61.8%
2026 (thru Jul) (latest)
LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION
percent, annual average · 1948–2026 · higher is better · FRED CIVPART
58.8%
1948
67.1%
high · 1997
58.7%
low · 1963
+3.0 pts
since 1948
┊ dashed lines mark 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. Share of the civilian population 16+ working or looking for work.
Sources
Every value on this page is read from the publisher below. Current and historical source documents:
- https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CIVPART
- https://github.com/danielmiessler/substrate/tree/main/Data/US-Long-Run-Indicators
Data
| Year | Labor Force Participation | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 61.8% | −0.6 pts |
| 2025 | 62.4% | −0.2 pts |
| 2024 | 62.6% | +0.0 pts |
| 2023 | 62.6% | +0.4 pts |
| 2022 | 62.2% | +0.5 pts |
| 2021 | 61.7% | +0.0 pts |
| 2020 | 61.7% | −1.4 pts |
| 2019 | 63.1% | +0.2 pts |
| 2018 | 62.9% | +0.0 pts |
| 2017 | 62.9% | +0.1 pts |
| 2016 | 62.8% | +0.1 pts |
| 2015 | 62.7% | −0.2 pts |
| 2014 | 62.9% | −0.4 pts |
| 2013 | 63.3% | −0.4 pts |
| 2012 | 63.7% | −0.4 pts |
| 2011 | 64.1% | −0.6 pts |
| 2010 | 64.7% | −0.7 pts |
| 2009 | 65.4% | −0.6 pts |
| 2008 | 66.0% | +0.0 pts |
| 2007 | 66.0% | −0.2 pts |
| 2006 | 66.2% | +0.2 pts |
| 2005 | 66.0% | +0.0 pts |
| 2004 | 66.0% | −0.2 pts |
| 2003 | 66.2% | −0.4 pts |
| 2002 | 66.6% | −0.2 pts |
| 2001 | 66.8% | −0.3 pts |
| 2000 | 67.1% | +0.0 pts |
| 1999 | 67.1% | +0.0 pts |
| 1998 | 67.1% | +0.0 pts |
| 1997 | 67.1% | +0.3 pts |
| 1996 | 66.8% | +0.2 pts |
| 1995 | 66.6% | +0.0 pts |
| 1994 | 66.6% | +0.3 pts |
| 1993 | 66.3% | −0.1 pts |
| 1992 | 66.4% | +0.2 pts |
| 1991 | 66.2% | −0.3 pts |
| 1990 | 66.5% | +0.1 pts |
| 1989 | 66.4% | +0.5 pts |
| 1988 | 65.9% | +0.3 pts |
| 1987 | 65.6% | +0.4 pts |
| 1986 | 65.2% | +0.4 pts |
| 1985 | 64.8% | +0.4 pts |
| 1984 | 64.4% | +0.4 pts |
| 1983 | 64.0% | +0.0 pts |
| 1982 | 64.0% | +0.1 pts |
| 1981 | 63.9% | +0.1 pts |
| 1980 | 63.8% | +0.1 pts |
| 1979 | 63.7% | +0.6 pts |
| 1978 | 63.1% | +0.9 pts |
| 1977 | 62.2% | +0.6 pts |
| 1976 | 61.6% | +0.4 pts |
| 1975 | 61.2% | −0.1 pts |
| 1974 | 61.3% | +0.5 pts |
| 1973 | 60.8% | +0.4 pts |
| 1972 | 60.4% | +0.2 pts |
| 1971 | 60.2% | −0.2 pts |
| 1970 | 60.4% | +0.3 pts |
| 1969 | 60.1% | +0.5 pts |
| 1968 | 59.6% | +0.0 pts |
| 1967 | 59.6% | +0.4 pts |
| 1966 | 59.2% | +0.4 pts |
| 1965 | 58.8% | +0.1 pts |
| 1964 | 58.7% | +0.0 pts |
| 1963 | 58.7% | −0.1 pts |
| 1962 | 58.8% | −0.5 pts |
| 1961 | 59.3% | −0.1 pts |
| 1960 | 59.4% | +0.1 pts |
| 1959 | 59.3% | −0.2 pts |
| 1958 | 59.5% | −0.1 pts |
| 1957 | 59.6% | −0.4 pts |
| 1956 | 60.0% | +0.8 pts |
| 1955 | 59.2% | +0.4 pts |
| 1954 | 58.8% | −0.1 pts |
| 1953 | 58.9% | −0.2 pts |
| 1952 | 59.1% | −0.2 pts |
| 1951 | 59.3% | +0.1 pts |
| 1950 | 59.2% | +0.2 pts |
| 1949 | 59.0% | +0.2 pts |
| 1948 | 58.8% | — |
Also in Economy & Work