Unemployment - How Long Does Unemployment Last?

The average length of unemployment in 2005, according to Employment and Earnings, was 18.4 weeks, down from 19.6 weeks in 2004, but up from 13.2 weeks in 2001. The median duration of unemployment was 8.9 weeks. In 2005, 2.7 million (35.1%) of the nation's 7.6 million unemployed workers had been unemployed for less than five weeks, and 2.3 million (30.4%) had been out of work for five to fourteen weeks. About 2.6 million unemployed workers (34.5%) had been out of work for fifteen weeks or more, with 1.1 million (14.9% of all unemployed people) out of work fifteen to twenty-six weeks, and 1.5 million (19.6%) unemployed for twenty-seven weeks or more. (See Table 3.6.)

Gender and Age

Men tended to stay unemployed somewhat longer (an average of 19.1 weeks) than women (17.6 weeks) in 2005, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Generally, the older the job seeker, the longer it took to find TABLE 3.2 Over-the-year change in unemployment rates by state, December 2004–December 2005 "Over-the-Year Change in Unemployment Rates for States Monthly Rankings Seasonally Adjusted," in Regional and State Employment and Unemployment (Monthly), U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, November 22, 2005, http://www.bls.gov/web/laumstch.htm (accessed January 10, 2006)work. Because better-paying jobs usually take longer to find, men forty-five years and older, who were more likely to be seeking higher-paying employment than either women or younger people, remained unemployed longer. Young men and women aged sixteen to nineteen years old were unemployed an average of 12.5 weeks and 10.1 weeks, respectively, compared with 23.9 weeks for men and 23.8 weeks for women who were aged fifty-five to sixty-four. (See Table 3.6.)

TABLE 3.2
Over-the-year change in unemployment rates by state, December 2004–December 2005
Rank	State	Dec. 2004 rate	Dec. 2005* rate	Change
*Preliminary.
Note: Rates shown are a percentage of the labor force. Data refer to place of residence. Estimates for the latest month are revised the following month, and at least 3 years of estimates are subject to revision at the end of the year, to incorporate updated inputs and reestimation.
SOURCE: "Over-the-Year Change in Unemployment Rates for States Monthly Rankings Seasonally Adjusted," in Regional and State Employment and Unemployment (Monthly), U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, November 22, 2005, http://www.bls.gov/web/laumstch.htm (accessed January 10, 2006)
1	District of Columbia	8.8	6.0	−2.8
2	Alabama	5.3	3.5	−1.8
3	Florida	4.6	3.3	−1.3
3	Oregon	7.0	5.7	−1.3
5	Utah	5.0	3.8	−1.2
6	Arkansas	5.6	4.5	−1.1
7	Idaho	4.4	3.4	−1.0
8	California	6.0	5.1	−0.9
9	Colorado	5.4	4.6	−0.8
9	Michigan	7.5	6.7	−0.8
9	New Mexico	5.6	4.8	−0.8
9	Pennsylvania	5.7	4.9	−0.8
9	Texas	5.9	5.1	−0.8
14	Alaska	7.6	6.9	−0.7
14	Montana	4.4	3.7	−0.7
16	Missouri	5.7	5.1	−0.6
16	Washington	5.9	5.3	−0.6
18	Illinois	6.0	5.5	−0.5
18	Iowa	5.0	4.5	−0.5
18	Minnesota	4.6	4.1	−0.5
18	New York	5.6	5.1	−0.5
18	Wyoming	3.7	3.2	−0.5
23	Kansas	5.3	4.9	−0.4
23	North Carolina	5.3	4.9	−0.4
23	Oklahoma	4.5	4.1	−0.4
26	Hawaii	3.0	2.7	−0.3
26	North Dakota	3.6	3.3	−0.3
28	Maryland	4.1	3.9	−0.2
28	Nevada	4.0	3.8	−0.2
28	Ohio	6.1	5.9	−0.2
28	Virginia	3.5	3.3	−0.2
28	West Virginia	4.9	4.7	−0.2
33	Nebraska	3.8	3.7	−0.1
34	Vermont	3.6	3.6	0.0
35	Arizona	4.5	4.6	0.1
35	New Hampshire	3.4	3.5	0.1
35	South Carolina	6.9	7.0	0.1
35	Tennessee	5.3	5.4	0.1
35	Wisconsin	4.7	4.8	0.1
40	Delaware	4.2	4.4	0.2
40	Maine	4.6	4.8	0.2
40	Massachusetts	4.7	4.9	0.2
43	Connecticut	4.5	4.8	0.3
43	Indiana	5.2	5.5	0.3
45	Georgia	4.8	5.2	0.4
45	Rhode Island	4.8	5.2	0.4
45	South Dakota	3.5	3.9	0.4
48	New Jersey	4.2	4.7	0.5
49	Louisiana	5.7	6.4	0.7
50	Kentucky	4.7	6.3	1.6
51	Mississippi	6.7	9.9	3.2

