Chart: Labor force growth has slowed significantly in recent business cycles, especially for the U.S.-Born: Average annual labor force growth between business cycle peaks | Economic Policy Institute

Figure A

Labor force growth has slowed significantly in recent business cycles, especially for the U.S.-Born: Average annual labor force growth between business cycle peaks

Years	Total	U.S.-Born
1948–1979	1.79%
1979–2007	1.36%
2007–2019	0.55%	0.32%
2019–2024	0.55%	0.26%

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Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS 2025a) data retrieval tools based on data from the Current Population Survey (CPS).

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The U.S.-Born labor force will shrink over the next decade: Achieving historically ‘normal’ GDP growth rates will be impossible, unless immigration flows are sustained

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