Long-Term Unemployed Share (27+ Weeks)

Long-term unemployed as a share of the unemployed

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Where the Long-Term Unemployed Share (27+ Weeks) stands now

The Long-Term Unemployed Share (27+ Weeks) was 27.1% in September 2026. Since 1994 it has ranged from 4.0% in April 2020 to 45.5% in April 2010. It has been higher than the month before for two months in a row.

How the Long-Term Unemployed Share (27+ Weeks) has moved since 1948

Long-Term Unemployed Share (27+ Weeks): up since 2023

Share of unemployed people jobless for 27 weeks or more, BLS, seasonally adjusted: 27.1% in September 2026, up from 23.6% a year earlier. Monthly, 1948–2026.

0% 20% 40% 60% 19482026 high · Apr 2010 · 45.5% low · May 1953 · 2.9% 27.1% Sep 2026 0% 20% 40% 60% 19482026 45.5% 2.9% 27.1%
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data retrieved via FRED (LNS13025703) · Jan 1948 – Sep 2026 American Default Research · americandefault.org/indicators/the-long-haul/
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What the Long-Term Unemployed Share (27+ Weeks) measures

Long-Term Unemployed Share (27+ Weeks) by month, 1948 to 2026

The newest 300 months, newest first; the CSV has every month since 1948. The change compares each month with the same month a year earlier.

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The source changed how it measures this in Jan 1994. BLS redesigned the Current Population Survey questionnaire and collection methods in January 1994, and BLS researchers found the redesign affected duration-of-unemployment statistics, so earlier values are not directly comparable. Figures on either side are not directly comparable, so the change column stays blank where a comparison would cross that date. Source documentation.

