
Oct 1968186K−3%
Sep 1968191K−4%
Aug 1968199K+2%
Jul 1968196K+1%
Jun 1968194K−3%
May 1968199K+0%
Apr 1968199K+2%
Mar 1968195K−7%
Feb 1968211K−2%
Jan 1968216K+2%
Dec 1967211K+2%
Nov 1967206K−5%
Oct 1967217K+0%
Sep 1967216K+2%
Aug 1967213K−7%
Jul 1967228K−2%
Jun 1967232K−2%
May 1967236K−10%
Apr 1967263K+1%
Mar 1967261K+14%
Feb 1967229K+10%
Jan 1967209K—
Annual data
YearInitial Jobless ClaimsChange
2026211K−7%
2025226K+1%
2024223K−0%
2023223K+4%
2022214K−54%
2021462K−67%
20201386K+537%
2019218K−1%
2018219K−10%
2017244K−7%
2016262K−6%
2015278K−10%
2014308K−10%
2013344K−8%
2012375K−8%
2011409K−11%
2010459K−20%
2009574K+37%
2008418K+30%
2007321K+3%
2006312K−6%
2005331K−3%
2004342K−15%
2003402K−1%
2002404K−0%
2001405K+35%
2000299K+1%
1999297K−6%
1998317K−1%
1997322K−9%
1996352K−2%
1995358K+5%
1994340K−1%
1993343K−16%
1992409K−8%
1991447K+16%
1990385K+17%
1989329K+7%
1988309K−5%
1987325K−14%
1986377K−4%
1985392K+5%
1984374K−15%
1983441K−25%
1982586K+30%
1981452K−7%
1980487K+27%
1979383K+12%
1978341K−9%
1977374K−2%
1976383K−19%
1975473K+35%
1974352K+44%
1973244K−7%
1972263K−11%
1971296K−0%
1970297K+51%
1969197K−0%
1968197K−13%
1967227K—
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