Racial and ethinic disparities persist over time: Unemployment rate of workers age 16 and older by race and ethnicity, 1973–2012

White Black Hispanic
January 1973 4.5 9.1
February 1973 4.5 9.5
March 1973 4.4 9.4 7.3
April 1973 4.5 9.9 7.9
May 1973 4.3 9.6 8.1
June 1973 4.3 9.8 7.9
July 1973 4.2 9.8 7.2
August 1973 4.3 9.2 7.4
September 1973 4.3 9.7 7.7
October 1973 4.1 8.8 8.0
November 1973 4.3 9.3 8.1
December 1973 4.4 9.0 7.6
January 1974 4.6 9.5 7.6
February 1974 4.6 9.8 7.8
March 1974 4.5 9.8 7.6
April 1974 4.5 9.5 7.0
May 1974 4.6 9.7 7.3
June 1974 4.8 10.1 8.6
July 1974 4.9 10.4 8.8
August 1974 5.0 9.9 8.1
September 1974 5.4 10.8 8.1
October 1974 5.4 11.5 8.2
November 1974 6.0 12.4 8.6
December 1974 6.4 13.1 9.1
January 1975 7.4 14.1 10.7
February 1975 7.4 14.4 11.2
March 1975 7.8 15.1 12.1
April 1975 8.0 15.3 12.4
May 1975 8.4 15.1 14.3
June 1975 8.1 15.0 11.7
July 1975 8.0 14.1 11.6
August 1975 7.7 15.2 12.1
September 1975 7.7 15.4 12.7
October 1975 7.7 14.9 13.0
November 1975 7.6 14.6 12.4
December 1975 7.4 14.5 12.1
January 1976 7.2 14.3 11.4
February 1976 6.9 14.4 10.7
March 1976 6.9 13.5 11.0
April 1976 6.9 13.8 11.7
May 1976 6.7 13.2 10.5
June 1976 6.9 14.3 11.1
July 1976 7.1 13.9 11.7
August 1976 7.1 14.3 12.4
September 1976 7.0 13.7 11.8
October 1976 7.0 13.9 11.6
November 1976 7.1 14.0 11.7
December 1976 7.0 14.1 11.7
January 1977 6.8 13.8 11.2
February 1977 6.9 14.2 11.4
March 1977 6.7 13.9 11.2
April 1977 6.4 12.8 9.6
May 1977 6.3 13.5 9.9
June 1977 6.4 13.9 10.1
July 1977 6.0 13.9 9.5
August 1977 6.0 15.1 9.4
September 1977 6.0 14.5 9.7
October 1977 5.9 14.5 9.4
November 1977 5.8 14.7 9.3
December 1977 5.5 13.6 8.8
January 1978 5.5 13.9 9.3
February 1978 5.5 13.1 9.9
March 1978 5.4 13.1 9.5
April 1978 5.3 12.9 8.5
May 1978 5.2 13.0 9.6
June 1978 5.0 12.8 9.1
July 1978 5.3 13.0 9.5
August 1978 5.1 12.3 9.1
September 1978 5.2 11.9 8.9
October 1978 5.0 11.8 8.5
November 1978 5.0 12.7 8.4
December 1978 5.2 12.4 8.7
January 1979 5.1 12.4 8.2
February 1979 5.1 13.1 7.7
March 1979 5.1 12.5 7.9
April 1979 5.0 12.9 8.2
May 1979 4.8 12.4 7.9
June 1979 4.9 12.2 8.4
July 1979 4.9 12.1 8.1
August 1979 5.3 12.4 8.7
September 1979 5.2 11.7 7.6
October 1979 5.2 12.3 8.7
November 1979 5.2 11.9 9.2
December 1979 5.2 12.2 9.1
January 1980 5.5 13.0 8.7
February 1980 5.5 12.9 8.9
March 1980 5.6 12.9 9.2
April 1980 6.1 13.8 10.4
May 1980 6.6 14.4 10.1
June 1980 6.7 14.6 10.1
July 1980 6.9 15.3 10.8
