May 06, 2008 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Unemployment demographics, April 2008

The overall unemployment rate, at 5.0 percent, was little changed in April.

Unemployment rates by demographic group, February-April 2008
[Chart data—TXT]

The unemployment rates for most major worker groups—adult men (4.6 percent), teenagers (15.4 percent), whites (4.4 percent), blacks (8.6 percent), and Hispanics (6.9 percent)—showed little or no change over the month.

The jobless rate for adult women decreased to 4.3 percent in April, nearly offsetting an increase in the prior month.

These data are from the Current Population Survey. Learn more in "The Employment Situation: April 2008" (PDF) (TXT), news release USDL 08-0588.