U.S. Labor Force Participation Rate 1990-2023

Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24 is the proportion of the population ages 15-24 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.
  • U.S. labor force participation rate for 2021 was 50.49%, a 1.47% increase from 2020.
  • U.S. labor force participation rate for 2020 was 49.02%, a 1.79% decline from 2019.
  • U.S. labor force participation rate for 2019 was 50.81%, a 0.6% increase from 2018.
  • U.S. labor force participation rate for 2018 was 50.20%, a 0.24% decline from 2017.
Data Source: World Bank

MLA Citation:
Similar Country Ranking
Country Name Participation Rate for Ages 15-24
Netherlands 78.66%
Iceland 70.99%
Qatar 68.71%
Australia 68.29%
Switzerland 64.61%
New Zealand 63.20%
Canada 62.74%
Norway 61.23%
Denmark 59.86%
Austria 56.36%
United Kingdom 56.27%
Germany 55.34%
Sweden 54.01%
Finland 52.45%
Malta 51.73%
Bahamas 50.89%
United States 50.49%
Channel Islands 48.71%
Japan 48.31%
UAE 48.19%
Ireland 47.05%
Uruguay 46.00%
Macao 44.89%
Israel 44.81%
Guam 44.06%
New Caledonia 43.03%
Panama 42.99%
Barbados 42.47%
Estonia 41.25%
Bahrain 40.75%
Cyprus 40.31%
Trinidad and Tobago 39.86%
Hong Kong 39.20%
Brunei 39.18%
Singapore 39.14%
Argentina 38.71%
France 38.62%
French Polynesia 38.03%
Luxembourg 37.21%
Oman 36.20%
Virgin Islands (U.S.) 35.17%
Lithuania 34.48%
Croatia 34.11%
Latvia 31.72%
Hungary 31.70%
Spain 31.36%
Poland 30.83%
Portugal 30.20%
Slovenia 29.99%
Belgium 29.45%
South Korea 28.23%
Czech Republic 26.82%
Slovak Republic 26.00%
Chile 25.60%
Kuwait 25.55%
Italy 24.76%
Saudi Arabia 23.33%
Puerto Rico 21.40%
Greece 20.22%
U.S. Labor Force Participation Rate - Historical Data
Year Participation Rate for Ages 15-24 Annual Change
2021 50.49% 1.47%
2020 49.02% -1.79%
2019 50.81% 0.60%
2018 50.20% -0.24%
2017 50.44% 0.27%
2016 50.17% 0.16%
2015 50.01% -0.02%
2014 50.03% -0.04%
2013 50.07% 0.15%
2012 49.91% -0.07%
2011 49.99% -0.18%
2010 50.17% -1.55%
2009 51.72% -1.75%
2008 53.47% -0.55%
2007 54.02% -1.13%
2006 55.14% -0.15%
2005 55.29% -0.33%
2004 55.62% -0.38%
2003 56.00% -1.57%
2002 57.57% -1.13%
2001 58.70% -1.17%
2000 59.87% 0.30%
1999 59.57% -0.34%
1998 59.91% 0.14%
1997 59.77% -0.02%
1996 59.79% -0.69%
1995 60.48% -0.10%
1994 60.58% 0.40%
1993 60.18% -0.06%
1992 60.24% 0.08%
1991 60.15% -1.19%
1990 61.35% -1.19%