Google searches related to unemployment correlate with BLS measures of unemployment: Average of of select Search Volume Indices and the unemployment rate
| Date | Google Trends | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2004-01-01 | 14.8125 | 5.7% |
| 2004-02-01 | 14.0625 | 5.6% |
| 2004-03-01 | 14.0625 | 5.8% |
| 2004-04-01 | 13.875 | 5.6% |
| 2004-05-01 | 13.5 | 5.6% |
| 2004-06-01 | 13.5 | 5.6% |
| 2004-07-01 | 13.5625 | 5.5% |
| 2004-08-01 | 12.875 | 5.4% |
| 2004-09-01 | 12.8125 | 5.4% |
| 2004-10-01 | 12.1875 | 5.5% |
| 2004-11-01 | 12.1875 | 5.4% |
| 2004-12-01 | 11.25 | 5.4% |
| 2005-01-01 | 14.0625 | 5.3% |
| 2005-02-01 | 13.625 | 5.4% |
| 2005-03-01 | 12.875 | 5.2% |
| 2005-04-01 | 12.5 | 5.2% |
| 2005-05-01 | 12.5 | 5.1% |
| 2005-06-01 | 13.125 | 5.0% |
| 2005-07-01 | 12.3125 | 5.0% |
| 2005-08-01 | 12.3125 | 4.9% |
| 2005-09-01 | 12.875 | 5.0% |
| 2005-10-01 | 12.1875 | 5.0% |
| 2005-11-01 | 12.25 | 5.0% |
| 2005-12-01 | 11.375 | 4.9% |
| 2006-01-01 | 13.75 | 4.7% |
| 2006-02-01 | 12.625 | 4.8% |
| 2006-03-01 | 12.6875 | 4.7% |
| 2006-04-01 | 11.9375 | 4.7% |
| 2006-05-01 | 11.8125 | 4.6% |
| 2006-06-01 | 12.3125 | 4.6% |
| 2006-07-01 | 12.5625 | 4.7% |
| 2006-08-01 | 12.4375 | 4.7% |
| 2006-09-01 | 11.5625 | 4.5% |
| 2006-10-01 | 12.0625 | 4.4% |
| 2006-11-01 | 11.1875 | 4.5% |
| 2006-12-01 | 10.5 | 4.4% |
| 2007-01-01 | 13.4375 | 4.6% |
| 2007-02-01 | 12.0625 | 4.5% |
| 2007-03-01 | 12.125 | 4.4% |
| 2007-04-01 | 11.6875 | 4.5% |
| 2007-05-01 | 11.1875 | 4.4% |
| 2007-06-01 | 12.1875 | 4.6% |
| 2007-07-01 | 12.625 | 4.7% |
| 2007-08-01 | 12 | 4.6% |
| 2007-09-01 | 11.75 | 4.7% |
| 2007-10-01 | 12.25 | 4.7% |
| 2007-11-01 | 11.375 | 4.7% |
| 2007-12-01 | 10.8125 | 5.0% |
| 2008-01-01 | 14.125 | 5.0% |
| 2008-02-01 | 12.875 | 4.9% |
| 2008-03-01 | 12.875 | 5.1% |
| 2008-04-01 | 12.8125 | 5.0% |
| 2008-05-01 | 12.3125 | 5.4% |
| 2008-06-01 | 13.8125 | 5.6% |
| 2008-07-01 | 13.8125 | 5.8% |
| 2008-08-01 | 13.0625 | 6.1% |
| 2008-09-01 | 14.1875 | 6.1% |
| 2008-10-01 | 15.375 | 6.5% |
| 2008-11-01 | 17.5 | 6.8% |
| 2008-12-01 | 17.6875 | 7.3% |
| 2009-01-01 | 22.125 | 7.8% |
| 2009-02-01 | 21.9375 | 8.3% |
| 2009-03-01 | 21 | 8.7% |
| 2009-04-01 | 19.125 | 9.0% |
