The US unemployment rate was unchanged at 6.7 percent in December 2020, compared with market expectations of 6.8 percent and well above pre-pandemic levels of about 3.5 percent. The latest reading pointed to a stagnation in the labor market recovery, amid a lack of fiscal stimulus and record COVID-19 infections that prompted many US states to impose restrictive measures to respond to the outbreak. source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Unemployment Rate in the United States averaged 5.77 percent from 1948 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 14.80 percent in April of 2020 and a record low of 2.50 percent in May of 1953. This page provides the latest reported value for - United States Unemployment Rate - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news. United States Unemployment Rate - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on January of 2021.

Unemployment Rate in the United States is expected to be 6.80 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. Looking forward, we estimate Unemployment Rate in the United States to stand at 6.50 in 12 months time. In the long-term, the United States Unemployment Rate is projected to trend around 4.40 percent in 2022, according to our econometric models.

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United States Unemployment Rate

Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
6.70 6.70 14.80 2.50 1948 - 2020 percent Monthly


Calendar GMT Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2020-10-02 12:30 PM Sep 7.9% 8.4% 8.2% 8.3%
2020-11-06 01:30 PM Oct 6.9% 7.9% 7.7% 7.7%
2020-12-04 01:30 PM Nov 6.7% 6.9% 6.8% 6.8%
2021-01-08 01:30 PM Dec 6.7% 6.7% 6.8% 6.7%
2021-02-05 01:30 PM Jan 6.7% 6.8%
2021-03-05 01:30 PM Feb
2021-04-02 12:30 PM Mar
2021-05-07 12:30 PM Apr
Go to our Calendar for more events. Or learn more about the Calendar API for direct access.


News Stream
US Jobless Rate Remains Well Above Pre-Pandemic Levels
The US unemployment rate was unchanged at 6.7 percent in December 2020, compared with market expectations of 6.8 percent and well above pre-pandemic levels of about 3.5 percent. The latest reading pointed to a stagnation in the labor market recovery, amid a lack of fiscal stimulus and record COVID-19 infections that prompted many US states to impose restrictive measures to respond to the outbreak.
2021-01-08
US Jobless Rate Seen at 6.8% in December
The US unemployment rate is seen picking up to 6.8 percent in December 2020, from 6.7 percent in the previous month and well above pre-pandemic levels of about 3.5 percent. The labor market recovery slowed amid a lack of fiscal stimulus and record COVID-19 infections that prompted many US states to impose restrictive measures to respond to the outbreak.
2021-01-08
US Jobless Rate Falls to 6.7% in November
The US unemployment rate edged down to 6.7 percent in November 2020, from the previous month's 6.9 percent and compared with market expectations of 6.8 percent, as fewer people looked for work. The number of unemployed persons fell by 326 thousand to 10.7 million and the employment level declined by 74 thousand to 149.7 million. The labor force participation rate edged down to 61.5 percent in November, 1.9 percentage points below its February level. The employment-population ratio was little-changed at 57.3 percent, 3.8 percentage points lower than in February.
2020-12-04
US Jobless Rate Seen at 6.8% in November
The US unemployment rate is seen easing to 6.8 percent in November 2020, little-changed from October's 6.9 percent, a number that has been biased down by people misclassifying themselves as being “employed but absent from work.” November's jobless rate would compare with an all-time high of 14.7 percent hit in April but would still remain well above pre-pandemic levels of about 3.5 percent, as the labor market recovery from COVID-19 shock showed signs of slowing amid a lack of fiscal stimulus and spiraling new coronavirus infections.
2020-12-04

United States Unemployment Rate
In the United States, the unemployment rate measures the number of people actively looking for a job as a percentage of the labour force.