Share of unemployed workers experiencing long-term unemployment, 1979–2026

date 27 weeks and over  52 weeks and over
Jan-1979 8.8% 4.2%
Feb-1979 8.9% 4.3%
Mar-1979 9.6% 4.8%
Apr-1979 8.9% 4.4%
May-1979 8.8% 4.4%
Jun-1979 8.8% 3.9%
Jul-1979 7.8% 3.9%
Aug-1979 8.5% 4.1%
Sep-1979 8.6% 4.0%
Oct-1979 8.4% 4.0%
Nov-1979 8.9% 4.1%
Dec-1979 8.6% 4.1%
Jan-1980 8.2% 3.4%
Feb-1980 7.6% 3.4%
Mar-1980 9.2% 4.2%
Apr-1980 9.2% 4.1%
May-1980 8.9% 4.0%
Jun-1980 9.6% 3.9%
Jul-1980 10.7% 3.6%
Aug-1980 11.3% 3.9%
Sep-1980 12.0% 4.7%
Oct-1980 13.1% 5.1%
Nov-1980 14.2% 5.4%
Dec-1980 14.8% 5.8%
Jan-1981 15.7% 6.5%
Feb-1981 15.4% 6.7%
Mar-1981 15.2% 7.3%
Apr-1981 14.5% 6.9%
May-1981 13.9% 6.6%
Jun-1981 14.1% 6.9%
Jul-1981 13.7% 6.8%
Aug-1981 14.4% 7.3%
Sep-1981 13.5% 6.8%
Oct-1981 13.1% 7.0%
Nov-1981 12.8% 6.2%
Dec-1981 12.6% 6.2%
Jan-1982 12.6% 6.6%
Feb-1982 13.2% 6.3%
Mar-1982 13.6% 6.2%
Apr-1982 14.6% 6.7%
May-1982 15.5% 7.0%
Jun-1982 17.1% 7.2%
Jul-1982 16.8% 6.8%
Aug-1982 17.0% 7.9%
Sep-1982 17.8% 8.2%
Oct-1982 19.5% 9.3%
Nov-1982 19.5% 9.1%
Dec-1982 21.3% 10.2%
Jan-1983 22.9% 11.7%
Feb-1983 23.6% 12.2%
Mar-1983 24.3% 12.4%
Apr-1983 24.6% 13.1%
May-1983 24.9% 14.0%
Jun-1983 26.0% 14.5%
Jul-1983 24.5% 14.3%
Aug-1983 23.5% 13.2%
Sep-1983 23.5% 13.8%
Oct-1983 23.1% 14.6%
Nov-1983 22.7% 13.7%
Dec-1983 22.0% 13.2%
Jan-1984 22.4% 14.4%
Feb-1984 20.8% 13.9%
Mar-1984 20.4% 13.1%
Apr-1984 20.3% 13.2%
May-1984 20.0% 12.6%
Jun-1984 19.4% 12.9%
Jul-1984 18.7% 12.1%
Aug-1984 17.7% 11.1%
Sep-1984 17.2% 10.7%
Oct-1984 17.1% 10.6%
Nov-1984 17.3% 11.0%
Dec-1984 16.7% 11.1%
Jan-1985 15.5% 9.9%
Feb-1985 16.2% 9.9%
Mar-1985 16.2% 9.8%
Apr-1985 16.4% 10.2%
May-1985 14.8% 9.0%
Jun-1985 15.3% 9.9%
Jul-1985 15.0% 9.1%
Aug-1985 14.9% 8.6%
Sep-1985 14.8% 8.9%
Oct-1985 14.5% 8.7%
Nov-1985 16.0% 10.0%
Dec-1985 14.8% 9.0%
Jan-1986 13.9% 8.7%
Feb-1986 14.1% 9.0%
Mar-1986 14.0% 7.7%
Apr-1986 13.9% 8.4%
May-1986 13.8% 8.7%
Jun-1986 15.0% 8.7%
Jul-1986 14.7% 8.7%
Aug-1986 14.7% 8.8%
Sep-1986 14.8% 8.8%
