8.0%
2026 (thru Jul) (latest)
UNDEREMPLOYMENT (U-6)
percent, annual average · 1994–2026 · lower is better · FRED U6RATE
10.9%
1994
16.7%
high · 2010
6.9%
low · 2022
−2.9 pts
since 1994
┊ dashed lines mark 2001 Dot-com bust & 9/11 · 2008 Global financial crisis · 2020 COVID-19 pandemic
Method & caveats. BLS U-6: unemployed plus marginally attached plus part-time for economic reasons. Published from 1994.
Sources
Every value on this page is read from the publisher below. Current and historical source documents:
- https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/U6RATE
- https://github.com/danielmiessler/substrate/tree/main/Data/US-Long-Run-Indicators
Data
| Year | Underemployment (U-6) | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 8.0% | +0.0 pts |
| 2025 | 8.0% | +0.5 pts |
| 2024 | 7.5% | +0.6 pts |
| 2023 | 6.9% | +0.0 pts |
| 2022 | 6.9% | −2.5 pts |
| 2021 | 9.4% | −4.3 pts |
| 2020 | 13.7% | +6.5 pts |
| 2019 | 7.2% | −0.5 pts |
| 2018 | 7.7% | −0.8 pts |
| 2017 | 8.5% | −1.1 pts |
| 2016 | 9.6% | −0.9 pts |
| 2015 | 10.5% | −1.5 pts |
| 2014 | 12.0% | −1.8 pts |
| 2013 | 13.8% | −0.9 pts |
| 2012 | 14.7% | −1.2 pts |
| 2011 | 15.9% | −0.8 pts |
| 2010 | 16.7% | +0.4 pts |
| 2009 | 16.3% | +5.8 pts |
| 2008 | 10.5% | +2.2 pts |
| 2007 | 8.3% | +0.1 pts |
| 2006 | 8.2% | −0.7 pts |
| 2005 | 8.9% | −0.7 pts |
| 2004 | 9.6% | −0.5 pts |
| 2003 | 10.1% | +0.5 pts |
| 2002 | 9.6% | +1.4 pts |
| 2001 | 8.2% | +1.2 pts |
| 2000 | 7.0% | −0.4 pts |
| 1999 | 7.4% | −0.6 pts |
| 1998 | 8.0% | −0.9 pts |
| 1997 | 8.9% | −0.8 pts |
| 1996 | 9.7% | −0.4 pts |
| 1995 | 10.1% | −0.8 pts |
| 1994 | 10.9% | — |
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