Month Rate (%) Change from a year earlier (percentage points)
Sep 2026 27.1 +3.5
Aug 2026 27.0 +1.4
Jul 2026 25.5 +0.6
Jun 2026 27.3 +4.0
May 2026 27.5 +7.1
Apr 2026 25.3 +1.8
Mar 2026 25.4 +4.1
Feb 2026 25.3 +4.4
Jan 2026 24.7 +3.6
Dec 2025 26.0 +3.7
Nov 2025 24.4 +1.3
Sep 2025 23.6 +0.1
Aug 2025 25.6 +4.2
Jul 2025 24.9 +3.4
Jun 2025 23.3 +1.0
May 2025 20.4 −0.3
Apr 2025 23.5 +3.9
Mar 2025 21.3 +1.6
Feb 2025 20.9 +2.0
Jan 2025 21.1 +0.4
Dec 2024 22.3 +2.3
Nov 2024 23.1 +4.5
Oct 2024 22.8 +2.3
Sep 2024 23.5 +4.1
Aug 2024 21.4 +0.2
Jul 2024 21.5 +1.3
Jun 2024 22.3 +3.5
May 2024 20.7 +1.5
Apr 2024 19.6 +0.5
Mar 2024 19.7 +1.5
Feb 2024 18.9 +1.1
Jan 2024 20.7 +1.7
Dec 2023 20.0 +1.5
Nov 2023 18.6 −2.3
Oct 2023 20.5 +0.3
Sep 2023 19.4 0.0
Aug 2023 21.2 +1.0
Jul 2023 20.2 +0.9
Jun 2023 18.8 −4.1
May 2023 19.2 −3.1
Apr 2023 19.1 −4.4
Mar 2023 18.2 −4.9
Feb 2023 17.8 −9.1
Jan 2023 19.0 −6.2
Dec 2022 18.5 −12.7
Nov 2022 20.9 −11.5
Oct 2022 20.2 −12.3
Sep 2022 19.4 −15.9
Aug 2022 20.2 −17.8
Jul 2022 19.3 −20.4
Jun 2022 22.9 −19.0
May 2022 22.3 −18.2
Apr 2022 23.5 −18.5
Mar 2022 23.1 −19.9
Feb 2022 26.9 −14.9
Jan 2022 25.2 −14.6
Dec 2021 31.2 −5.5
Nov 2021 32.4 −4.1
Oct 2021 32.5 0.0
Sep 2021 35.3 +16.0
Aug 2021 38.0 +26.0
Jul 2021 39.7 +30.2
Jun 2021 41.9 +34.2
May 2021 40.5 +35.0
Apr 2021 42.0 +38.0
Mar 2021 43.0 +27.1
Feb 2021 41.8 +22.6
Jan 2021 39.8 +19.8
Dec 2020 36.7 +16.5
Nov 2020 36.5 +16.0
Oct 2020 32.5 +10.6
Sep 2020 19.3 −3.9
Aug 2020 12.0 −8.7
Jul 2020 9.5 −10.7
Jun 2020 7.7 −15.0
May 2020 5.5 −17.1
Apr 2020 4.0 −17.0
Mar 2020 15.9 −4.5
Feb 2020 19.2 −1.5
Jan 2020 20.0 +0.2
Dec 2019 20.2 −0.1
Nov 2019 20.5 +0.4
Oct 2019 21.9 0.0
Sep 2019 23.2 +1.0
Aug 2019 20.7 +0.1
Jul 2019 20.2 −2.7
Jun 2019 22.7 +0.8
May 2019 22.6 +2.4
Apr 2019 21.0 −0.5
Mar 2019 20.4 −0.5
Feb 2019 20.7 −0.8
Jan 2019 19.8 −2.7
Dec 2018 20.3 −2.5
Nov 2018 20.1 −3.5
Oct 2018 21.9 −2.4
Sep 2018 22.2 −2.3
Aug 2018 20.6 −3.1
Jul 2018 22.9 −2.3
Jun 2018 21.9 −2.4
May 2018 20.2 −4.8
Apr 2018 21.5 −2.6
Mar 2018 20.9 −2.7
Feb 2018 21.5 −2.6
Jan 2018 22.5 −2.3
Dec 2017 22.8 −1.8
Nov 2017 23.6 −1.1
Oct 2017 24.3 −0.5
Sep 2017 24.5 +0.3
Aug 2017 23.7 −1.9
Jul 2017 25.2 −0.2
Jun 2017 24.3 −1.5
May 2017 25.0 −0.5
Apr 2017 24.1 −2.5
Mar 2017 23.6 −4.4
Feb 2017 24.1 −3.7
Jan 2017 24.8 −2.3
Dec 2016 24.6 −2.2
Nov 2016 24.7 −1.1
Oct 2016 24.8 −1.9
Sep 2016 24.2 −2.1
Aug 2016 25.6 −2.0
Jul 2016 25.4 −0.6
Jun 2016 25.8 −0.4
May 2016 25.5 −3.1
Apr 2016 26.6 −2.8
Mar 2016 28.0 −1.8
Feb 2016 27.8 −3.0
Jan 2016 27.1 −4.2
Dec 2015 26.8 −5.2
Nov 2015 25.8 −5.3
Oct 2015 26.7 −5.1
Sep 2015 26.3 −5.4
Aug 2015 27.6 −3.6
Jul 2015 26.0 −6.6
Jun 2015 26.2 −6.7
May 2015 28.6 −5.9
Apr 2015 29.4 −6.2
Mar 2015 29.8 −5.8
Feb 2015 30.8 −5.7
Jan 2015 31.3 −4.0
Dec 2014 32.0 −5.1
Nov 2014 31.1 −6.6
Oct 2014 31.8 −4.1
Sep 2014 31.7 −5.1
Aug 2014 31.2 −7.4
Jul 2014 32.6 −5.0
Jun 2014 32.9 −4.1
May 2014 34.5 −2.8
