Table 2. Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population 16 years and over by sex,

1970-2008 annual averages 

(Numbers in thousands)

1970............. 137,085 82,771 60.4 78,678 57.5 4,093 4.9 54,315

1971............. 140,216 84,382 60.2 79,367 56.6 5,016 5.9 55,834

1972 1

......... 144,126 87,034 60.4 82,153 57.0 4,882 5.6 57,091

1973 1

......... 147,096 89,429 60.8 85,064 57.8 4,365 4.9 57,667

1974............. 150,120 91,949 61.3 86,794 57.8 5,156 5.6 58,171

1975............. 153,153 93,775 61.2 85,846 56.1 7,929 8.5 59,377

1976............. 156,150 96,158 61.6 88,752 56.8 7,406 7.7 59,991

1977............. 159,033 99,009 62.3 92,017 57.9 6,991 7.1 60,025

1978 1

.......... 161,910 102,251 63.2 96,048 59.3 6,202 6.1 59,659

1979............ 164,863 104,962 63.7 98,824 59.9 6,137 5.8 59,900

1980............ 167,745 106,940 63.8 99,303 59.2 7,637 7.1 60,806

1981............ 170,130 108,670 63.9 100,397 59.0 8,273 7.6 61,460

1982............ 172,271 110,204 64.0 99,526 57.8 10,678 9.7 62,067

1983............ 174,215 111,550 64.0 100,834 57.9 10,717 9.6 62,665

1984............ 176,383 113,544 64.4 105,005 59.5 8,539 7.5 62,839

1985............ 178,206 115,461 64.8 107,150 60.1 8,312 7.2 62,744

1986 1

.......... 180,587 117,834 65.3 109,597 60.7 8,237 7.0 62,752

1987............ 182,753 119,865 65.6 112,440 61.5 7,425 6.2 62,888

1988............ 184,613 121,669 65.9 114,968 62.3 6,701 5.5 62,944

1989............ 186,393 123,869 66.5 117,342 63.0 6,528 5.3 62,523

1990 1

.......... 189,164 125,840 66.5 118,793 62.8 7,047 5.6 63,324

1991............ 190,925 126,346 66.2 117,718 61.7 8,628 6.8 64,578

1992............ 192,805 128,105 66.4 118,492 61.5 9,613 7.5 64,700

1993............ 194,838 129,200 66.3 120,259 61.7 8,940 6.9 65,638

1994 1

.......... 196,814 131,056 66.6 123,060 62.5 7,996 6.1 65,758

1995............ 198,584 132,304 66.6 124,900 62.9 7,404 5.6 66,280

1996............ 200,591 133,943 66.8 126,708 63.2 7,236 5.4 66,647

1997 1

.......... 203,133 136,297 67.1 129,558 63.8 6,739 4.9 66,837

1998 1

.......... 205,220 137,673 67.1 131,463 64.1 6,210 4.5 67,547

1999 1

.......... 207,753 139,368 67.1 133,488 64.3 5,880 4.2 68,385

2000 1

.......... 212,577 142,583 67.1 136,891 64.4 5,692 4.0 69,994

2001 ............ 215,092 143,734 66.8 136,933 63.7 6,801 4.7 71,359

2002 ............ 217,570 144,863 66.6 136,485 62.7 8,378 5.8 72,707

2003 1

.......... 221,168 146,510 66.2 137,736 62.3 8,774 6.0 74,658

2004 1

.......... 223,357 147,401 66.0 139,252 62.3 8,149 5.5 75,956

2005............ 226,082 149,320 66.0 141,730 62.7 7,591 5.1 76,762

2006............ 228,815 151,428 66.2 144,427 63.1 7,001 4.6 77,387

2007............ 231,867 153,124 66.0 146,047 63.0 7,078 4.6 78,743

2008 1

.......... 233,788 154,287 66.0 145,362 62.2 8,924 5.8 79,501

 See footnote at end of table.

