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US civilian Labor force

Civilian Non-institutional Labor Force in United States 1988-2023.

The labor force is a subset of population that includes non-institutional people 16 and older, not in the military, and who are working or looking for work. In May 2023, employed people (16 or 16 +) were 60.3% of the civilian non-institutional population (16 or higher). Unemployed people in May 2023 were 3.7% of the labor force.

The size of civilian non institutional labor force in United States was 162.1 million in 2018, rising from 160 million in 2017.

The following table shows the size of the  total civilian non-institutional labor force in United States from 1988 to 2023. Figures are in thousands.

TotalTotalEmployedEmployedUnemployedUnemployedNot in Labor Force
Civilian Non-Inst. PopulationNumber% of populationNumber% of populationNumber % of labor force
1988184,613121,66965.9114,96862.36,7015.562,944
1989186,393123,86966.5117,34263.06,5285.362,523
1990189,164125,84066.5118,79362.87,0475.663,324
1991190,925126,34666.2117,71861.78,6286.864,578
1992192,805128,10566.4118,49261.59,6137.564,700
1993194,838129,20066.3120,25961.78,9406.965,638
1994196,814131,05666.6123,06062.57,9966.165,758
1995198,584132,30466.6124,90062.97,4045.666,280
1996200,591133,94366.8126,70863.27,2365.466,647
1997203,133136,29767.1129,55863.86,7394.966,837
1998205,220137,67367.1131,46364.16,2104.567,547
1999207,753139,36867.1133,48864.35,8804.268,385
2000212,577142,58367.1136,89164.45,6924.069,994
2001215,092143,73466.8136,93363.76,8014.771,359
2002217,570144,86366.6136,48562.78,3785.872,707
2003221,168146,51066.2137,73662.38,7746.074,658
2004223,357147,40166.0139,25262.38,1495.575,956
2005226,082149,32066.0141,73062.77,5915.176,762
2006228,815151,42866.2144,42763.17,0014.677,387
2007231,867153,12466.0146,04763.07,0784.678,743
2008233,788154,28766.0145,36262.28,9245.879,501
2009235,801154,14265.4139,87759.314,2659.381,659
2010237,830153,88964.7139,06458.514,8259.683,941
2011239,618153,61764.1139,86958.413,7478.986,001
2012243,284154,97563.7142,46958.612,5068.188,310
2013245,679155,38963.2143,92958.611,4607.490,290
2014247,947155,92262.9146,30559.09,6176.292,025
2015250,801157,13062.7148,83459.38,2965.393,671
2016253,538159,18762.8151,43659.77,7514.994,351
2017255,079160,32062.9153,33760.16,9824.494,759
2018257,791162,07562.9155,76160.46,3143.995,716
2019259,175163,53963.1157,53860.86,0013.795,636
2020260,329160,74261.7147,79556.812,9478.199,587
2021261,445161,20461.7152,58158.48,6235.3100,241
2022263,973164,28762.2158,29160.05,9963.699,686
 
2022 
May263,679164,27862.3158,29960.05,9793.699,400
June263,835164,00262.2158,05759.95,9453.699,833
July264,012163,99062.1158,27259.95,7183.5100,021
August264,184164,71462.3158,69460.16,0213.799,469
september264,356164,61962.3158,85060.15,7703.599,736
October264,535164,64662.2158,59360.06,0533.799,890
November264,708164,52762.2158,52759.96,0003.6100,181
December264,844164,96662.3159,24460.15,7223.599,878
2023 
Jan265,962165,83262.4160,13860.25,6943.4100,130
Feb266,112166,25162.5160,31560.25,9363.699,861
March266,272166,73162.6160,89260.45,8393.599,541
April266,443166,68862.6161,03160.45,6573.499,755
May266,618166,81862.6160,72160.36,0973.799,800

Sources:

United States  Department of Labor.

Bureau of Labor Statistics.