Apr 2014 35.6 −2.2
Mar 2014 35.6 −3.5
Feb 2014 36.5 −2.7
Jan 2014 35.3 −2.2
Dec 2013 37.1 −1.7
Nov 2013 37.7 −2.5
Oct 2013 35.9 −4.7
Sep 2013 36.8 −3.7
Aug 2013 38.6 −1.8
Jul 2013 37.6 −3.6
Jun 2013 37.0 −5.3
May 2013 37.3 −5.4
Apr 2013 37.8 −3.0
Mar 2013 39.1 −2.2
Feb 2013 39.2 −1.9
Jan 2013 37.5 −5.2
Dec 2012 38.8 −3.9
Nov 2012 40.2 −3.0
Oct 2012 40.6 −2.0
Sep 2012 40.5 −4.7
Aug 2012 40.4 −3.2
Jul 2012 41.2 −3.9
Jun 2012 42.3 −2.3
May 2012 42.7 −2.0
Apr 2012 40.8 −2.2
Mar 2012 41.3 −3.3
Feb 2012 41.1 −1.7
Jan 2012 42.7 −1.1
Dec 2011 42.7 −1.9
Nov 2011 43.2 +0.8
Oct 2011 42.6 0.0
Sep 2011 45.2 +2.9
Aug 2011 43.6 +0.8
Jul 2011 45.1 +0.2
Jun 2011 44.6 −0.3
May 2011 44.7 −0.2
Apr 2011 43.0 −2.5
Mar 2011 44.6 +1.4
Feb 2011 42.8 +2.3
Jan 2011 43.8 +2.2
Dec 2010 44.6 +4.2
Nov 2010 42.4 +3.1
Oct 2010 42.6 +6.0
Sep 2010 42.3 +5.7
Aug 2010 42.8 +8.5
Jul 2010 44.9 +10.9
Jun 2010 44.9 +15.9
May 2010 44.9 +17.9
Apr 2010 45.5 +18.4
Mar 2010 43.2 +19.0
Feb 2010 40.5 +17.1
Jan 2010 41.6 +19.0
Dec 2009 40.4 +17.3
Nov 2009 39.3 +18.2
Oct 2009 36.6 +14.3
Sep 2009 36.6 +15.3
Aug 2009 34.3 +14.5
Jul 2009 34.0 +15.1
Jun 2009 29.0 +10.8
May 2009 27.0 +8.7
Apr 2009 27.1 +9.4
Mar 2009 24.2 +7.3
Feb 2009 23.4 +5.6
Jan 2009 22.6 +4.1
Dec 2008 23.1 +5.7
Nov 2008 21.1 +2.2
Oct 2008 22.3 +4.6
Sep 2008 21.3 +3.8
Aug 2008 19.8 +2.3
Jul 2008 18.9 +0.6
Jun 2008 18.2 +1.8
May 2008 18.3 +1.8
Apr 2008 17.7 +0.3
Mar 2008 16.9 −1.7
Feb 2008 17.8 −0.2
Jan 2008 18.5 +2.2
Dec 2007 17.4 +1.2
Nov 2007 18.9 +2.5
Oct 2007 17.7 +1.8
Sep 2007 17.5 −0.6
Aug 2007 17.5 −0.8
Jul 2007 18.3 0.0
Jun 2007 16.4 −0.2
May 2007 16.5 −2.4
Apr 2007 17.4 −1.2
Mar 2007 18.6 0.0
Feb 2007 18.0 −0.7
Jan 2007 16.3 −0.4
Dec 2006 16.2 −2.5
Nov 2006 16.4 −1.6
Oct 2006 15.9 −3.0
Sep 2006 18.1 −0.8
Aug 2006 18.3 −0.6
Jul 2006 18.3 −0.4
Jun 2006 16.6 −1.9
May 2006 18.9 −1.2
Apr 2006 18.6 −2.4
Mar 2006 18.6 −3.2
Feb 2006 18.7 −1.7
Jan 2006 16.7 −4.5
Dec 2005 18.7 −2.1
Nov 2005 18.0 −3.4
Oct 2005 18.9 −2.6
Sep 2005 18.9 −2.5
Aug 2005 18.9 −1.4
Jul 2005 18.7 −2.0
Jun 2005 18.5 −4.0
May 2005 20.1 −1.8
Apr 2005 21.0 −1.1
Mar 2005 21.8 −1.8
Feb 2005 20.4 −2.5
Jan 2005 21.2 −1.5
Dec 2004 20.8 −2.3
Nov 2004 21.4 −2.0
Oct 2004 21.5 −0.9
Sep 2004 21.4 −1.1
Aug 2004 20.3 −1.9
Jul 2004 20.7 −1.3
Jun 2004 22.5 −0.3
May 2004 21.9 +0.3
Apr 2004 22.1 +0.2
Mar 2004 23.6 +2.6
Feb 2004 22.9 +1.1
Jan 2004 22.7 +2.2
Dec 2003 23.1 +1.0
Nov 2003 23.4 +2.9
Oct 2003 22.4 +2.5
Sep 2003 22.5 +3.4
Aug 2003 22.2 +3.3
Jul 2003 22.0 +3.0
Jun 2003 22.8 +3.2
May 2003 21.6 +2.8
Apr 2003 21.9 +5.1
Mar 2003 21.0 +5.1
Feb 2003 21.8 +6.9
Jan 2003 20.5 +5.9
Dec 2002 22.1 +8.5
Nov 2002 20.5 +6.6
Oct 2002 19.9 +8.1
Sep 2002 19.1 +7.6
Aug 2002 18.9 +6.7
Jul 2002 19.0 +8.2
Jun 2002 19.6 +8.4
May 2002 18.8 +8.8
Apr 2002 16.8 +5.8
Mar 2002 15.9 +4.8
Feb 2002 14.9 +3.2
Jan 2002 14.6 +3.3
Dec 2001 13.6 +2.2
Nov 2001 13.9 +3.3
Oct 2001 11.8 +0.5
Sep 2001 11.5 0.0