Oct-1986 14.8% 9.0%
Nov-1986 14.3% 8.9%
Dec-1986 14.7% 8.8%
Jan-1987 14.3% 8.3%
Feb-1987 14.1% 8.3%
Mar-1987 14.3% 8.4%
Apr-1987 14.4% 8.3%
May-1987 14.8% 8.8%
Jun-1987 14.4% 8.3%
Jul-1987 13.5% 7.1%
Aug-1987 14.5% 8.0%
Sep-1987 13.9% 7.9%
Oct-1987 13.2% 7.5%
Nov-1987 13.1% 7.9%
Dec-1987 12.9% 8.4%
Jan-1988 12.5% 7.9%
Feb-1988 12.8% 8.2%
Mar-1988 12.3% 6.8%
Apr-1988 12.2% 7.5%
May-1988 12.5% 7.9%
Jun-1988 12.3% 7.5%
Jul-1988 11.9% 6.8%
Aug-1988 11.7% 7.7%
Sep-1988 12.3% 7.5%
Oct-1988 11.8% 7.0%
Nov-1988 10.8% 6.9%
Dec-1988 11.4% 7.1%
Jan-1989 11.0% 6.7%
Feb-1989 9.9% 6.0%
Mar-1989 10.7% 5.9%
Apr-1989 11.1% 6.9%
May-1989 9.9% 6.1%
Jun-1989 9.2% 5.6%
Jul-1989 9.4% 5.1%
Aug-1989 8.7% 4.9%
Sep-1989 9.2% 5.3%
Oct-1989 9.8% 5.5%
Nov-1989 9.8% 5.6%
Dec-1989 9.6% 5.3%
Jan-1990 9.6% 5.7%
Feb-1990 9.4% 5.1%
Mar-1990 9.6% 5.0%
Apr-1990 9.5% 5.8%
May-1990 9.5% 5.5%
Jun-1990 9.5% 5.6%
Jul-1990 9.8% 5.3%
Aug-1990 10.2% 5.6%
Sep-1990 10.7% 5.7%
Oct-1990 10.4% 5.2%
Nov-1990 10.7% 5.5%
Dec-1990 10.6% 5.8%
Jan-1991 10.9% 5.6%
Feb-1991 10.9% 5.9%
Mar-1991 11.0% 5.8%
Apr-1991 11.7% 6.3%
May-1991 11.9% 5.5%
Jun-1991 12.5% 6.2%
Jul-1991 12.8% 5.9%
Aug-1991 13.5% 6.3%
Sep-1991 13.7% 6.3%
Oct-1991 13.9% 6.1%
Nov-1991 15.3% 7.1%
Dec-1991 16.4% 8.0%
Jan-1992 17.5% 9.4%
Feb-1992 18.1% 9.8%
Mar-1992 18.8% 10.3%
Apr-1992 19.0% 11.1%
May-1992 20.6% 11.2%
Jun-1992 21.3% 11.5%
Jul-1992 21.5% 11.5%
Aug-1992 21.0% 11.6%
Sep-1992 21.5% 10.9%
Oct-1992 23.1% 11.9%
Nov-1992 20.6% 11.2%
Dec-1992 21.4% 12.6%
Jan-1993 21.2% 13.0%
Feb-1993 20.6% 12.0%
Mar-1993 20.0% 10.6%
Apr-1993 18.2% 11.4%
May-1993 19.5% 11.5%
Jun-1993 19.5% 11.6%
Jul-1993 19.8% 11.1%
Aug-1993 20.1% 11.0%
Sep-1993 20.3% 11.2%
Oct-1993 20.4% 11.2%
Nov-1993 21.0% 12.0%
Dec-1993 20.8% 11.3%
Jan-1994 20.0% 13.5%
Feb-1994 20.7% 12.7%
Mar-1994 21.2% 12.5%
Apr-1994 21.3% 13.0%
May-1994 21.3% 12.9%
Jun-1994 19.9% 12.0%
Jul-1994 19.7% 12.6%
Aug-1994 19.6% 12.3%
Sep-1994 20.0% 12.2%
Oct-1994 20.8% 12.1%
Nov-1994 19.8% 10.7%
