United States Unemployed Persons
Aug 2026 · Monthly
The number of unemployed persons in the US rose to 7,031 thousand in August 2026 from 6,916 thousand in July, a 115 thousand increase. The August figure remains well below the year-ago level of 7,380 thousand and is 16,053 thousand below the all-time high of 23,084 thousand set in April 2020, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
source: Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Unemployed persons in the United States rose to 7,031 thousand in August 2026 from 6,916 thousand in July 2026. The reading remains far below the all-time high of 23,084 thousand recorded in April 2020 and well above the series low of 1,596 thousand from May 1953.
| Actual | Previous | Highest | Lowest | Dates | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7,031 | 6,916 | 23,084Apr 2020 | 1,596May 1953 | 1948 – 2026 | Monthly |
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About this series
Unemployed Persons in United States averaged 8,411 from 1948 until 2026, reaching an all-time high of 23,084 in Apr 2020 and a record low of 1,596 in May 1953. The series is reported monthly with history from 1948.
Unemployed Persons measures the number of people in the United States without a job who are actively seeking employment and available for work. The indicator is expressed in thousands of persons and is reported on a monthly basis. The series begins in January 1948 and extends through the latest available monthly observation, providing a long-run record of labor market slack.
Source & methodology
We use primary economic sources for every country. See our methodology page for how we source and verify this data.
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