| 2009-05-01 | 19.5625 | 9.4% |
| 2009-06-01 | 19.125 | 9.5% |
| 2009-07-01 | 19.4375 | 9.5% |
| 2009-08-01 | 19.6875 | 9.6% |
| 2009-09-01 | 18.8125 | 9.8% |
| 2009-10-01 | 19.75 | 10.0% |
| 2009-11-01 | 19.375 | 9.9% |
| 2009-12-01 | 17.6875 | 9.9% |
| 2010-01-01 | 20.375 | 9.8% |
| 2010-02-01 | 19.375 | 9.8% |
| 2010-03-01 | 19.8125 | 9.9% |
| 2010-04-01 | 18.4375 | 9.9% |
| 2010-05-01 | 16.9375 | 9.6% |
| 2010-06-01 | 19.1875 | 9.4% |
| 2010-07-01 | 21.75 | 9.4% |
| 2010-08-01 | 17.875 | 9.5% |
| 2010-09-01 | 16.75 | 9.5% |
| 2010-10-01 | 16.375 | 9.4% |
| 2010-11-01 | 16.625 | 9.8% |
| 2010-12-01 | 17.625 | 9.3% |
| 2011-01-01 | 19.0625 | 9.1% |
| 2011-02-01 | 17 | 9.0% |
| 2011-03-01 | 15.25 | 9.0% |
| 2011-04-01 | 15.8125 | 9.1% |
| 2011-05-01 | 15.4375 | 9.0% |
| 2011-06-01 | 16.0625 | 9.1% |
| 2011-07-01 | 16.0625 | 9.0% |
| 2011-08-01 | 16 | 9.0% |
| 2011-09-01 | 16.0625 | 9.0% |
| 2011-10-01 | 15.375 | 8.8% |
| 2011-11-01 | 15.1875 | 8.6% |
| 2011-12-01 | 15.25 | 8.5% |
| 2012-01-01 | 17.625 | 8.3% |
| 2012-02-01 | 16.0625 | 8.3% |
| 2012-03-01 | 14.875 | 8.2% |
| 2012-04-01 | 15.375 | 8.2% |
| 2012-05-01 | 14.625 | 8.2% |
| 2012-06-01 | 15.1875 | 8.2% |
| 2012-07-01 | 16.3125 | 8.2% |
| 2012-08-01 | 15.375 | 8.1% |
| 2012-09-01 | 15.375 | 7.8% |
| 2012-10-01 | 14.875 | 7.8% |
| 2012-11-01 | 15.125 | 7.7% |
| 2012-12-01 | 14.3125 | 7.9% |
| 2013-01-01 | 16.4375 | 8.0% |
| 2013-02-01 | 15.1875 | 7.7% |
| 2013-03-01 | 14.6875 | 7.5% |
| 2013-04-01 | 14.375 | 7.6% |
| 2013-05-01 | 13.875 | 7.5% |
| 2013-06-01 | 14 | 7.5% |
| 2013-07-01 | 14.25 | 7.3% |
| 2013-08-01 | 13.9375 | 7.2% |
| 2013-09-01 | 14.5 | 7.2% |
| 2013-10-01 | 14.9375 | 7.2% |
| 2013-11-01 | 13.75 | 6.9% |
| 2013-12-01 | 13.5 | 6.7% |
| 2014-01-01 | 17.5 | 6.6% |
| 2014-02-01 | 15.75 | 6.7% |
| 2014-03-01 | 15 | 6.7% |
| 2014-04-01 | 14.25 | 6.2% |
| 2014-05-01 | 13.8125 | 6.3% |
| 2014-06-01 | 13.5 | 6.1% |
| 2014-07-01 | 13.125 | 6.2% |
| 2014-08-01 | 12.875 | 6.1% |
| 2014-09-01 | 13.3125 | 5.9% |
| 2014-10-01 | 12.6875 | 5.7% |
| 2014-11-01 | 12.875 | 5.8% |
| 2014-12-01 | 11.6875 | 5.6% |
| 2015-01-01 | 13.1875 | 5.7% |
| 2015-02-01 | 13.375 | 5.5% |
| 2015-03-01 | 13.25 | 5.4% |
| 2015-04-01 | 12.9375 | 5.4% |
| 2015-05-01 | 12.75 | 5.6% |