Dec-1994 19.0% 9.9%
Jan-1995 18.3% 10.6%
Feb-1995 17.2% 10.2%
Mar-1995 18.7% 10.9%
Apr-1995 18.7% 10.9%
May-1995 17.5% 9.7%
Jun-1995 16.8% 8.7%
Jul-1995 16.6% 9.2%
Aug-1995 16.4% 8.9%
Sep-1995 16.9% 9.4%
Oct-1995 16.5% 9.3%
Nov-1995 16.7% 9.4%
Dec-1995 16.4% 8.9%
Jan-1996 16.2% 8.9%
Feb-1996 16.4% 9.2%
Mar-1996 18.2% 10.3%
Apr-1996 18.3% 10.0%
May-1996 18.1% 9.9%
Jun-1996 19.3% 9.6%
Jul-1996 18.3% 9.7%
Aug-1996 18.2% 10.3%
Sep-1996 17.4% 9.7%
Oct-1996 16.7% 9.2%
Nov-1996 15.7% 8.6%
Dec-1996 16.1% 8.1%
Jan-1997 16.1% 8.8%
Feb-1997 15.8% 8.6%
Mar-1997 15.6% 8.6%
Apr-1997 16.2% 7.9%
May-1997 15.7% 8.4%
Jun-1997 15.8% 8.3%
Jul-1997 16.3% 9.2%
Aug-1997 16.1% 8.8%
Sep-1997 16.1% 9.1%
Oct-1997 15.9% 9.8%
Nov-1997 14.9% 8.6%
Dec-1997 15.4% 9.0%
Jan-1998 15.6% 9.1%
Feb-1998 15.2% 8.6%
Mar-1998 14.1% 7.6%
Apr-1998 14.6% 7.2%
May-1998 13.8% 8.6%
Jun-1998 12.6% 7.2%
Jul-1998 13.3% 8.0%
Aug-1998 13.2% 7.1%
Sep-1998 14.6% 8.1%
Oct-1998 13.6% 8.2%
Nov-1998 14.4% 8.3%
Dec-1998 13.5% 7.7%
Jan-1999 12.0% 7.1%
Feb-1999 13.2% 7.4%
Mar-1999 12.2% 6.8%
Apr-1999 11.4% 6.3%
May-1999 12.4% 6.6%
Jun-1999 13.7% 8.0%
Jul-1999 12.3% 7.6%
Aug-1999 12.1% 6.3%
Sep-1999 12.0% 6.4%
Oct-1999 12.5% 6.2%
Nov-1999 12.0% 6.3%
Dec-1999 12.1% 6.4%
Jan-2000 12.7% 6.9%
Feb-2000 10.8% 5.8%
Mar-2000 11.0% 6.7%
Apr-2000 10.7% 4.7%
May-2000 11.1% 5.7%
Jun-2000 11.3% 5.6%
Jul-2000 12.3% 7.4%
Aug-2000 12.1% 6.6%
Sep-2000 11.5% 5.7%
Oct-2000 11.3% 5.5%
Nov-2000 10.5% 5.5%
Dec-2000 11.4% 6.1%
Jan-2001 11.3% 6.8%
Feb-2001 11.7% 6.6%
Mar-2001 11.1% 6.3%
Apr-2001 11.0% 5.3%
May-2001 10.0% 5.1%
Jun-2001 11.1% 6.1%
Jul-2001 10.8% 5.8%
Aug-2001 12.2% 6.5%
Sep-2001 11.4% 5.4%
Oct-2001 11.7% 5.6%
Nov-2001 13.9% 6.4%
Dec-2001 13.6% 6.6%
Jan-2002 14.6% 6.3%
Feb-2002 14.9% 6.8%
Mar-2002 15.9% 7.3%
Apr-2002 16.9% 7.5%
May-2002 18.7% 8.4%
Jun-2002 19.5% 8.6%
Jul-2002 19.1% 8.5%
Aug-2002 18.8% 8.6%
Sep-2002 19.1% 9.1%
Oct-2002 19.9% 9.8%
Nov-2002 20.4% 10.1%
Dec-2002 22.1% 11.3%
Jan-2003 20.5% 11.1%
Feb-2003 21.7% 11.1%
