United States Unemployment Rate

Here's a look at the U.S. unemployment rate for selected years from 1920 to 2010.

Year	Rate
1920	5.2 %
1928	4.2
1930	8.7
1932	23.6
1934	21.7
1936	16.9
1938	19.0
1940	14.6
1942	4.7%
1944	1.2
1946	3.9
1948	3.8
1950	5.3
1952	3.0
1954	5.5
1956	4.1
1958	6.8%
1960	5.5
1962	5.5
1964	5.2
1966	3.8
1968	3.6
1970	4.9
1972	5.6
1974	5.6%
1976	7.7
1978¹	6.1
1980	7.1
1982	9.7
1984	7.5
1986¹	7.0
1987	6.2
1988	5.5
1989	5.3
1990¹	5.6%
1991	6.8
1992	7.5
1993	6.9
1994¹	6.1
1995	5.6
1996	5.4
1997¹	4.9
1998¹	4.5
1999¹	4.2
2000¹	4.0
2001	4.7
2002	5.8
2003¹	6.0%
2004¹	5.5
2005¹	5.1
2006	4.6
2007	4.6
2008	5.8
2009	9.3
2010	9.6

NOTES: Estimates prior to 1940 are based on sources other than direct enumeration. Data prior to 1948 are for persons age 14 and over. Data beginning in 1948 are for persons age 16 and over.

1. Not strictly comparable with prior years.

2. Beginning in Jan. 2006, data are not strictly comparable with data for 2005 and earlier years because of the revisions in the population controls used in the household survey.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Web: stats.bls.gov .

State Minimum Wage Rates

Labor and Employment

Unemployment Rate by State: 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2008