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Youth Indicators, 2005: Trends in the Well-Being of American Youth

Indicator 27: Employment of Young Adults

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Table 27. Labor force participation and unemployment rates of persons 16 years old and over, by sex and age group: Various years, 1960 to 2003
 MalesFemales
Year16 years old and over16 to 19 years old20 to 24 years old25 to 34 years old16 years old and over16 to 19 years old20 to 24 years old25 to 34 years old
Civilian labor force1 (in thousands)
196046,3882,7874,12310,25123,2402,0542,5794,131
197051,2284,0085,71711,32731,5433,2414,8805,708
197556,2994,8057,56514,19237,4754,0656,1858,673
198061,4534,9998,60716,97145,4874,3817,31512,257
198564,4114,1348,28318,80851,0503,7677,43414,742
199069,0114,0947,86619,87256,8293,6986,83416,058
199571,3604,0367,33818,67060,9443,7296,34915,528
199672,0874,0437,10418,43061,8573,7636,27315,403
199773,2614,0957,18418,11063,0363,8376,34815,271
199873,9594,2447,22117,79663,7144,0126,41815,017
199974,5124,3187,29117,31864,8554,0156,64314,826
200076,2804,2697,52117,84466,3034,0026,73014,912
200176,8864,0707,64017,67166,8483,8326,91714,690
200277,5003,8707,76917,59667,3633,7157,01214,600
200378,2383,6147,90617,76768,2723,5567,02114,576
Percent in labor force2
196083.356.188.197.537.739.346.136.0
197079.756.183.396.443.344.057.745.0
197577.959.184.595.246.349.164.154.9
198077.460.585.995.251.552.968.965.5
198576.356.885.094.754.552.171.870.9
199076.455.784.494.157.551.671.373.5
199575.054.883.193.058.952.270.374.9
199674.953.282.593.259.351.371.375.2
199775.052.382.593.059.851.072.776.0
199874.953.382.093.259.852.373.076.3
199974.752.981.993.360.051.073.276.4
200074.852.882.693.459.951.273.176.1
200174.450.281.692.759.849.072.775.5
200274.147.580.792.459.647.372.175.1
200373.544.380.091.859.544.870.874.1
Percent unemployed3
19605.415.38.94.85.913.98.36.3
19704.415.08.43.55.915.67.95.7
19757.920.114.36.99.319.712.79.1
19806.918.312.56.77.417.210.47.2
19857.019.511.46.67.417.610.77.4
19905.716.39.15.55.514.78.55.6
19955.618.49.25.15.616.19.05.7
19965.418.19.54.95.415.29.05.5
19974.916.98.94.35.015.08.15.2
19984.416.28.13.94.612.97.84.8
19994.114.77.73.64.313.27.24.4
20003.914.07.33.44.112.17.14.1
20014.816.09.04.34.713.47.55.1
20025.918.110.25.85.614.99.15.9
20036.319.310.66.25.715.69.35.9
1The civilian labor force includes all employed persons, plus those seeking employment; it excludes persons in the military.
2The labor force participation rate is the percentage of persons either employed or seeking employment.
3The unemployment rate is the proportion of those in the labor force who are not working but are seeking employment.
NOTE: Some data are revised from previously published figures.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, 1960 through 2003, unpublished data.