Mar-2003 21.0% 11.0%
Apr-2003 21.9% 12.4%
May-2003 21.6% 11.7%
Jun-2003 22.8% 12.7%
Jul-2003 22.0% 11.3%
Aug-2003 22.2% 11.6%
Sep-2003 22.5% 12.1%
Oct-2003 22.3% 11.7%
Nov-2003 23.4% 12.6%
Dec-2003 23.0% 12.5%
Jan-2004 22.7% 11.2%
Feb-2004 22.8% 12.9%
Mar-2004 23.6% 12.7%
Apr-2004 22.2% 13.5%
May-2004 21.9% 13.5%
Jun-2004 22.5% 13.3%
Jul-2004 20.7% 12.2%
Aug-2004 20.3% 11.8%
Sep-2004 21.4% 12.5%
Oct-2004 21.5% 12.7%
Nov-2004 21.4% 13.0%
Dec-2004 20.7% 12.8%
Jan-2005 21.2% 12.9%
Feb-2005 20.4% 12.7%
Mar-2005 21.8% 12.5%
Apr-2005 21.0% 13.3%
May-2005 20.0% 11.9%
Jun-2005 18.5% 10.9%
Jul-2005 18.7% 10.6%
Aug-2005 18.9% 11.4%
Sep-2005 18.9% 11.5%
Oct-2005 18.9% 10.8%
Nov-2005 18.1% 11.1%
Dec-2005 18.7% 11.1%
Jan-2006 16.7% 9.7%
Feb-2006 18.7% 10.7%
Mar-2006 18.7% 10.4%
Apr-2006 18.6% 9.4%
May-2006 19.0% 10.5%
Jun-2006 16.6% 10.0%
Jul-2006 18.2% 10.3%
Aug-2006 18.3% 10.1%
Sep-2006 18.1% 10.6%
Oct-2006 15.9% 9.5%
Nov-2006 16.4% 9.5%
Dec-2006 16.3% 9.3%
Jan-2007 16.3% 9.5%
Feb-2007 17.9% 10.1%
Mar-2007 18.6% 11.2%
Apr-2007 17.5% 10.2%
May-2007 16.5% 9.2%
Jun-2007 16.5% 8.7%
Jul-2007 18.2% 9.9%
Aug-2007 17.5% 10.2%
Sep-2007 17.6% 9.9%
Oct-2007 17.7% 10.3%
Nov-2007 19.0% 10.9%
Dec-2007 17.4% 9.2%
Jan-2008 18.5% 10.2%
Feb-2008 17.8% 9.8%
Mar-2008 16.8% 9.3%
Apr-2008 17.7% 9.7%
May-2008 18.3% 9.1%
Jun-2008 18.1% 9.8%
Jul-2008 18.9% 9.2%
Aug-2008 19.8% 10.5%
Sep-2008 21.3% 11.2%
Oct-2008 22.3% 13.0%
Nov-2008 21.1% 11.8%
Dec-2008 23.1% 12.3%
Jan-2009 22.6% 11.8%
Feb-2009 23.3% 12.1%
Mar-2009 24.2% 12.6%
Apr-2009 27.1% 13.4%
May-2009 26.9% 13.7%
Jun-2009 29.0% 14.4%
Jul-2009 33.9% 16.1%
Aug-2009 34.3% 16.5%
Sep-2009 36.6% 18.4%
Oct-2009 36.5% 19.2%
Nov-2009 39.3% 21.9%
Dec-2009 40.3% 23.2%
Jan-2010 41.5% 24.7%
Feb-2010 40.5% 24.1%
Mar-2010 43.2% 27.0%
Apr-2010 45.5% 30.7%
May-2010 44.9% 31.1%
Jun-2010 44.9% 30.0%
Jul-2010 44.9% 30.7%
Aug-2010 42.8% 30.0%
Sep-2010 42.3% 29.7%
Oct-2010 42.6% 29.9%
Nov-2010 42.4% 30.6%
Dec-2010 44.6% 30.7%
Jan-2011 43.7% 30.8%
Feb-2011 42.8% 30.9%
