U.S. Economic Data/Labor Markets

Long-Term Unemployment

Long-term unemployment counts people who have been without work for 27 weeks or longer, are available to work, and have actively looked for a job. The dashboard uses monthly, seasonally adjusted estimates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The latest estimate of 1,944 means roughly 1.94 million people remained unemployed for at least six months.

Since the Current Population Survey was redesigned in 1994, the count has often remained near 1–2 million during stronger labor markets, but it climbed to 6.8 million in April 2010 following the Great Recession. The level also rose sharply after the 2020 downturn before receding as the labor market recovered.

This measure helps distinguish a brief spell of unemployment from deeper labor-market strain. Prolonged joblessness can erode income, skills, and professional connections, while a sustained increase may show that displaced workers are having difficulty reentering employment even when other headline indicators appear stable.

Long-term unemployed
1.94 million
Latest month: Sep 2026
Year over year
+7.1%
Relative change vs. Sep 2025
Long-term / employment
1.2%
Contextual ratio not an unemployment rate
History
1994–2026

Monthly Data

Employment and long-term unemployment

People in thousands
Employment
(total)		Long-term
unemployed		Long-term
YoY change		Long-term /
employment
Sep 2026, latest month163,1521,944+7.1%1.2%
Aug 2026162,7461,930+0.3%1.2%
Jul 2026162,1771,771−2.8%1.1%
Jun 2026162,2641,937+17.3%1.2%
May 2026162,7711,988+35.8%1.2%
Apr 2026162,6221,833+9.6%1.1%
Mar 2026162,8481,821+21.5%1.1%
Feb 2026162,9121,899+30.0%1.2%
Jan 2026163,0971,813+25.1%1.1%
Dec 2025163,9921,948+25.6%1.2%
Nov 2025163,7601,910+15.7%1.2%
Oct 2025————
Sep 2025163,6561,815+12.6%1.1%
Aug 2025163,3701,924+25.3%1.2%
Jul 2025163,1401,822+18.5%1.1%
Jun 2025163,3271,651+7.6%1.0%
May 2025163,2441,464+8.0%0.9%
Apr 2025163,8981,672+33.9%1.0%
Mar 2025163,5091,499+19.1%0.9%
Feb 2025163,3381,461+19.9%0.9%
Jan 2025163,8311,449+13.3%0.9%
Dec 2024161,5861,551+21.8%1.0%
Nov 2024161,1591,651+41.6%1.0%
Oct 2024161,4441,604+20.9%1.0%
Sep 2024161,8131,612+29.9%1.0%
Aug 2024161,4291,536+12.9%1.0%
Jul 2024161,2971,537+29.2%1.0%
Jun 2024161,1521,534+36.7%1.0%
May 2024161,1801,356+17.8%0.8%
Apr 2024161,4381,249+16.1%0.8%
Mar 2024161,4621,259+18.0%0.8%
Feb 2024161,0831,219+14.8%0.8%
Jan 2024161,1331,279+16.9%0.8%
Dec 2023161,0581,273+18.8%0.8%
Nov 2023161,8631,166−6.0%0.7%
Oct 2023161,1981,327+9.7%0.8%
Sep 2023161,4511,241+11.2%0.8%
Aug 2023161,4851,360+11.3%0.8%
Jul 2023161,2461,190+6.8%0.7%
Jun 2023160,9731,122−17.3%0.7%
May 2023160,8121,151−11.6%0.7%
