U.S. Unemployment Rate (April)

 

The Unemployment Rate measures the percentage of the total work force that is unemployed and actively seeking employment during the previous month.

As of April 2025, the U.S. unemployment rate remains steady at 4.2%, unchanged from March and aligning with market expectations. The number of unemployed individuals stands at approximately 7.2 million.

In April, the U.S. economy added 177,000 nonfarm payroll jobs, surpassing analyst forecasts of 135,000. Job growth was particularly strong in sectors such as healthcare, transportation and warehousing, financial activities, and social assistance. However, federal government employment declined by 9,000 positions, reflecting ongoing efforts to reduce public spending.

Despite the steady unemployment rate, there are signs of strain in the labor market. The number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) increased by 179,000 to 1.7 million, accounting for 23.5% of all unemployed individuals. Additionally, the labor force participation rate held at 62.6%, and the employment-population ratio remained at 60.0%, both showing little change over the year.

These figures suggest that while the labor market demonstrates resilience, underlying challenges persist, particularly in the face of economic uncertainties such as recent tariff implementations and potential federal spending cuts.

United States Unemployment Rate

source: Tradingeconomics