Long-term unemployment experience of the jobless
Table 1. Selected labor force and unemployment measures by age, 2007–09 annual averages
| Age and characteristic |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
Long-term unemployment rate |
|
|
|
Total, 16 and older |
0.8 |
1.1 |
2.9 |
16 to 24 years |
1.3 |
1.8 |
4.1 |
25 to 54 years |
0.7 |
1.0 |
2.8 |
55 years and older |
0.7 |
1.0 |
2.6 |
Distribution of long-term unemployment |
|
|
|
Total, 16 and older |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
16 to 24 years |
22.5 |
22.3 |
19.5 |
25 to 54 years |
62.3 |
62.2 |
63.8 |
55 years and older |
15.1 |
15.6 |
16.7 |
Distribution of the labor force |
|
|
|
Total, 16 and older |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
16 to 24 years |
14.5 |
14.3 |
13.9 |
25 to 54 years |
68.1 |
67.7 |
67.3 |
55 years and older |
17.3 |
18.1 |
18.8 |
Percent unemployed 27 weeks and over |
|
|
|
Total, 16 and older |
17.6 |
19.7 |
31.5 |
16 to 24 years |
11.9 |
13.8 |
23.3 |
25 to 54 years |
19.9 |
21.8 |
33.4 |
55 years and older |
22.7 |
25.7 |
39.4 |
Average number of weeks unemployed |
|
|
|
Total, 16 and older |
16.8 |
17.9 |
24.4 |
16 to 24 years |
12.9 |
14.0 |
19.9 |
25 to 54 years |
18.3 |
19.2 |
25.3 |
55 years and older |
21.1 |
22.0 |
29.5 |
|
NOTE: Long-term unemployment is defined as the number of persons unemployed for 27 weeks or longer.
The long-term unemployment rate is defined as the share of a particular group's labor force total that has
been unemployed for 27 weeks or more.
|