Year

Civilian 

noninstitutional 

population

Civilian labor force

Not in labor 

force Total Percent of 

population

Employed Unemployed

Total Percent of 

population Total Percent of 

labor force

Total, both sexes

7
Table 2. Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population 16 years and over by sex,

1970-2008 annual averages—Continued

(Numbers in thousands)

1970............. 72,782 31,543 43.3 29,688 40.8 1,855 5.9 41,239

1971............. 74,274 32,202 43.4 29,976 40.4 2,227 6.9 42,072

1972 1

......... 76,290 33,479 43.9 31,257 41.0 2,222 6.6 42,811

1973 1

......... 77,804 34,804 44.7 32,715 42.0 2,089 6.0 43,000

1974............. 79,312 36,211 45.7 33,769 42.6 2,441 6.7 43,101

1975............. 80,860 37,475 46.3 33,989 42.0 3,486 9.3 43,386

1976............. 82,390 38,983 47.3 35,615 43.2 3,369 8.6 43,406

1977............. 83,840 40,613 48.4 37,289 44.5 3,324 8.2 43,227

1978 1

.......... 85,334 42,631 50.0 39,569 46.4 3,061 7.2 42,703

1979............ 86,843 44,235 50.9 41,217 47.5 3,018 6.8 42,608

1980............ 88,348 45,487 51.5 42,117 47.7 3,370 7.4 42,861

1981............ 89,618 46,696 52.1 43,000 48.0 3,696 7.9 42,922

1982............ 90,748 47,755 52.6 43,256 47.7 4,499 9.4 42,993

1983............ 91,684 48,503 52.9 44,047 48.0 4,457 9.2 43,181

1984............ 92,778 49,709 53.6 45,915 49.5 3,794 7.6 43,068

1985............ 93,736 51,050 54.5 47,259 50.4 3,791 7.4 42,686

1986 1

.......... 94,789 52,413 55.3 48,706 51.4 3,707 7.1 42,376

1987............ 95,853 53,658 56.0 50,334 52.5 3,324 6.2 42,195

1988............ 96,756 54,742 56.6 51,696 53.4 3,046 5.6 42,014

1989............ 97,630 56,030 57.4 53,027 54.3 3,003 5.4 41,601

1990 1

.......... 98,787 56,829 57.5 53,689 54.3 3,140 5.5 41,957

1991............ 99,646 57,178 57.4 53,496 53.7 3,683 6.4 42,468

1992............ 100,535 58,141 57.8 54,052 53.8 4,090 7.0 42,394

1993............ 101,506 58,795 57.9 54,910 54.1 3,885 6.6 42,711

1994 1

.......... 102,460 60,239 58.8 56,610 55.3 3,629 6.0 42,221

1995............ 103,406 60,944 58.9 57,523 55.6 3,421 5.6 42,462

1996............ 104,385 61,857 59.3 58,501 56.0 3,356 5.4 42,528

1997 1

.......... 105,418 63,036 59.8 59,873 56.8 3,162 5.0 42,382

1998 1

.......... 106,462 63,714 59.8 60,771 57.1 2,944 4.6 42,748

1999 1

.......... 108,031 64,855 60.0 62,042 57.4 2,814 4.3 43,175

2000 1

.......... 110,613 66,303 59.9 63,586 57.5 2,717 4.1 44,310

2001 ............ 111,811 66,848 59.8 63,737 57.0 3,111 4.7 44,962

2002 ............ 112,985 67,363 59.6 63,582 56.3 3,781 5.6 45,621

2003 1

.......... 114,733 68,272 59.5 64,404 56.1 3,868 5.7 46,461

2004 1

.......... 115,647 68,421 59.2 64,728 56.0 3,694 5.4 47,225

2005............ 116,931 69,288 59.3 65,757 56.2 3,531 5.1 47,643

2006............ 118,210 70,173 59.4 66,925 56.6 3,247 4.6 48,037

2007............ 119,694 70,988 59.3 67,792 56.6 3,196 4.5 48,707

2008 1

.......... 120,675 71,767 59.5 67,876 56.2 3,891 5.4 48,908

 See footnote at end of table.