Race and Ethnicity

Workers of Hispanic or Latino ethnicity were unemployed for an average of sixteen weeks in 2005, according to Employment and Earnings. This was the lowest figure of any racial or ethnic group, with whites out of work an average of 16.9 weeks, African-American workers unemployed for 22.6 weeks, and Asians unemployed the longest at an average of 23.3 weeks. Within these racial and ethnic groups, men tended to remain unemployed longer than women, except for those of Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, with women out of work an average of 16.3 weeks while the men returned to work in 15.7 weeks. (See Table 3.6.)

Marital Status

Widowed, divorced, or separated women were unemployed somewhat longer (19.6 weeks) in 2005 than those who had never been married (16.3 weeks) or those who were living with their spouses (18.1 weeks). Married men living with their wives (19.9 weeks) and those who were widowed, divorced, or separated (23 weeks) were out of work longer than men who had never been married (17.7 weeks). (See Table 3.6.)

Occupations

In 2005, 602,000 of those unemployed in service occupations were out of work less than five weeks (37.9% of the total number of unemployed in this sector), and 511,000 people (32.2%) were still looking for work after fifteen weeks. Of those seeking managerial and professional positions, 385,000 were unemployed less than five weeks (representing 32.8% of the unemployed in this sector), and 436,000 (37.2%) still lacked jobs after fifteen weeks. (See Table 3.7.)

Workers in managerial and professional occupations had the longest average duration of unemployment (20.9 weeks). Production workers had an average duration of 19.5 weeks of unemployment; sales and office occupations workers were out of work for an average of eighteen weeks; and employees in service occupations endured unemployment for an average of 17.2 weeks. (See Table 3.7.)

Industry

During 2005, 279,000 construction workers (38.4% of the unemployed workers in this sector), 86,000 transportation and utilities laborers (33.6% of the sector), and 96,000 financial activities workers (34.5% of the sector) TABLE 3.3 Unemployed persons by demographic characteristics, 2004–2005 "24. Unemployed Persons by Marital Status, Race, Hispanic or Latino Ethnicity, Age, and Sex" in Employment and Earnings, U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, January 2006, http://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat24.pdf (accessed January 10, 2006)found employment within five weeks of becoming jobless After fifteen weeks, 216,000 construction workers still needed jobs (29.8% of the sector). Construction workers were out of work an average of 15.5 weeks. Workers in the information sector had the longest average duration of unemployment in 2005 (23.3 weeks), followed by durable goods maunfacturing workers (22.7 weeks). The maunfacturing labor force as a whole took an average of 21.7 weeks to find a job. Of manufacturing workers, 250,000 (30.7% of the sector) were unemployefd for less than five weeks, and 326,000 (35.6% of the sector) were unemployed more than fifteen weeks. (See Table 3.7.)