Apr 2023160,9271,076−22.2%0.7%
Mar 2023160,8481,067−23.0%0.7%
Feb 2023160,4571,062−37.3%0.7%
Jan 2023160,1731,094−34.2%0.7%
Dec 2022159,2021,072−46.2%0.7%
Nov 2022158,4841,241−43.0%0.8%
Oct 2022158,6711,210−48.9%0.8%
Sep 2022158,8141,116−58.8%0.7%
Aug 2022158,7441,222−61.6%0.8%
Jul 2022158,3071,114−67.9%0.7%
Jun 2022158,0851,356−66.0%0.9%
May 2022158,3931,302−65.0%0.8%
Apr 2022157,8521,383−66.1%0.9%
Mar 2022158,2381,386−66.8%0.9%
Feb 2022157,6541,695−59.1%1.1%
Jan 2022157,0811,663−58.8%1.1%
Dec 2021156,0531,993−49.8%1.3%
Nov 2021155,5132,178−44.5%1.4%
Oct 2021154,4682,367−34.1%1.5%
Sep 2021153,8442,712+10.9%1.8%
Aug 2021153,2583,181+94.9%2.1%
Jul 2021152,8123,471+124.8%2.3%
Jun 2021151,7213,989+194.4%2.6%
May 2021151,5463,716+224.0%2.5%
Apr 2021151,0454,079+348.2%2.7%
Mar 2021150,6664,176+266.3%2.8%
Feb 2021150,2344,149+273.8%2.8%
Jan 2021149,8214,039+243.5%2.7%
Dec 2020149,9753,967+233.9%2.6%
Nov 2020149,9343,924+224.8%2.6%
Oct 2020149,9313,591+178.2%2.4%
Sep 2020147,6202,445+82.7%1.7%
Aug 2020147,2451,632+29.8%1.1%
Jul 2020143,7791,544+25.8%1.1%
Jun 2020142,3421,355+1.7%1.0%
May 2020137,1731,147−11.7%0.8%
Apr 2020133,185910−26.0%0.7%
Mar 2020155,3531,140−9.8%0.7%
Feb 2020158,7141,110−13.5%0.7%
Jan 2020158,5081,176−8.6%0.7%
Dec 2019158,8451,188−9.0%0.7%
Nov 2019158,6291,208−1.6%0.8%
Oct 2019158,5451,291−4.2%0.8%
Sep 2019158,3391,338−1.0%0.8%
Aug 2019157,8291,257−2.3%0.8%
Jul 2019157,5291,227−13.3%0.8%
Jun 2019157,2321,333−5.1%0.8%
May 2019156,8211,299+5.4%0.8%
Apr 2019156,6251,230−10.5%0.8%
Mar 2019156,7011,264−6.0%0.8%
Feb 2019156,8631,283−10.4%0.8%
Jan 2019156,4871,287−12.3%0.8%
Dec 2018156,8171,306−13.9%0.8%
Nov 2018156,7211,228−22.7%0.8%
Oct 2018156,3911,348−16.2%0.9%
Sep 2018156,0151,351−19.7%0.9%
Aug 2018155,5041,287−23.7%0.8%
Jul 2018156,1461,416−17.7%0.9%
Jun 2018155,7621,404−15.1%0.9%
May 2018155,6521,233−28.4%0.8%
Apr 2018155,3121,375−19.5%0.9%
Mar 2018155,2141,345−19.8%0.9%
Feb 2018155,1971,432−20.6%0.9%
Jan 2018154,4251,467−21.4%0.9%
Dec 2017153,9041,516−18.5%1.0%
Nov 2017153,8051,589−14.8%1.0%
Oct 2017153,6091,609−17.3%1.0%
Sep 2017154,2861,683−12.9%1.1%
Aug 2017153,5031,687−14.4%1.1%
Jul 2017153,5691,720−11.5%1.1%
Jun 2017153,3181,654−16.7%1.1%
May 2017153,0691,721−10.6%1.1%
Apr 2017153,2551,709−20.4%1.1%
Mar 2017153,0651,677−24.8%1.1%
Feb 2017152,4801,803−16.1%1.2%
Jan 2017152,1521,866−10.3%1.2%
Dec 2016152,1571,860−12.6%1.2%
Nov 2016151,9541,865−10.1%1.2%
Oct 2016151,7931,946−8.6%1.3%
Sep 2016151,7611,933−7.8%1.3%
Aug 2016151,7791,970−9.3%1.3%
Jul 2016151,5541,943−8.7%1.3%
Jun 2016151,2231,986−8.1%1.3%
May 2016151,1321,925−23.1%1.3%
Apr 2016151,0742,147−16.1%1.4%
Mar 2016151,2182,231−12.2%1.5%
Feb 2016150,9392,150−19.1%1.4%
