HOUSEHOLD DATA
ANNUAL AVERAGES
35. Persons not in the labor force by desire and availability for work, age, and sex
[In thousands]
Category Total Age Sex
2015 2016 16 to 24
years		 25 to 54
years		 55 years
and over		 Men Women
2015 2016 2015 2016 2015 2016 2015 2016 2015 2016

Total not in the labor force

 93,671 94,351 17,367 17,232 23,957 23,513 52,347 53,606 37,481 37,743 56,190 56,608

Do not want a job now(1)

 87,589 88,502 15,525 15,452 21,344 21,032 50,719 52,018 34,681 35,009 52,907 53,492

Want a job(1)

 6,082 5,849 1,842 1,780 2,612 2,481 1,628 1,587 2,799 2,733 3,283 3,116

Did not search for work in previous year

 3,454 3,415 1,030 994 1,357 1,353 1,067 1,069 1,507 1,522 1,947 1,894

Searched for work in previous year,
but not in past 4 weeks(2)

 2,628 2,434 812 787 1,256 1,128 561 519 1,292 1,211 1,336 1,222

Not available to work now

 673 630 287 257 307 287 79 86 277 251 395 379

Marginally attached (available to work now)(3)

 1,956 1,804 525 530 949 841 482 433 1,015 960 941 843

Discouraged over job
prospects(4)

 664 553 159 130 316 267 189 156 404 345 261 208

Reasons other than discouragement

 1,291 1,250 366 400 632 573 293 277 611 615 680 635

Family responsibilities

 216 199 23 26 138 127 55 46 64 61 153 138

In school or training

 212 224 154 171 51 47 7 7 106 120 107 105

Ill health or disability

 168 144 16 16 77 67 75 62 84 77 84 67

Other(5)

 695 682 174 187 366 333 155 162 358 356 337 326

Footnotes
 (1) Includes some persons who are not asked if they want a job.
(2) Persons who had a job in the prior 12 months must have searched since the end of that job.
(3) Persons "marginally attached to the labor force" are those who want a job, have searched for work during the prior 12 months, and were available to take a job during the reference week, but had not looked for work in the past 4 weeks.
(4) Discouraged workers are persons marginally attached to the labor force who did not actively look for work in the prior 4 weeks for reasons such as thinks no work available, could not find work, lacks schooling or training, employer thinks too young or old, and other types of discrimination.
(5) Includes those who did not actively look for work in the prior 4 weeks for such reasons as child-care and transportation problems, as well as a small number for which reason for nonparticipation was not ascertained.

NOTE: Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.

 

Last Modified Date: February 8, 2017