Year

Civilian 

noninstitutional 

population

Civilian labor force

Not in labor 

force Total Percent of 

population

Employed Unemployed

Total Percent of 

population Total Percent of 

labor force

Women

8
Table 2. Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population 16 years and over by sex, 

1970-2008 annual averages—Continued

(Numbers in thousands)

1970............. 64,304 51,228 79.7 48,990 76.2 2,238 4.4 13,076

1971............. 65,942 52,180 79.1 49,390 74.9 2,789 5.3 13,762

1972 1

......... 67,835 53,555 78.9 50,896 75.0 2,659 5.0 14,280

1973 1

......... 69,292 54,624 78.8 52,349 75.5 2,275 4.2 14,667

1974............. 70,808 55,739 78.7 53,024 74.9 2,714 4.9 15,069

1975............. 72,291 56,299 77.9 51,857 71.7 4,442 7.9 15,993

1976............. 73,759 57,174 77.5 53,138 72.0 4,036 7.1 16,585

1977............. 75,193 58,396 77.7 54,728 72.8 3,667 6.3 16,797

1978 1

.......... 76,576 59,620 77.9 56,479 73.8 3,142 5.3 16,956

1979............ 78,020 60,726 77.8 57,607 73.8 3,120 5.1 17,293

1980............ 79,398 61,453 77.4 57,186 72.0 4,267 6.9 17,945

1981............ 80,511 61,974 77.0 57,397 71.3 4,577 7.4 18,537

1982............ 81,523 62,450 76.6 56,271 69.0 6,179 9.9 19,073

1983............ 82,531 63,047 76.4 56,787 68.8 6,260 9.9 19,484

1984............ 83,605 63,835 76.4 59,091 70.7 4,744 7.4 19,771

1985............ 84,469 64,411 76.3 59,891 70.9 4,521 7.0 20,058

1986 1

.......... 85,798 65,422 76.3 60,892 71.0 4,530 6.9 20,376

1987............ 86,899 66,207 76.2 62,107 71.5 4,101 6.2 20,692

1988............ 87,857 66,927 76.2 63,273 72.0 3,655 5.5 20,930

1989............ 88,762 67,840 76.4 64,315 72.5 3,525 5.2 20,923

1990 1

.......... 90,377 69,011 76.4 65,104 72.0 3,906 5.7 21,367

1991............ 91,278 69,168 75.8 64,223 70.4 4,946 7.2 22,110

1992............ 92,270 69,964 75.8 64,440 69.8 5,523 7.9 22,306

1993............ 93,332 70,404 75.4 65,349 70.0 5,055 7.2 22,927

1994 1

.......... 94,355 70,817 75.1 66,450 70.4 4,367 6.2 23,538

1995............ 95,178 71,360 75.0 67,377 70.8 3,983 5.6 23,818

1996............ 96,206 72,087 74.9 68,207 70.9 3,880 5.4 24,119

1997 1

.......... 97,715 73,261 75.0 69,685 71.3 3,577 4.9 24,454

1998 1

.......... 98,758 73,959 74.9 70,693 71.6 3,266 4.4 24,799

1999 1

.......... 99,722 74,512 74.7 71,446 71.6 3,066 4.1 25,210

2000 1

.......... 101,964 76,280 74.8 73,305 71.9 2,975 3.9 25,684

2001 ............ 103,282 76,886 74.4 73,196 70.9 3,690 4.8 26,396

2002 ............ 104,585 77,500 74.1 72,903 69.7 4,597 5.9 27,085

2003 1

.......... 106,435 78,238 73.5 73,332 68.9 4,906 6.3 28,197

2004 1

.......... 107,710 78,980 73.3 74,524 69.2 4,456 5.6 28,730

2005............ 109,151 80,033 73.3 75,973 69.6 4,059 5.1 29,119

2006............ 110,605 81,255 73.5 77,502 70.1 3,753 4.6 29,350

2007............ 112,173 82,136 73.2 78,254 69.8 3,882 4.7 30,036

2008 1

.......... 113,113 82,520 73.0 77,486 68.5 5,033 6.1 30,593

Year

Civilian 

noninstitutional 

population

Civilian labor force

Not in labor 

force Total Percent of 

population

Employed Unemployed

Total Percent of 

population Total Percent of 

labor force

Men

1 The comparability of historical labor force data has

been affected at various times by methodological and

conceptual changes in the Current Population Survey

(CPS). For an explanation, see the Historical

Comparability section of the Household Data technical 

documentation provided at

http://www.bls.gov/cps/eetech_methods.pdf .

SOURCE: Current Population Survey, U.S.

Department of Labor, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

9