Jan 2016150,6532,081−25.0%1.4%
Dec 2015150,1282,127−24.0%1.4%
Nov 2015149,4632,074−26.7%1.4%
Oct 2015149,2462,130−26.3%1.4%
Sep 2015148,8262,097−28.9%1.4%
Aug 2015149,1812,172−26.6%1.5%
Jul 2015148,8302,127−32.2%1.4%
Jun 2015148,8162,162−30.6%1.5%
May 2015148,8172,503−25.5%1.7%
Apr 2015148,5112,560−26.4%1.7%
Mar 2015148,1282,542−31.4%1.7%
Feb 2015148,0452,658−29.7%1.8%
Jan 2015148,1452,774−23.1%1.9%
Dec 2014147,6152,799−27.5%1.9%
Nov 2014147,4042,828−30.0%1.9%
Oct 2014147,4272,892−28.1%2.0%
Sep 2014146,7782,948−28.7%2.0%
Aug 2014146,5302,958−31.1%2.0%
Jul 2014146,3993,136−26.4%2.1%
Jun 2014146,2473,116−28.5%2.1%
May 2014145,8253,360−22.7%2.3%
Apr 2014145,6673,479−22.1%2.4%
Mar 2014145,6483,704−18.8%2.5%
Feb 2014145,1343,783−19.4%2.6%
Jan 2014145,1503,607−22.9%2.5%
Dec 2013144,7783,863−19.0%2.7%
Nov 2013144,4794,042−15.9%2.8%
Oct 2013143,5374,024−19.3%2.8%
Sep 2013144,4184,132−15.9%2.9%
Aug 2013144,3264,296−14.8%3.0%
Jul 2013144,2644,258−18.3%3.0%
Jun 2013143,9994,355−19.5%3.0%
May 2013143,8824,347−19.5%3.0%
Apr 2013143,6354,468−12.9%3.1%
Mar 2013143,3164,563−12.9%3.2%
Feb 2013143,3624,691−10.5%3.3%
Jan 2013143,2924,681−14.5%3.3%
Dec 2012143,3304,768−14.6%3.3%
Nov 2012143,3334,805−15.7%3.4%
Oct 2012143,4314,988−14.6%3.5%
Sep 2012143,0444,911−22.1%3.4%
Aug 2012142,2915,042−16.6%3.5%
Jul 2012142,2925,210−15.9%3.7%
Jun 2012142,3915,409−13.7%3.8%
May 2012142,2065,401−12.2%3.8%
Apr 2012141,8995,132−13.4%3.6%
Mar 2012142,0365,236−14.2%3.7%
Feb 2012141,8585,242−11.0%3.7%
Jan 2012141,5845,476−11.3%3.9%
Dec 2011140,9025,586−13.1%4.0%
Nov 2011140,8265,698−9.9%4.0%
Oct 2011140,3685,838−6.2%4.2%
Sep 2011140,1836,304+2.3%4.5%
Aug 2011139,9426,048−3.4%4.3%
Jul 2011139,5246,195−4.8%4.4%
Jun 2011139,3846,271−5.3%4.5%
May 2011139,6246,153−7.3%4.4%
Apr 2011139,5865,925−12.9%4.2%
Mar 2011139,6396,105−6.7%4.4%
Feb 2011139,3945,892−3.9%4.2%
Jan 2011139,2506,175−2.3%4.4%
Dec 2010139,3016,429+5.0%4.6%
Nov 2010139,0446,326+7.1%4.5%
Oct 2010139,1196,227+10.3%4.5%
Sep 2010139,3966,163+12.2%4.4%
Aug 2010139,4386,259+24.3%4.5%
Jul 2010139,1796,506+32.3%4.7%
Jun 2010139,1416,623+52.3%4.8%
May 2010139,2416,638+67.1%4.8%
Apr 2010139,2976,800+81.2%4.9%
Mar 2010138,7516,545+100.8%4.7%
Feb 2010138,5816,129+104.4%4.4%
Jan 2010138,4386,319+134.1%4.6%
Dec 2009138,0136,122+134.6%4.4%
Nov 2009138,6595,908+166.2%4.3%
Oct 2009138,4325,643+147.5%4.1%
Sep 2009138,8185,494+171.0%4.0%
Aug 2009139,4925,037+169.9%3.6%
Jul 2009139,9014,917+195.5%3.5%
Jun 2009140,0094,349+176.0%3.1%
May 2009140,2483,973+154.5%2.8%
Apr 2009140,6563,752+173.5%2.7%
Mar 2009140,7073,260+146.4%2.3%
Feb 2009141,6402,999+125.7%2.1%
Jan 2009142,1522,699+94.5%1.9%
Dec 2008143,3692,610+97.1%1.8%
Nov 2008144,1002,219+61.5%1.5%
