Unemployment Rate 4.1 for
Unemployment Rate came in at 4.1 (Percent) for Jul 2026, down 2.38% from 4.2 the prior month and 4.65% below its level of 4.3 one year ago. The series has averaged 5.66 since 1948, reaching a record high of 14.8 in April 2020 and a record low of 2.5 in June 1953.
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<iframe src="https://marketxls.com/embed/indicators/unemployment-rate" width="100%" height="460" frameborder="0" title="Unemployment Rate chart"></iframe><p style="font:12px/1.4 sans-serif;margin:4px 0 0"><a href="https://marketxls.com/indicators/unemployment-rate" rel="nofollow">Unemployment Rate chart - MarketXLS</a></p>Historical Data
⋮ | ⋮ |
|---|---|
| July 1, 2026 | 4.1 |
| June 1, 2026 | 4.2 |
| May 1, 2026 | 4.3 |
| April 1, 2026 | 4.3 |
| March 1, 2026 | 4.3 |
| February 1, 2026 | 4.4 |
| January 1, 2026 | 4.3 |
| December 1, 2025 | 4.4 |
| November 1, 2025 | 4.5 |
| September 1, 2025 | 4.4 |
| August 1, 2025 | 4.3 |
| July 1, 2025 | 4.3 |
| June 1, 2025 | 4.1 |
| May 1, 2025 | 4.3 |
| April 1, 2025 | 4.2 |
| March 1, 2025 | 4.2 |
| February 1, 2025 | 4.2 |
| January 1, 2025 | 4 |
| December 1, 2024 | 4.1 |
| November 1, 2024 | 4.2 |
⋮ | ⋮ |
|---|---|
| March 1, 1987 | 6.6 |
| February 1, 1987 | 6.6 |
| January 1, 1987 | 6.6 |
| December 1, 1986 | 6.6 |
| November 1, 1986 | 6.9 |
| October 1, 1986 | 7 |
| September 1, 1986 | 7 |
| August 1, 1986 | 6.9 |
| July 1, 1986 | 7 |
| June 1, 1986 | 7.2 |
| May 1, 1986 | 7.2 |
| April 1, 1986 | 7.1 |
| March 1, 1986 | 7.2 |
| February 1, 1986 | 7.2 |
| January 1, 1986 | 6.7 |
| December 1, 1985 | 7 |
| November 1, 1985 | 7 |
| October 1, 1985 | 7.1 |
| September 1, 1985 | 7.1 |
| August 1, 1985 | 7.1 |
About Unemployment Rate
What it measures
The Unemployment Rate (FRED series UNRATE) measures the share of the civilian labor force that is jobless, actively looking for work, and available to take a job. The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes it monthly from the Current Population Survey of about 60,000 households, separately from the establishment payroll survey.
Why it matters
This is the most widely cited gauge of labor market slack and one half of the Federal Reserve's dual mandate. Its behavior anchors recession indicators: rapid rises from a cycle low, as captured by rules such as the Sahm indicator, have historically coincided with recessions. It also shapes wage growth and inflation expectations.
How to read it
The level matters less than the direction and speed of change: sustained increases of around half a percentage point from the low have reliably signaled recessions historically. Remember the rate can fall for bad reasons when discouraged workers exit the labor force, so read it with participation. Household survey data are noisy month to month.
Get Unemployment Rate in Excel
Pull Unemployment Rate directly into your spreadsheet with a single MarketXLS formula - always current, no copy-pasting:
=UnemploymentRate()View the Unemployment Rate formula documentation or browse all 100+ Economic Data functions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current Unemployment Rate?
Unemployment Rate is 4.1 (Percent) as of July 2026.
What is the all-time high and low of Unemployment Rate?
The highest value on record is 14.8 (April 2020) and the lowest is 2.5 (June 1953).
How often is Unemployment Rate updated?
Unemployment Rate is published on a monthly basis, sourced from Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED).
How do I get Unemployment Rate in Excel?
Use the MarketXLS Excel formula =UnemploymentRate() to pull Unemployment Rate directly into any cell, with historical values available for analysis.
Stats
| Last Value | 4.1 |
| Latest Period | Jul 2026 |
| Last Updated | August 7 2026, 08:31 |
| Value Previous Month | 4.2 |
| Change From Previous Month | -2.38% |
| Value 1 Year Ago | 4.3 |
| Change From Year Ago | -4.65% |
| Average Growth Rate | 0.24%/yr |
| Record High (Apr 2020) | 14.8 |
| Record Low (Jun 1953) | 2.5 |
| Long-Term Average | 5.66 |
| Frequency | Monthly |
| Adjustment | Seasonally Adjusted |
| Unit | Percent |
Annual Averages
| 2026 | 4.27 |
| 2025 | 4.26 |
| 2024 | 4.02 |
| 2023 | 3.63 |
| 2022 | 3.65 |
| 2021 | 5.35 |
| 2020 | 8.1 |
| 2019 | 3.68 |
| 2018 | 3.89 |
| 2017 | 4.36 |
| 2016 | 4.88 |
| 2015 | 5.28 |
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