US Unemployment rate aged 20 and over
US Unemployment rate aged 20 and over stood at 3.8% 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 1948 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 years and over2 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 4 | 4 | 3.9 | |
| 20-24 years | 8 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 7.2 | 7.6 | 6.4 | 7.4 | 7 | 8.2 | |
| 25 years and over | 3.3 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.5 |
Understanding US Unemployment rate aged 20 and over
The series for individuals aged twenty and over measures the share of jobless persons who are actively seeking and available for work within the adult civilian labour force of the United States, as published by FRED. Employed individuals populate the denominator, while those without jobs who are not seeking work are excluded from both numerator and denominator. Compared with the aggregate rate, this indicator omits the teenage demographic, which features high unemployment and academic schedule volatility; compared with narrower sub-series, it aggregates both the twenty to twenty-four age group and those aged twenty-five and above.
Monthly fluctuations are typically more stable than those observed in the teenage segment, yet remain subject to survey noise and shifts in labour force participation. Month-on-month comparisons can be used to identify recent cyclical developments, followed by verification through year-on-year figures and multi-period trends. The overall adult rate also shifts when the relative weights of different age cohorts change, even when age-specific rates remain stable. Seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series should not be placed directly side by side, and the most recent period may be subject to subsequent revision.
Frequently asked questions
- Why might this rate be lower than the economy-wide unemployment rate?
- It excludes teenagers, a cohort that typically has a higher unemployment rate.
- Do retired individuals increase the denominator?
- Only if they are employed or actively looking for work; those who have left the labour market are not counted.
- Can it be compared directly with the teenager rate?
- It can be used to observe differences across age stages, but keep in mind that the size and seasonality of the two labour forces differ significantly.