Mar-2011 44.6% 31.2%
Apr-2011 42.9% 31.0%
May-2011 44.7% 32.0%
Jun-2011 44.6% 31.6%
Jul-2011 45.1% 32.9%
Aug-2011 43.6% 31.8%
Sep-2011 45.2% 31.8%
Oct-2011 42.5% 30.0%
Nov-2011 43.2% 31.3%
Dec-2011 42.7% 31.1%
Jan-2012 42.7% 30.6%
Feb-2012 41.1% 29.7%
Mar-2012 41.3% 29.6%
Apr-2012 40.8% 29.1%
May-2012 42.7% 30.2%
Jun-2012 42.3% 29.9%
Jul-2012 41.2% 29.0%
Aug-2012 40.4% 28.6%
Sep-2012 40.5% 28.7%
Oct-2012 40.6% 29.1%
Nov-2012 40.2% 28.9%
Dec-2012 38.8% 27.9%
Jan-2013 37.6% 25.1%
Feb-2013 39.2% 25.8%
Mar-2013 39.0% 26.3%
Apr-2013 37.8% 25.8%
May-2013 37.3% 27.2%
Jun-2013 37.1% 25.4%
Jul-2013 37.6% 26.8%
Aug-2013 38.6% 26.3%
Sep-2013 36.8% 25.6%
Oct-2013 35.8% 24.6%
Nov-2013 37.6% 26.3%
Dec-2013 37.1% 26.1%
Jan-2014 35.3% 23.9%
Feb-2014 36.5% 25.7%
Mar-2014 35.5% 24.2%
Apr-2014 35.5% 23.3%
May-2014 34.5% 24.2%
Jun-2014 32.9% 22.1%
Jul-2014 32.6% 22.3%
Aug-2014 31.2% 21.9%
Sep-2014 31.7% 21.6%
Oct-2014 31.8% 22.1%
Nov-2014 31.1% 22.3%
Dec-2014 32.0% 21.4%
Jan-2015 31.3% 20.9%
Feb-2015 30.8% 20.6%
Mar-2015 29.7% 19.6%
Apr-2015 29.4% 20.3%
May-2015 28.7% 20.0%
Jun-2015 26.2% 16.7%
Jul-2015 26.0% 17.0%
Aug-2015 27.6% 17.6%
Sep-2015 26.4% 16.1%
Oct-2015 26.7% 18.4%
Nov-2015 25.8% 17.5%
Dec-2015 26.7% 17.7%
Jan-2016 27.1% 18.8%
Feb-2016 27.8% 18.6%
Mar-2016 28.0% 17.9%
Apr-2016 26.6% 16.5%
May-2016 25.5% 16.5%
Jun-2016 25.8% 17.8%
Jul-2016 25.4% 17.3%
Aug-2016 25.6% 17.1%
Sep-2016 24.1% 15.7%
Oct-2016 24.8% 16.2%
Nov-2016 24.7% 15.9%
Dec-2016 24.5% 16.5%
Jan-2017 24.8% 15.1%
Feb-2017 24.1% 15.3%
Mar-2017 23.6% 14.6%
Apr-2017 24.2% 14.0%
May-2017 25.0% 15.0%
Jun-2017 24.3% 15.0%
Jul-2017 25.1% 16.6%
Aug-2017 23.7% 14.5%
Sep-2017 24.5% 16.1%
Oct-2017 24.3% 15.4%
Nov-2017 23.5% 15.0%
Dec-2017 22.8% 14.9%
Jan-2018 22.4% 15.0%
Feb-2018 21.4% 13.9%
Mar-2018 20.9% 14.2%
Apr-2018 21.5% 12.2%
May-2018 20.2% 11.8%
Jun-2018 21.9% 12.5%
Jul-2018 22.9% 13.9%
Aug-2018 20.5% 12.6%
Sep-2018 22.2% 14.7%
Oct-2018 21.9% 13.9%
Nov-2018 20.1% 12.8%
Dec-2018 20.3% 12.6%
