U.S. Unemployment Rate 1991-2023

Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.
  • U.S. unemployment rate for 2022 was 3.61%, a 1.74% decline from 2021.
  • U.S. unemployment rate for 2021 was 5.35%, a 2.7% decline from 2020.
  • U.S. unemployment rate for 2020 was 8.05%, a 4.38% increase from 2019.
  • U.S. unemployment rate for 2019 was 3.67%, a 0.23% decline from 2018.
Data Source: World Bank

MLA Citation:
Similar Country Ranking
Country Name Unemployment Rate (%)
French Polynesia 13.10%
Spain 13.01%
Virgin Islands (U.S.) 12.38%
New Caledonia 12.27%
Greece 12.16%
Bahamas 10.06%
Panama 8.79%
Barbados 8.20%
Italy 8.09%
Uruguay 7.84%
Chile 7.78%
France 7.45%
Sweden 7.36%
Brunei 7.20%
Cyprus 6.98%
Channel Islands 6.92%
Finland 6.80%
Croatia 6.75%
Argentina 6.49%
Latvia 6.43%
Guam 6.13%
Slovak Republic 6.09%
Puerto Rico 5.97%
Estonia 5.85%
Portugal 5.78%
Saudi Arabia 5.64%
Belgium 5.63%
Lithuania 5.57%
Canada 5.21%
Hong Kong 5.06%
Austria 4.71%
Luxembourg 4.70%
Ireland 4.36%
Switzerland 4.20%
Slovenia 4.18%
Denmark 4.17%
Trinidad and Tobago 3.98%
Iceland 3.81%
Australia 3.66%
United States 3.61%
United Kingdom 3.57%
Netherlands 3.54%
Israel 3.48%
Hungary 3.42%
New Zealand 3.25%
Norway 3.17%
Germany 2.99%
Malta 2.81%
South Korea 2.79%
Singapore 2.76%
UAE 2.75%
Japan 2.64%
Macao 2.63%
Poland 2.60%
Kuwait 2.48%
Czech Republic 2.37%
Oman 2.33%
Bahrain 1.40%
Qatar 0.10%
U.S. Unemployment Rate - Historical Data
Year Unemployment Rate (%) Annual Change
2022 3.61% -1.74%
2021 5.35% -2.70%
2020 8.05% 4.38%
2019 3.67% -0.23%
2018 3.90% -0.46%
2017 4.36% -0.51%
2016 4.87% -0.41%
2015 5.28% -0.89%
2014 6.17% -1.20%
2013 7.37% -0.70%
2012 8.07% -0.88%
2011 8.95% -0.68%
2010 9.63% 0.38%
2009 9.25% 3.47%
2008 5.78% 1.16%
2007 4.62% 0.00%
2006 4.62% -0.46%
2005 5.08% -0.45%
2004 5.53% -0.46%
2003 5.99% 0.21%
2002 5.78% 1.05%
2001 4.73% 0.74%
2000 3.99% -0.23%
1999 4.22% -0.29%
1998 4.51% -0.49%
1997 5.00% -0.45%
1996 5.45% -0.20%
1995 5.65% -0.47%
1994 6.12% -0.78%
1993 6.90% -0.60%
1992 7.50% 0.70%
1991 6.80% 0.70%