Oct 2008144,8022,280+75.7%1.6%
Sep 2008145,0762,027+60.4%1.4%
Aug 2008145,2031,866+49.8%1.3%
Jul 2008145,5321,664+28.9%1.1%
Jun 2008145,7371,576+37.9%1.1%
May 2008145,9081,561+37.9%1.1%
Apr 2008146,1321,372+13.8%0.9%
Mar 2008146,0861,323+6.3%0.9%
Feb 2008146,1561,329+6.4%0.9%
Jan 2008146,3781,388+21.6%0.9%
Dec 2007146,2731,324+21.1%0.9%
Nov 2007146,5951,374+21.5%0.9%
Oct 2007145,9461,298+20.4%0.9%
Sep 2007146,2441,264+1.5%0.9%
Aug 2007145,6821,246−4.6%0.9%
Jul 2007145,9051,291−1.0%0.9%
Jun 2007146,0631,143−0.2%0.8%
May 2007145,9031,132−15.1%0.8%
Apr 2007145,5861,206−9.4%0.8%
Mar 2007146,3201,245−4.9%0.9%
Feb 2007146,0571,249−7.5%0.9%
Jan 2007146,0281,141−2.5%0.8%
Dec 2006145,9701,093−19.4%0.7%
Nov 2006145,5341,131−17.4%0.8%
Oct 2006145,3141,078−24.2%0.7%
Sep 2006144,8151,245−13.5%0.9%
Aug 2006144,6251,306−7.2%0.9%
Jul 2006144,2021,304−5.5%0.9%
Jun 2006144,3531,145−16.7%0.8%
May 2006144,0891,333−13.3%0.9%
Apr 2006143,7611,331−17.3%0.9%
Mar 2006143,7411,309−21.1%0.9%
Feb 2006143,4571,350−17.1%0.9%
Jan 2006143,1501,170−29.0%0.8%
Dec 2005142,7521,356−18.0%0.9%
Nov 2005142,4991,370−19.5%1.0%
Oct 2005142,5481,422−18.1%1.0%
Sep 2005142,4011,439−15.5%1.0%
Aug 2005142,4341,407−14.2%1.0%
Jul 2005142,0261,380−17.9%1.0%
Jun 2005141,7141,375−25.6%1.0%
May 2005141,6091,538−14.5%1.1%
Apr 2005141,2541,609−10.9%1.1%
Mar 2005140,6541,660−16.3%1.2%
Feb 2005140,3851,628−12.3%1.2%
Jan 2005140,2451,648−13.8%1.2%
Dec 2004140,1251,653−14.4%1.2%
Nov 2004140,2311,702−15.2%1.2%
Oct 2004139,7321,737−11.3%1.2%
Sep 2004139,4871,702−15.5%1.2%
Aug 2004139,5731,640−17.8%1.2%
Jul 2004139,5561,681−14.8%1.2%
Jun 2004139,1741,847−12.0%1.3%
May 2004138,8521,799−6.7%1.3%
Apr 2004138,6801,805−6.3%1.3%
Mar 2004138,4531,983+10.3%1.4%
Feb 2004138,5421,856−0.4%1.3%
Jan 2004138,4721,911+8.6%1.4%
Dec 2003138,4111,931+0.4%1.4%
Nov 2003138,4242,006+15.1%1.4%
Oct 2003137,9841,959+18.5%1.4%
Sep 2003137,6092,014+27.5%1.5%
Aug 2003137,5491,995+26.8%1.5%
Jul 2003137,4741,972+24.5%1.4%
Jun 2003137,7902,100+28.0%1.5%
May 2003137,5441,929+22.6%1.4%
Apr 2003137,6331,927+32.3%1.4%
Mar 2003137,4341,798+35.2%1.3%
Feb 2003137,4821,864+53.5%1.4%
Jan 2003137,4171,760+46.3%1.3%
Dec 2002136,4261,924+70.9%1.4%
Nov 2002136,5211,743+57.6%1.3%
Oct 2002137,0081,653+81.8%1.2%
Sep 2002137,3021,580+92.9%1.2%
Aug 2002136,7051,573+83.5%1.2%
Jul 2002136,4131,584+125.6%1.2%
Jun 2002136,4151,641+131.1%1.2%
May 2002136,5391,574+152.2%1.2%
Apr 2002136,1261,457+104.6%1.1%
Mar 2002136,1771,330+91.1%1.0%
Feb 2002136,4381,214+70.0%0.9%
Jan 2002135,7011,203+78.0%0.9%
Dec 2001136,0471,126+75.4%0.8%
Nov 2001136,2381,106+86.5%0.8%
Oct 2001136,392909+45.0%0.7%
Sep 2001136,846819+26.8%0.6%
Aug 2001136,241857+20.9%0.6%