August 1980 6.9 14.6 10.8
September 1980 6.6 14.8 11.4
October 1980 6.6 15.1 10.6
November 1980 6.5 15.1 9.9
December 1980 6.3 15.0 10.3
January 1981 6.7 14.6 10.6
February 1981 6.6 14.7 11.3
March 1981 6.5 15.1 10.2
April 1981 6.4 14.7 9.5
May 1981 6.6 14.8 10.0
June 1981 6.5 15.7 10.3
July 1981 6.3 15.0 10.0
August 1981 6.3 16.3 10.0
September 1981 6.6 15.9 9.6
October 1981 6.9 16.7 10.7
November 1981 7.3 16.8 11.2
December 1981 7.5 17.2 11.7
January 1982 7.6 17.3 11.7
February 1982 7.8 17.7 12.1
March 1982 8.0 18.1 12.2
April 1982 8.3 18.2 12.9
May 1982 8.2 18.5 13.9
June 1982 8.5 18.5 13.8
July 1982 8.7 18.8 14.2
August 1982 8.7 18.9 14.8
September 1982 9.0 19.7 14.4
October 1982 9.2 20.1 15.0
November 1982 9.6 20.2 15.2
December 1982 9.7 20.9 15.7
January 1983 9.1 21.2 15.3
February 1983 9.3 19.9 15.5
March 1983 9.1 20.1 15.6
April 1983 8.9 20.4 14.8
May 1983 8.8 20.3 14.0
June 1983 8.7 20.7 14.3
July 1983 8.2 19.4 12.4
August 1983 8.2 19.7 13.0
September 1983 8.0 18.8 12.9
October 1983 7.7 18.2 12.1
November 1983 7.4 17.5 12.3
December 1983 7.1 17.8 11.6
January 1984 6.9 17.3 11.4
February 1984 6.8 16.2 10.4
March 1984 6.7 16.6 11.5
April 1984 6.7 16.5 11.6
May 1984 6.4 15.7 10.6
June 1984 6.2 15.6 10.3
July 1984 6.3 16.7 10.4
August 1984 6.4 16.0 10.7
September 1984 6.4 15.0 10.5
October 1984 6.3 15.3 10.8
November 1984 6.2 15.0 10.2
December 1984 6.3 15.2 10.4
January 1985 6.3 15.2 10.5
February 1985 6.2 15.8 9.8
March 1985 6.2 15.1 10.5
April 1985 6.3 15.1 10.4
May 1985 6.2 15.2 10.6
June 1985 6.5 14.4 10.7
July 1985 6.4 15.2 11.2
August 1985 6.2 14.3 10.4
September 1985 6.1 15.2 10.4
October 1985 6.1 15.0 11.1
November 1985 5.9 15.6 10.6
December 1985 6.0 15.0 10.5
January 1986 5.7 14.5 10.2
February 1986 6.3 14.4 11.9
March 1986 6.2 14.6 10.7
April 1986 6.1 14.8 10.3
May 1986 6.2 14.6 10.8
June 1986 6.2 15.1 10.6
July 1986 6.1 14.4 10.7
August 1986 5.9 14.8 10.9
September 1986 6.0 14.9 11.1
October 1986 6.0 14.6 10.4
November 1986 6.0 14.3 9.3
December 1986 5.8 13.7 10.5
January 1987 5.7 14.0 10.6
February 1987 5.7 13.8 9.8
March 1987 5.7 13.8 9.3
April 1987 5.4 12.9 8.9
May 1987 5.4 13.6 8.6
June 1987 5.4 12.9 8.5
July 1987 5.2 12.9 8.1
August 1987 5.1 12.6 7.9
September 1987 5.1 12.6 8.3
October 1987 5.2 12.3 8.4
November 1987 5.0 12.1 8.8
December 1987 4.9 12.1 8.1
January 1988 5.0 12.0 7.6
February 1988 4.9 12.4 8.5
March 1988 4.8 12.7 8.4
April 1988 4.6 12.2 8.8