Monthly · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data retrieved via FRED (LNS13025703)

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Counties with the highest labor scores

There's no county figure for this measure, so this list uses the labor part of our County Distress Index.

Rank County Score (0–100)
1 Apache County, AZ 99.2
2 Mingo County, WV 98.7
3 Navajo County, AZ 97.3
4 Luna County, NM 97.2
5 McKinley County, NM 96.8
6 Lake County, CA 96.8
7 Clare County, MI 96.6
8 Harlan County, KY 96.2
9 Wyoming County, WV 96.2
10 Pike County, KY 96.1

All 3,144 counties →

Questions about long-term unemployment

What share of the unemployed are long-term unemployed?

BLS's latest figure, for September 2026, is 27.1%. That is higher than a year earlier, when it was 23.6%. BLS counts someone as long-term unemployed once their current spell reaches 27 weeks, about six months.

Is this the long-term unemployment rate?

No. This is a share of unemployed people. Figures published elsewhere as a 'long-term unemployment rate' are a different ratio, not a share of the unemployed, and the two should not be mixed. BLS's U-1 measure is different again: it uses a 15-week cutoff and divides by the labor force.

Have the long-term unemployed given up looking for work?

No. To be counted as unemployed a person must have looked for work in the past four weeks, or be on temporary layoff. People who want a job but stopped looking are outside the labor force and outside this share.

Where does this data come from?

BLS estimates it each month from the Current Population Survey, a survey of about 60,000 households that the Census Bureau runs for BLS, and publishes it in table A-12 of the Employment Situation report.

Cite this Long-Term Unemployed Share (27+ Weeks): 27.1%, Sep 2026 · American Default Research, from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · americandefault.org/indicators/the-long-haul/

Sources and method for the Long-Term Unemployed Share (27+ Weeks)

  • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data retrieved via FRED (LNS13025703) We use the monthly figures as published, from January 1948 through September 2026, with no adjustment of our own. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’s report

We write with assistance from AI tools. Figures come from the data and sources named on this page.