Farm and Nonfarm Labor Force, 1940–2005

Updated August 5, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

(number in thousands)

YearCivilian labor force employed
TotalAgricultureNonagricultural
industries
1940147,5209,54037,980
1945152,8208,58044,240
195058,9187,16051,758
195562,1706,45055,722
1960265,7785,45860,318
196571,0884,36166,726
197078,6783,46375,215
197585,8463,40882,438
198099,3023,36495,938
1985107,1503,179103,971
19902118,7933,223115,570
1995124,9003,440121,460
1996126,7083,443123,264
19973129,5583,399126,159
19983131,4633,378128,085
19993133,4883,281130,207
20003136,8912,464134,427
2001136,9332,299134,635
2002136,4852,311134,174
2003137,7362,275135,461
2004139,2522,232137,020
2005141,7302,197139,532
1. Data for persons age 14 and over. Beginning 1950, data relate to persons age 16 and over.
2. Not strictly comparable with data for prior years.
3. Beginning in Jan. 2000, data are not strictly comparable with data for 1999 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: www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat1.pdf .

Median Weekly Earnings of Selected Occupations, 2005Labor and EmploymentPersons in the Labor Force, 1840–2005
Labor and Employment
Sources +