United States - Labor force, total

The value for Labor force, total in United States was 165,530,200 as of 2021. As the graph below shows, over the past 31 years this indicator reached a maximum value of 166,355,600 in 2019 and a minimum value of 127,976,600 in 1990.

Definition: Labor force comprises people ages 15 and older who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period. It includes people who are currently employed and people who are unemployed but seeking work as well as first-time job-seekers. Not everyone who works is included, however. Unpaid workers, family workers, and students are often omitted, and some countries do not count members of the armed forces. Labor force size tends to vary during the year as seasonal workers enter and leave.

Source: Derived using data from International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database and World Bank population estimates. Labor data retrieved in September 2019.

See also:

Year Value
1990 127,976,600
1991 128,888,500
1992 131,111,900
1993 132,441,900
1994 134,712,600
1995 136,498,700
1996 138,356,500
1997 140,767,700
1998 142,346,800
1999 144,214,700
2000 146,013,800
2001 147,226,500
2002 148,295,400
2003 149,003,800
2004 150,103,000
2005 151,976,100
2006 153,855,500
2007 155,224,900
2008 156,907,800
2009 157,079,900
2010 157,111,100
2011 157,163,200
2012 157,841,900
2013 158,252,900
2014 158,910,300
2015 159,912,600
2016 161,836,200
2017 163,395,300
2018 164,634,800
2019 166,355,600
2020 164,740,400
2021 165,530,200

Statistical Concept and Methodology: The labor force is the supply of labor available for producing goods and services in an economy. It includes people who are currently employed and people who are unemployed but seeking work as well as first-time job-seekers. Not everyone who works is included, however. Unpaid workers, family workers, and students are often omitted, and some countries do not count members of the armed forces. Labor force size tends to vary during the year as seasonal workers enter and leave. Data are generated with World Bank population estimates and ILO estimates on labor force participation rate. The ILO estimates are harmonized to ensure comparability across countries and over time by accounting for differences in data source, scope of coverage, methodology, and other country-specific factors. The estimates are based mainly on nationally representative labor force surveys, with other sources (population censuses and nationally reported estimates) used only when no survey data are available.

Aggregation method: Sum

Periodicity: Annual

General Comments: Data up to 2016 are estimates while data from 2017 are projections.

Classification

Topic: Labor & Social Protection Indicators

Sub-Topic: Labor force structure