TABLE 3.3
Unemployed persons by demographic characteristics, 2004–05
Marital status, race, Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, and age	Men				Women
	Thousands of persons		Unemployment rates		Thousands of persons		Unemployment rates
	2004	2005	2004	2005	2004	2005	2004	2005
Note: Estimates for the above race groups (white, black or African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are not presented for all races. In addition, persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race and, therefore, are classified by ethnicity as well as by race.
SOURCE: "24. Unemployed Persons by Marital Status, Race, Hispanic or Latino Ethnicity, Age, and Sex" in Employment and Earnings, U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, January 2006, http://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat24.pdf (accessed January 10, 2006)
Total, 16 years and over	4,456	4,059	5.6	5.1	3,694	3,531	5.4	5.1
Married, spouse present	1,466	1,287	3.1	2.8	1,244	1,168	3.5	3.3
Widowed, divorced, or separated	608	563	6.3	5.6	828	768	5.9	5.4
Single (never married)	2,381	2,209	10.5	9.5	1,621	1,595	8.7	8.3
White, 16 years and over	3,282	2,931	5.0	4.4	2,565	2,419	4.7	4.4
Married, spouse present	1,161	1,011	2.9	2.5	996	922	3.3	3.0
Widowed, divorced, or separated	466	415	5.9	5.0	600	548	5.5	4.9
Single (never married)	1,655	1,505	9.1	8.2	969	949	7.1	6.8
Black or African American, 16 years and over	860	844	11.1	10.5	868	856	9.8	9.5
Married, spouse present	200	177	5.6	5.1	149	144	5.3	5.2
Widowed, divorced, or separated	104	119	8.9	9.5	179	166	7.8	7.3
Single (never married)	556	548	18.2	16.9	540	546	14.4	13.9
Asian, 16 years and over	153	141	4.5	4.0	124	118	4.3	3.9
Married, spouse present	64	61	2.9	2.7	62	62	3.4	3.3
Widowed, divorced, or separated	14	11	5.8	3.6	24	23	6.3	5.5
Single (never married)	75	68	7.8	7.2	39	32	5.6	4.5
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 16 years and over	755	647	6.5	5.4	587	544	7.6	6.9
Married, spouse present	275	231	4.4	3.6	228	202	6.2	5.4
Widowed, divorced, or separated	85	69	5.8	4.5	130	103	7.9	6.2
Single (never married)	394	347	10.3	8.7	229	239	9.6	9.8
Total, 25 years and over	2,980	2,617	4.4	3.8	2,531	2,453	4.4	4.2
Married, spouse present	1,399	1,232	3.1	2.7	1,139	1,071	3.3	3.1
Widowed, divorced, or separated	584	538	6.2	5.5	781	730	5.7	5.3
Single (never married)	997	848	8.0	6.6	611	651	6.3	6.4
White, 25 years and over	2,225	1,929	3.9	3.4	1,773	1,699	3.8	3.6
Married, spouse present	1,108	966	2.8	2.5	911	845	3.1	2.9
Widowed, divorced, or separated	447	395	5.7	4.9	563	519	5.3	4.8
Single (never married)	670	567	7.0	5.7	299	335	4.6	4.9
Black or African American, 25 years and over	545	507	8.4	7.6	589	568	7.9	7.5
Married, spouse present	191	170	5.5	5.0	141	133	5.2	4.9
Widowed, divorced, or separated	101	113	8.8	9.2	172	160	7.7	7.2
Single (never married)	253	223	13.5	11.1	276	275	11.1	10.4
Asian, 25 years and over	117	102	3.9	3.3	93	102	3.7	3.8
Married, spouse present	63	61	2.9	2.7	55	60	3.1	3.3
Widowed, divorced, or separated	13	11	5.7	3.6	21	23	5.9	5.5
Single (never married)	41	30	6.6	5.0	17	19	4.2	4.5
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 16 years and over	477	401	5.1	4.1	408	372	6.6	5.8
Married, spouse present	253	214	4.2	3.5	202	174	5.9	5.0
Widowed, divorced, or separated	75	63	5.5	4.4	121	98	7.8	6.1
Single (never married)	149	124	7.4	5.7	84	99	6.8	7.7