To count as unemployed you must be without work, available and have looked for work in the past four weeks. The U.S. unemployment rate has been around 4–4.5% in 2025–26.
How to use the Unemployment Calculator
- Employed
- Unemployed
- Marginally attached workers
- Part-time for economic reasons
- Working-age population
Results update as you type, and every field accepts the units shown in its menu.
How it works
Enter the number employed and unemployed, and optionally marginally attached and involuntary part-time workers and the working-age population.
Tips
- Use real (inflation-adjusted) figures to compare across years.
- Check whether data are seasonally adjusted.
- Use the same currency and base year throughout.
- Economic models simplify reality – treat results as illustrations, not forecasts.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Mixing nominal and real values.
- Comparing percentage changes with percentage-point changes.
- Treating correlations as causes.
Inputs explained
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Employed | A number |
| Unemployed | A number |
| Marginally attached workers | A number |
| Part-time for economic reasons | A number |
| Working-age population | A number |
What each result means
- Labor force = [Employed] + [Unemployed]
- Unemployment rate (U-3) = [Unemployed]÷[Labor force]×100
- U-6 underutilization rate = ([Unemployed] + [Marginally attached workers] + [Part-time for economic reasons])÷([Labor force] + [Marginally attached workers])×100
- Participation rate = [Labor force]÷[Working-age population]×100
Example values
How the main result changes when Employed changes and everything else stays at the example values above:
| Employed | Unemployment rate (U-3) (%) |
|---|---|
| 81,500,000 | 8.12 |
| 122,250,000 | 5.56 |
| 163,000,000 | 4.23 |
| 203,750,000 | 3.41 |
| 244,500,000 | 2.86 |
| 326,000,000 | 2.16 |
Formula
Labor force = employed + unemployedUnemployment rate (U-3) = unemployed ÷ labor force × 100U-6 = (unemployed + marginally attached + part-time for economic reasons) ÷ (labor force + marginally attached) × 100Worked example
Inputs — Employed: 163,000,000; Unemployed: 7,200,000; Marginally attached workers: 1,600,000; Part-time for economic reasons: 4,500,000; Working-age population: 273,000,000.
Results — Labor force = 170,200,000; Unemployment rate (U-3) = 4.23 %; U-6 underutilization rate = 7.74 %; Participation rate = 62.34 %.
Frequently asked questions
How is the unemployment rate calculated?
Unemployed ÷ labor force × 100.
Who counts as unemployed?
People without a job who are available and actively looked for work in the last 4 weeks.
What is U-6?
A broader measure including discouraged and involuntary part-time workers.
What formula does the Unemployment Calculator use?
Labor force = employed + unemployed.