US U-6 Unemployment Rate
US U-6 Unemployment Rate stood at 7.6% in Sep 2026, according to FRED (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis). It is one of the indicators in the Unemployment table (Value · Monthly), with a complete series running from Jan 1994 to Sep 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Unemployment table
| Indicator | 09-2026 | 08-2026 | 07-2026 | 06-2026 | 05-2026 | 04-2026 | 03-2026 | 02-2026 | 01-2026 | 12-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broad Measures and Participation Rate | |||||||||||
| Broad unemployment (U-6) | 7.6 | 7.7 | 7.9 | 7.9 | 8.1 | 8.2 | 8 | 7.9 | 8.1 | 8.4 | |
| Labour force participation rate | 61.8 | 61.6 | 61.4 | 61.5 | 61.8 | 61.8 | 61.9 | 62 | 62.1 | 62.4 |
Understanding US U-6 Unemployment Rate
The scope of this measure extends beyond conventional definitions of unemployed individuals. The numerator also counts individuals who want and are available to work but have only recently engaged in marginal job searches, alongside workers employed part-time for economic reasons despite desiring full-time hours. The denominator is the labour force plus this loosely attached group. The core difference from the official unemployment rate is that this indicator captures both underemployment and discouragement at the margins of the labour force.
When reading monthly series, high levels indicate labour market distress broader than complete joblessness, though not everyone in the numerator is unemployed. Year-on-year comparisons help reduce noise from recruitment seasonality and holidays; month-on-month movements should be used cautiously if seasonal processing methods are unclear. The gap between the broad measure and standard unemployment is particularly notable: widening gaps can signal reduced working hours or swelling pools of workers at the edge of the labour force. The latest figures may be revised following initial publication.
Frequently asked questions
- Are part-time workers always included in expanded measures?
- No. Only those working part-time for economic reasons who want full-time work are included in the supplementary numerator.
- Are discouraged workers who have stopped looking for a job counted?
- Some are included if they still want a job, are available to work, and have shown attachment to the job search within the specified timeframe.
- What does the gap with the standard unemployment rate indicate?
- A wide gap typically indicates that underemployment or weak labour market attachment is more prevalent than official unemployment figures suggest.