May 1988 4.7 12.3 8.8
June 1988 4.6 11.5 8.8
July 1988 4.7 11.6 7.9
August 1988 4.8 11.4 8.1
September 1988 4.8 11.0 7.4
October 1988 4.7 11.1 7.8
November 1988 4.6 11.0 7.9
December 1988 4.6 11.3 7.6
January 1989 4.6 11.8 8.6
February 1989 4.3 11.9 7.0
March 1989 4.2 11.1 6.6
April 1989 4.5 11.1 8.1
May 1989 4.4 11.2 7.9
June 1989 4.5 11.7 8.2
July 1989 4.5 11.0 8.8
August 1989 4.5 11.1 8.8
September 1989 4.5 11.7 8.1
October 1989 4.5 11.7 8.0
November 1989 4.6 11.7 7.9
December 1989 4.6 11.6 8.3
January 1990 4.6 11.1 7.3
February 1990 4.6 11.0 7.5
March 1990 4.5 10.9 7.4
April 1990 4.7 10.7 8.5
May 1990 4.6 10.6 7.9
June 1990 4.5 10.5 7.7
July 1990 4.7 11.4 8.0
August 1990 4.9 11.7 8.3
September 1990 5.0 12.1 8.3
October 1990 5.1 12.1 8.5
November 1990 5.3 12.4 8.9
December 1990 5.4 12.4 9.9
January 1991 5.6 11.9 9.1
February 1991 5.8 12.2 9.2
March 1991 6.0 12.5 9.8
April 1991 5.9 12.7 9.8
May 1991 6.1 12.8 10.0
June 1991 6.2 12.5 10.1
July 1991 6.2 11.9 9.6
August 1991 6.2 12.4 10.5
September 1991 6.2 12.3 10.9
October 1991 6.2 13.3 10.7
November 1991 6.3 12.5 10.4
December 1991 6.5 12.9 10.2
January 1992 6.4 13.5 11.0
February 1992 6.5 14.2 11.3
March 1992 6.5 14.1 11.2
April 1992 6.5 14.1 11.0
May 1992 6.6 14.7 11.7
June 1992 6.9 14.6 12.1
July 1992 6.7 14.4 11.7
August 1992 6.7 14.2 11.7
September 1992 6.7 13.9 11.8
October 1992 6.5 14.3 11.8
November 1992 6.5 14.1 12.0
December 1992 6.5 14.3 11.5
January 1993 6.3 14.1 11.3
February 1993 6.2 13.5 11.5
March 1993 6.1 13.7 11.3
April 1993 6.1 14.0 11.0
May 1993 6.2 13.1 10.2
June 1993 6.2 13.4 10.4
July 1993 6.1 12.7 10.7
August 1993 6.0 12.3 9.8
September 1993 5.9 12.5 10.0
October 1993 6.2 11.8 11.4
November 1993 5.7 12.6 10.5
December 1993 5.8 11.7 10.6
January 1994 5.7 13.1 10.5
February 1994 5.7 12.8 10.1
March 1994 5.7 12.4 9.9
April 1994 5.6 11.9 10.8
May 1994 5.2 11.7 9.6
June 1994 5.3 11.3 10.3
July 1994 5.3 10.9 10.1
August 1994 5.2 11.2 9.8
September 1994 5.1 10.6 10.1
October 1994 5.0 11.3 9.5
November 1994 4.8 10.8 8.9
December 1994 4.8 9.9 9.3
January 1995 4.8 10.3 10.2
February 1995 4.7 10.1 9.0
March 1995 4.7 9.7 8.9
April 1995 5.0 10.7 8.9
May 1995 5.0 10.0 9.8
June 1995 4.9 10.7 9.1
July 1995 4.9 10.9 8.8
August 1995 4.9 11.1 9.6
September 1995 4.9 11.1 9.1
October 1995 4.9 10.0 9.4
November 1995 5.0 9.7 9.5
December 1995 4.9 10.2 9.3
January 1996 4.9 10.6 9.4
February 1996 4.8 10.0 9.6
March 1996 4.8 10.6 9.6
