Figure A
When unemployment is 4.9 percent, the prime-age employment-to-population ratio is historically much higher: Average prime-age employment-to-population ratio when the unemployment rate was 4.9 percent in last two business cycles
| Year | Average prime-age EPOP during months that unemployment rate was 4.9 |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 80.9 |
| 2005 | 79.5 |
| 2016 | 77.8 |
Note: The unemployment rate was 4.9% in May, July and September of 1997, August and December of 2005, and January February, June, July, and August of 2016. The vertical axis is scaled to the minimum and maximum values (74.8 and 81.9) of the prime-age (25-54) employment-to-population ratio over the last two decades.
Source: EPI analysis of BLS Current Population Survey public data series.
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