| 2015-06-01 | 13.375 | 5.3% |
| 2015-07-01 | 13.25 | 5.2% |
| 2015-08-01 | 12.625 | 5.1% |
| 2015-09-01 | 12.875 | 5.0% |
| 2015-10-01 | 12.375 | 5.0% |
| 2015-11-01 | 11.875 | 5.1% |
| 2015-12-01 | 11.5 | 5.0% |
| 2016-01-01 | 13.5 | 4.8% |
| 2016-02-01 | 13.4375 | 4.9% |
| 2016-03-01 | 12.625 | 5.0% |
| 2016-04-01 | 12.25 | 5.1% |
| 2016-05-01 | 12.5 | 4.8% |
| 2016-06-01 | 12.375 | 4.9% |
| 2016-07-01 | 12.3125 | 4.8% |
| 2016-08-01 | 11.875 | 4.9% |
| 2016-09-01 | 12.25 | 5.0% |
| 2016-10-01 | 11.9375 | 4.9% |
| 2016-11-01 | 10.0625 | 4.7% |
| 2016-12-01 | 9.125 | 4.7% |
| 2017-01-01 | 12.75 | 4.7% |
| 2017-02-01 | 12.4375 | 4.6% |
| 2017-03-01 | 12.4375 | 4.4% |
| 2017-04-01 | 11.6875 | 4.4% |
| 2017-05-01 | 11.875 | 4.4% |
| 2017-06-01 | 12.0625 | 4.3% |
| 2017-07-01 | 11.875 | 4.3% |
| 2017-08-01 | 11.375 | 4.4% |
| 2017-09-01 | 11.5625 | 4.3% |
| 2017-10-01 | 11.6875 | 4.2% |
| 2017-11-01 | 10.6875 | 4.2% |
| 2017-12-01 | 10.625 | 4.1% |
| 2018-01-01 | 13.125 | 4.0% |
| 2018-02-01 | 11.75 | 4.1% |
| 2018-03-01 | 10.5 | 4.0% |
| 2018-04-01 | 10.75 | 4.0% |
| 2018-05-01 | 10.25 | 3.8% |
| 2018-06-01 | 10.875 | 4.0% |
| 2018-07-01 | 10.5 | 3.8% |
| 2018-08-01 | 11.25 | 3.8% |
| 2018-09-01 | 12.625 | 3.7% |
| 2018-10-01 | 11.875 | 3.8% |
| 2018-11-01 | 11.3125 | 3.8% |
| 2018-12-01 | 10.875 | 3.9% |
| 2019-01-01 | 13.5 | 4.0% |
| 2019-02-01 | 12.8125 | 3.8% |
| 2019-03-01 | 11.875 | 3.8% |
| 2019-04-01 | 11.5625 | 3.7% |
| 2019-05-01 | 12 | 3.6% |
| 2019-06-01 | 12.875 | 3.6% |
| 2019-07-01 | 13.4375 | 3.7% |
| 2019-08-01 | 11.4375 | 3.6% |
| 2019-09-01 | 11.8125 | 3.5% |
| 2019-10-01 | 12.1875 | 3.6% |
| 2019-11-01 | 12.375 | 3.6% |
| 2019-12-01 | 11.25 | 3.6% |
| 2020-01-01 | 13.4375 | 3.6% |
| 2020-02-01 | 12.4375 | 3.5% |
| 2020-03-01 | 49.5625 | 4.4% |
| 2020-04-01 | 78.8125 | 14.8% |
| 2020-05-01 | 50.875 | 13.2% |
| 2020-06-01 | 42.6875 | 11.0% |
| 2020-07-01 | 39.375 | 10.2% |
| 2020-08-01 | 35.3125 | 8.4% |
| 2020-09-01 | 32 | 7.8% |
| 2020-10-01 | 25.4375 | 6.9% |
| 2020-11-01 | 21.5625 | 6.7% |
| 2020-12-01 | 24.625 | 6.7% |
| 2021-01-01 | 30.375 | 6.4% |
| 2021-02-01 | 24.4375 | 6.2% |
| 2021-03-01 | 26 | 6.1% |
| 2021-04-01 | 23.5 | 6.1% |
| 2021-05-01 | 24.4375 | 5.8% |
