Figure H2

: Men's prime-age labor force participation by marital status, 1976–2024

Year Married Not married
1976 95.8% 85.9%
1977 95.8% 86.7%
1978 95.8% 87.5%
1979 95.9% 88.0%
1980 95.9% 87.9%
1981 95.9% 88.1%
1982 95.8% 88.3%
1983 95.7% 88.1%
1984 95.7% 88.4%
1985 95.7% 88.7%
1986 95.7% 88.5%
1987 95.6% 88.4%
1988 95.6% 88.3%
1989 96.0% 88.6%
1990 95.7% 88.5%
1991 95.4% 88.0%
1992 95.3% 88.2%
1993 95.1% 87.4%
1994 94.5% 86.3%
1995 94.5% 85.8%
1996 94.7% 86.2%
1997 94.7% 86.5%
1998 94.7% 86.4%
1999 94.5% 86.5%
2000 94.5% 86.3%
2001 94.3% 85.8%
2002 94.0% 85.6%
2003 93.8% 84.8%
2004 93.7% 84.6%
2005 93.9% 84.6%
2006 93.9% 85.0%
2007 94.0% 85.5%
2008 93.9% 85.1%
2009 93.5% 83.9%
2010 93.1% 83.4%
2011 92.7% 82.9%
2012 92.7% 83.0%
2013 92.5% 82.7%
2014 92.4% 82.4%
2015 92.5% 82.5%
2016 92.6% 83.0%
2017 92.7% 83.1%
2018 93.0% 83.7%
2019 93.3% 83.9%
2020 92.4% 82.1%
2021 92.5% 82.6%
2022 92.8% 83.4%
2023 93.3% 84.1%
2024 93.5% 84.3%
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Economic Policy Institute

Notes: Data include the civilian non-institutional population. “Prime age” refers to ages 25 to 54.

Source: EPI analysis of the Current Population Survey (CPS) basic monthly microdata, EPI Current Population Survey Extracts, Version 2025.6.11https://microdata.epi.org

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