Jul 2001137,071702+0.6%0.5%
Jun 2001136,873710+13.2%0.5%
May 2001137,092624−3.0%0.5%
Apr 2001137,299712+18.9%0.5%
Mar 2001137,783696+7.7%0.5%
Feb 2001137,612714+13.5%0.5%
Jan 2001137,778676−6.2%0.5%
Dec 2000137,614642−5.6%0.5%
Nov 2000137,322593−13.0%0.4%
Oct 2000137,088627−13.4%0.5%
Sep 2000136,893646−8.9%0.5%
Aug 2000136,662709+0.4%0.5%
Jul 2000136,531698−4.6%0.5%
Jun 2000136,940627−22.8%0.5%
May 2000136,630643−10.4%0.5%
Apr 2000137,270599−14.2%0.4%
Mar 2000136,701646−9.5%0.5%
Feb 2000136,598629−21.5%0.5%
Jan 2000136,559721+1.0%0.5%
Dec 1999134,523680−15.3%0.5%
Nov 1999134,309682−22.1%0.5%
Oct 1999133,993724−15.6%0.5%
Sep 1999133,707709−22.6%0.5%
Aug 1999133,591706−13.7%0.5%
Jul 1999133,414732−10.8%0.5%
Jun 1999133,378812+2.9%0.6%
May 1999133,311718−14.4%0.5%
Apr 1999132,955698−21.0%0.5%
Mar 1999132,947714−22.2%0.5%
Feb 1999132,856801−16.3%0.6%
Jan 1999133,027714−28.2%0.5%
Dec 1998132,602803−18.4%0.6%
Nov 1998132,280875−6.7%0.7%
Oct 1998131,999858−17.0%0.7%
Sep 1998131,986916−14.7%0.7%
Aug 1998131,390818−23.9%0.6%
Jul 1998131,329821−23.8%0.6%
Jun 1998131,244789−26.7%0.6%
May 1998131,325839−20.2%0.6%
Apr 1998131,209883−20.1%0.7%
Mar 1998130,814918−16.4%0.7%
Feb 1998130,807957−13.7%0.7%
Jan 1998130,726995−13.5%0.8%
Dec 1997130,679984−14.7%0.8%
Nov 1997130,653938−18.2%0.7%
Oct 1997130,1791,034−12.7%0.8%
Sep 1997130,0191,074−11.5%0.8%
Aug 1997130,0101,075−15.0%0.8%
Jul 1997129,8221,078−19.3%0.8%
Jun 1997129,4121,076−21.5%0.8%
May 1997129,4641,051−22.7%0.8%
Apr 1997129,1431,105−18.0%0.9%
Mar 1997128,8911,098−17.4%0.9%
Feb 1997128,2981,109−7.7%0.9%
Jan 1997128,2981,150−4.9%0.9%
Dec 1996127,8601,154−4.9%0.9%
Nov 1996127,7711,146−8.6%0.9%
Oct 1996127,8901,184−3.0%0.9%
Sep 1996127,5361,214−3.7%1.0%
Aug 1996127,1721,265+2.4%1.0%
Jul 1996126,9471,336+6.9%1.1%
Jun 1996126,6021,370+10.9%1.1%
May 1996126,2441,359+3.3%1.1%
Apr 1996125,9941,347−4.7%1.1%
Mar 1996125,8621,330−0.6%1.1%
Feb 1996125,6391,201−2.0%1.0%
Jan 1996125,1251,209−9.8%1.0%
Dec 1995125,0881,214−11.2%1.0%
Nov 1995125,1881,254−14.7%1.0%
Oct 1995125,3881,220−23.3%1.0%
Sep 1995125,1331,261−18.3%1.0%
Aug 1995124,8521,235−21.3%1.0%
Jul 1995124,8161,250−20.0%1.0%
Jun 1995124,5221,235−21.8%1.0%
May 1995124,4211,316−22.4%1.1%
Apr 1995124,9451,413−19.1%1.1%
Mar 1995124,9551,338−24.8%1.1%
Feb 1995124,9281,226−30.3%1.0%
Jan 1995124,6631,340−22.7%1.1%
Dec 1994124,7211,367—1.1%
Nov 1994124,5161,470—1.2%
Oct 1994124,1121,591—1.3%
Sep 1994123,6871,543—1.2%
Aug 1994123,3421,569—1.3%
Jul 1994122,7061,562—1.3%
Jun 1994122,6341,580—1.3%
May 1994122,8641,696—1.4%
Apr 1994122,2901,746—1.4%
Mar 1994121,9301,780—1.5%
Feb 1994122,0861,759—1.4%
Jan 1994121,9661,733—1.4%
393 months · Comparable history since 1994Lower Higher

