Table 5.2
Labor force share and unemployment rate, by age, 1979–2011
| Change | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 1989 | 2000 | 2007 | 2011 | 1979–2007 | 2007–2011 | |
| Share of labor force | |||||||
| Age 16–19 | 9.2% | 6.4% | 5.8% | 4.6% | 3.7% | -4.6 | -0.9 |
| 20–24 | 15.0 | 11.4 | 10.0 | 9.9 | 9.9 | -5.1 | 0.0 |
| 25–34 | 26.6 | 29.0 | 23.0 | 21.6 | 22.0 | -5.0 | 0.3 |
| 35–44 | 18.8 | 24.7 | 26.3 | 23.2 | 21.3 | 4.4 | -1.9 |
| 45–54 | 16.1 | 16.1 | 21.8 | 23.3 | 23.0 | 7.2 | -0.3 |
| 55 and older | 14.3 | 12.4 | 13.1 | 17.3 | 20.1 | 3.0 | 2.8 |
| All | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | ||
| Unemployment rate | |||||||
| Age 16–19 | 16.1% | 15.0% | 13.1% | 15.7% | 24.4% | -0.4 | 8.7 |
| 20–24 | 9.2 | 6.9 | 7.2 | 8.2 | 14.6 | -1.0 | 6.4 |
| 25–34 | 4.4 | 5.2 | 3.7 | 4.7 | 9.5 | 0.3 | 4.8 |
| 35–44 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 7.3 | -0.1 | 3.9 |
| 45–54 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 2.5 | 3.2 | 7.1 | 0.0 | 3.9 |
| 55 and older | 3.0 | 3.1 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 6.6 | 0.1 | 3.5 |
| All | 5.9 | 5.3 | 4.0 | 4.6 | 9.0 | -1.2 | 4.3 |
Note: Percentage-point change shown in last two columns may not sum correctly due to rounding.
Source: Authors' analysis of Current Population Survey public data series
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