April 1996 4.8 10.7 9.6
May 1996 4.9 10.2 9.6
June 1996 4.6 10.4 8.8
July 1996 4.7 10.6 8.8
August 1996 4.4 10.6 8.8
September 1996 4.5 10.6 8.2
October 1996 4.5 10.7 8.0
November 1996 4.6 10.6 8.5
December 1996 4.6 10.5 7.4
January 1997 4.5 10.8 8.4
February 1997 4.5 10.7 8.2
March 1997 4.4 10.5 8.3
April 1997 4.3 10.2 8.2
May 1997 4.1 10.3 7.7
June 1997 4.2 10.8 7.5
July 1997 4.2 9.5 7.9
August 1997 4.2 9.4 7.2
September 1997 4.2 9.5 7.4
October 1997 4.1 9.5 7.8
November 1997 3.9 9.5 7.0
December 1997 3.9 10.0 7.3
January 1998 4.0 9.4 7.1
February 1998 3.9 9.3 6.9
March 1998 4.0 9.2 6.9
April 1998 3.7 9.1 6.7
May 1998 3.8 8.9 6.9
June 1998 3.9 8.8 7.4
July 1998 3.8 9.5 7.3
August 1998 3.9 8.8 7.4
September 1998 3.9 9.1 7.3
October 1998 3.9 8.6 7.2
November 1998 3.8 8.6 7.1
December 1998 3.8 7.7 7.7
January 1999 3.8 7.8 6.7
February 1999 3.8 8.2 6.7
March 1999 3.6 8.0 5.8
April 1999 3.8 7.8 7.0
May 1999 3.7 7.4 6.7
June 1999 3.8 7.7 6.6
July 1999 3.7 8.7 6.5
August 1999 3.7 7.7 6.5
September 1999 3.6 8.5 6.7
October 1999 3.5 8.4 6.4
November 1999 3.5 8.0 6.0
December 1999 3.5 7.8 5.8
January 2000 3.4 8.2 5.6
February 2000 3.6 8.1 5.7
March 2000 3.5 7.4 6.1
April 2000 3.4 7.0 5.5
May 2000 3.5 7.7 5.8
June 2000 3.4 7.8 5.6
July 2000 3.5 7.7 5.8
August 2000 3.6 7.9 5.9
September 2000 3.5 7.3 5.8
October 2000 3.4 7.3 5.1
November 2000 3.5 7.3 6.0
December 2000 3.5 7.4 5.7
January 2001 3.6 8.2 5.8
February 2001 3.7 7.7 6.1
March 2001 3.7 8.3 6.2
April 2001 3.9 8.0 6.4
May 2001 3.8 7.9 6.3
June 2001 4.0 8.3 6.6
July 2001 4.0 8.0 6.2
August 2001 4.3 9.1 6.5
September 2001 4.3 8.9 6.7
October 2001 4.7 9.5 7.1
November 2001 4.9 9.8 7.3
December 2001 5.1 10.1 7.7
January 2002 5.1 10.0 7.8
February 2002 5.0 9.9 7.0
March 2002 5.0 10.5 7.5
April 2002 5.2 10.7 8.0
May 2002 5.1 10.2 7.1
June 2002 5.1 10.5 7.4
July 2002 5.2 9.8 7.4
August 2002 5.1 9.8 7.5
September 2002 5.1 9.7 7.4
October 2002 5.1 9.8 7.9
November 2002 5.1 10.7 7.8
December 2002 5.1 11.3 7.9
January 2003 5.2 10.5 7.9
February 2003 5.1 10.7 7.6
March 2003 5.1 10.3 7.8
April 2003 5.3 10.9 7.6
May 2003 5.4 10.9 8.1
June 2003 5.5 11.5 8.4
July 2003 5.4 10.9 8.1
August 2003 5.4 10.9 7.7
September 2003 5.3 11.1 7.3
October 2003 5.1 11.4 7.4
November 2003 5.2 10.2 7.5
December 2003 5.0 10.1 6.6
January 2004 5 10.4 7.4
February 2004 4.9 9.7 7.4
March 2004 5.1 10.3 7.5
April 2004 5 9.8 7.1
May 2004 4.9 10.1 7
June 2004 5 10.2 6.6