Long-Term Unemployment

People unemployed 27 weeks or longer

Monthly level

Monthly BLS estimates · Values are seasonally adjusted

Year-over-Year Change

Change in the annual average level

Relative %

Positive = rising long-term unemployment · Negative = falling · 2026 compares Jan–Sep with the same months of 2025

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment series · View series in FRED

Saved release · Latest observation Sep 2026

About this indicator & methodology

Who is counted. The Bureau of Labor Statistics classifies someone as unemployed if they had no job during the survey reference week, were available for work, and had actively looked for work during the preceding four weeks. Long-term unemployment is the subset unemployed for 27 weeks or longer. Estimates come from the monthly Current Population Survey of U.S. households and are shown in thousands of people.

The employment ratio. “Long-term / employment” divides the number of long-term unemployed people by total civilian employment. It is included to place the count in the context of the size of the employed population; it is not an official unemployment rate and does not use the labor force as its denominator.

Annual chart. Each bar compares the average monthly level with the prior year. For an incomplete year, the dashboard compares the available months with those same months one year earlier. Months without a published estimate are excluded rather than filled with an assumed value. The history begins in 1994, when a major redesign of the Current Population Survey introduced a break in comparability with earlier estimates.

Data updates. The page checks BLS series LNS13008636 and LNS12000000 when opened. If the source cannot be reached, it retains the saved release. BLS may revise recent seasonally adjusted estimates. Read the BLS labor-force definitions.