August 11, 2003 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Fewer youths in summer work

The number of employed youth 16 to 24 years old increased by 2.1 million from April to July 2003, the traditional summertime peak for youth employment. This year's summertime expansion in youth employment was somewhat smaller than last year's 2.4 million increase.

[Chart data—TXT]

Unemployment among youth increased by 628,000 between April and July 2003; this was the largest summer-season increase since 1998. In July, there were 3.2 million youth unemployed and the youth unemployment rate was 13.3 percent.

The data in this report are from the Current Population Survey (CPS).  Because this analysis focuses on the actual seasonal changes in youth employment and unemployment that occur every spring and summer, the data are not seasonally adjusted. For more information, see "Employment and Unemployment Among Youth -- Summer 2003" (PDF) (TXT), news release USDL 03-412.