July 2004 4.7 11 6.9
August 2004 4.7 10.5 6.8
September 2004 4.6 10.3 6.9
October 2004 4.6 10.8 6.7
November 2004 4.6 10.7 6.7
December 2004 4.5 10.7 6.5
January 2005 4.5 10.6 6.2
February 2005 4.6 10.9 6.4
March 2005 4.5 10.5 5.8
April 2005 4.4 10.3 6.4
May 2005 4.4 10.1 5.9
June 2005 4.3 10.2 5.7
July 2005 4.2 9.2 5.5
August 2005 4.2 9.7 5.8
September 2005 4.4 9.4 6.5
October 2005 4.4 9.1 5.9
November 2005 4.3 10.6 6.2
December 2005 4.2 9.2 6.1
January 2006 4.1 8.9 5.7
February 2006 4.1 9.5 5.5
March 2006 4 9.5 5.2
April 2006 4.1 9.4 5.3
May 2006 4.1 8.7 4.9
June 2006 4.1 8.9 5.2
July 2006 4.1 9.5 5.3
August 2006 4.1 8.8 5.3
September 2006 3.9 9 5.5
October 2006 3.9 8.4 4.7
November 2006 4 8.5 5.1
December 2006 3.9 8.3 5
January 2007 4.2 7.9 5.8
February 2007 4.1 8 5.3
March 2007 3.8 8.4 5.1
April 2007 4 8.3 5.5
May 2007 3.9 8.3 5.7
June 2007 4.1 8.5 5.6
July 2007 4.2 8.1 5.9
August 2007 4.2 7.6 5.5
September 2007 4.2 8 5.8
October 2007 4.1 8.5 5.6
November 2007 4.2 8.5 5.8
December 2007 4.4 9 6.3
January 2008 4.4 9.1 6.5
February 2008 4.4 8.4 6.3
March 2008 4.5 9.2 6.9
April 2008 4.4 8.6 6.9
May 2008 4.8 9.6 6.9
June 2008 5 9.4 7.7
July 2008 5.2 10 7.6
August 2008 5.5 10.6 8.1
September 2008 5.4 11.3 8
October 2008 5.9 11.4 8.8
November 2008 6.2 11.6 8.7
December 2008 6.7 12.1 9.4
January 2009 7.1 12.7 10
February 2009 7.5 13.7 11.1
March 2009 8 13.6 11.6
April 2009 8.1 14.9 11.4
May 2009 8.6 14.9 12.6
June 2009 8.7 14.8 12.2
July 2009 8.7 14.8 12.5
August 2009 8.9 14.9 13.1
September 2009 9 15.4 12.7
October 2009 9.3 16 13
November 2009 9.2 15.8 12.6
December 2009 9 16.2 12.8
January 2010 8.7 16.5 12.6
February 2010 8.9 16 12.4
March 2010 8.8 16.7 12.6
April 2010 9 16.4 12.4
May 2010 8.8 15.4 12.3
June 2010 8.6 15.2 12.4
July 2010 8.6 15.7 12.2
August 2010 8.7 16.1 12.1
September 2010 8.6 16 12.4
October 2010 8.6 15.9 12.5
November 2010 8.9 16.1 13.1
December 2010 8.5 15.8 12.9
January 2011 8.1 15.7 12
February 2011 8 15.4 11.6
March 2011 7.9 15.6 11.3
April 2011 8.1 16.2 11.8
May 2011 8 16.2 11.8
June 2011 8.1 16.2 11.6
July 2011 8.1 15.9 11.3
August 2011 7.9 16.7 11.3
September 2011 7.9 15.9 11.3
October 2011 8 15 11.4
November 2011 7.6 15.5 11.4
December 2011 7.5 15.8 11
January 2012 7.4 13.6 10.5
February 2012 7.3 14.1 10.7
March 2012 7.3 14 10.3
April 2012 7.4 13 10.3
May 2012 7.4 13.6 11
June 2012 7.4 14.4 11
July 2012 7.4 14.1 10.3
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