| 2021-06-01 | 21.375 | 5.9% |
| 2021-07-01 | 18.75 | 5.4% |
| 2021-08-01 | 18.375 | 5.1% |
| 2021-09-01 | 20.6875 | 4.7% |
| 2021-10-01 | 13.9375 | 4.5% |
| 2021-11-01 | 12.125 | 4.1% |
| 2021-12-01 | 12.625 | 3.9% |
| 2022-01-01 | 15.375 | 4.0% |
| 2022-02-01 | 13.75 | 3.9% |
| 2022-03-01 | 12.375 | 3.7% |
| 2022-04-01 | 11.4375 | 3.7% |
| 2022-05-01 | 8.6875 | 3.6% |
| 2022-06-01 | 9.875 | 3.6% |
| 2022-07-01 | 11.8125 | 3.5% |
| 2022-08-01 | 11.125 | 3.6% |
| 2022-09-01 | 10.5625 | 3.5% |
| 2022-10-01 | 10.625 | 3.6% |
| 2022-11-01 | 9.25 | 3.6% |
| 2022-12-01 | 8.625 | 3.5% |
| 2023-01-01 | 12.375 | 3.5% |
| 2023-02-01 | 11.125 | 3.6% |
| 2023-03-01 | 8.875 | 3.5% |
| 2023-04-01 | 7.8125 | 3.4% |
| 2023-05-01 | 8.25 | 3.6% |
| 2023-06-01 | 8.0625 | 3.6% |
| 2023-07-01 | 8.75 | 3.5% |
| 2023-08-01 | 9.875 | 3.7% |
| 2023-09-01 | 9.5625 | 3.7% |
| 2023-10-01 | 9.75 | 3.9% |
| 2023-11-01 | 9.625 | 3.7% |
| 2023-12-01 | 9.0625 | 3.8% |
| 2024-01-01 | 10.375 | 3.7% |
| 2024-02-01 | 9.3125 | 3.9% |
| 2024-03-01 | 9.125 | 3.9% |
| 2024-04-01 | 9.875 | 3.9% |
| 2024-05-01 | 8.875 | 3.9% |
| 2024-06-01 | 8.9375 | 4.1% |
| 2024-07-01 | 9.5625 | 4.2% |
| 2024-08-01 | 9.6875 | 4.2% |
| 2024-09-01 | 9.9375 | 4.1% |
| 2024-10-01 | 8.8125 | 4.1% |
| 2024-11-01 | 7.75 | 4.2% |
| 2024-12-01 | 8.625 | 4.1% |
| 2025-01-01 | 12.4375 | 4.0% |
| 2025-02-01 | 12.1875 | 4.2% |
| 2025-03-01 | 10.5 | 4.2% |
| 2025-04-01 | 10.6875 | 4.2% |
| 2025-05-01 | 10.75 | 4.3% |
| 2025-06-01 | 11 | 4.1% |
| 2025-07-01 | 11.9375 | 4.3% |
| 2025-08-01 | 13.6875 | 4.3% |
| 2025-09-01 | 14.1875 | 4.4% |
| 2025-10-01 | 13.875 | |
| 2025-11-01 | 13.4375 | 4.5% |
| 2025-12-01 | 14.4375 | 4.4% |
| 2026-01-01 | 13.6875 |
Note: Google trends series is an average of Search Volume Indices for six topics/queries. The topics and queries included are unemployment benefits (topic), job (topic), unemployment (topic), file for unemployment (query). The list of Indices is inspired by Woloszko (2020), Kohns and Bhattacharjee (2023), and Goldsmith-Pinkham and Sojourner (2020). The "job" search topic is divided by 100 before being included into the average. Updated December 5, 2025.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics and Google trends.