Jan-2019 19.9% 12.9%
Feb-2019 20.7% 13.7%
Mar-2019 20.4% 12.8%
Apr-2019 21.0% 13.0%
May-2019 22.6% 14.2%
Jun-2019 22.8% 13.6%
Jul-2019 20.2% 10.8%
Aug-2019 20.6% 12.2%
Sep-2019 23.1% 12.7%
Oct-2019 22.0% 13.5%
Nov-2019 20.5% 11.8%
Dec-2019 20.2% 11.3%
Jan-2020 20.0% 12.7%
Feb-2020 19.3% 11.8%
Mar-2020 15.9% 10.3%
Apr-2020 3.9% 2.1%
May-2020 5.5% 2.5%
Jun-2020 7.6% 3.7%
Jul-2020 9.5% 4.8%
Aug-2020 12.1% 6.1%
Sep-2020 19.3% 6.8%
Oct-2020 32.6% 7.2%
Nov-2020 36.5% 7.7%
Dec-2020 36.8% 7.6%
Jan-2021 39.8% 9.2%
Feb-2021 41.8% 12.4%
Mar-2021 43.0% 23.5%
Apr-2021 42.0% 27.3%
May-2021 40.5% 28.9%
Jun-2021 41.9% 30.7%
Jul-2021 39.7% 28.3%
Aug-2021 38.0% 27.6%
Sep-2021 35.3% 25.0%
Oct-2021 32.5% 22.8%
Nov-2021 32.4% 23.0%
Dec-2021 31.2% 21.2%
Jan-2022 25.2% 18.5%
Feb-2022 26.9% 19.5%
Mar-2022 23.1% 17.0%
Apr-2022 23.4% 16.8%
May-2022 22.4% 15.9%
Jun-2022 22.9% 15.0%
Jul-2022 19.3% 14.3%
Aug-2022 20.2% 13.5%
Sep-2022 19.4% 11.8%
Oct-2022 20.2% 13.0%
Nov-2022 20.9% 13.7%
Dec-2022 18.5% 11.1%
Jan-2023 19.0% 12.5%
Feb-2023 17.8% 10.3%
Mar-2023 18.2% 11.2%
Apr-2023 19.1% 12.4%
May-2023 19.2% 12.3%
Jun-2023 18.8% 11.3%
Jul-2023 20.1% 11.7%
Aug-2023 21.3% 12.2%
Sep-2023 19.4% 11.8%
Oct-2023 20.5% 12.4%
Nov-2023 18.7% 10.0%
Dec-2023 20.0% 11.5%
Jan-2024 20.7% 11.9%
Feb-2024 18.9% 11.9%
Mar-2024 19.7% 12.8%
Apr-2024 19.5% 10.8%
May-2024 20.7% 12.4%
Jun-2024 22.3% 11.6%
Jul-2024 21.5% 10.9%
Aug-2024 21.4% 11.8%
Sep-2024 23.5% 13.5%
Oct-2024 22.9% 12.8%
Nov-2024 23.2% 13.0%
Dec-2024 22.3% 13.1%
Jan-2025 21.1% 11.7%
Feb-2025 20.9% 12.1%
Mar-2025 21.3% 13.3%
Apr-2025 23.5% 13.3%
May-2025 20.5% 12.5%
Jun-2025 23.3% 14.1%
Jul-2025 24.8% 14.5%
Aug-2025 25.6% 14.9%
Sep-2025 23.6% 14.8%
Oct-2025
Nov-2025 24.4% 14.9%
Dec-2025 26.0% 16.0%
Jan-2026 24.7% 15.3%
Feb-2026 25.3% 17.1%
Mar-2026 25.4% 17.3%
Apr-2026 25.3% 17.3%
May-2026 27.5% 17.7%
Jun-2026 27.3% 16.8%
Jul-2026 25.5% 17.0%
Aug-2026 27.0% 17.4%
Sep-2026 27.1% 15.7%
Economic Policy Institute
View the underlying data on epi.org.