Unemployment Rate
Share of the labor force that is unemployed
Historically follows Initial Unemployment Claims (SA) by 1 quarter — no active signal. Initial Unemployment Claims (SA) · View projections
What is the current Unemployment Rate?
The U.S. unemployment rate (U-3) measures the share of the labor force that is actively seeking work but cannot find it. As the headline employment statistic, it is the most widely watched measure of labor market health, though it understates true labor market slack by excluding discouraged workers and involuntary part-time workers. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey.
Unemployment Rate at 4.3%
Tracking improving relative to recent baseline.
Explore Further
How has Unemployment Rate changed over time?
| Period | Value | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 2026 | 4.4% | +0.2 pts |
| Jan 2026 | 4.3% | +0.3 pts |
| Dec 2025 | 4.4% | +0.3 pts |
| Nov 2025 | 4.5% | +0.3 pts |
| Sep 2025 | 4.4% | +0.3 pts |
| Aug 2025 | 4.3% | +0.1 pts |
| Jul 2025 | 4.3% | +0.1 pts |
| Jun 2025 | 4.1% | +0.0 pts |
| May 2025 | 4.3% | +0.4 pts |
| Apr 2025 | 4.2% | +0.3 pts |
| Mar 2025 | 4.2% | +0.3 pts |
| Feb 2025 | 4.2% | +0.3 pts |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current U.S. unemployment rate?
The U.S. unemployment rate (U-3) is published monthly by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It measures the share of the civilian labor force that is jobless and actively seeking employment. Check the American Default indicator page for the latest reading.
Why does the unemployment rate understate labor market weakness?
The U-3 rate only counts people actively looking for work. It excludes discouraged workers who have stopped searching and people working part-time who want full-time hours. The broader U-6 measure, which includes these groups, is typically 3–4 percentage points higher.
Where does unemployment data come from?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes the unemployment rate monthly based on the Current Population Survey (CPS), a monthly survey of approximately 60,000 households. The data is released on the first Friday of each month.
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