Table 4. Percent of weeks individuals were employed, unemployed, or not in the labor force from age 18 to age 42 in 1978-2006 by age, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity
Table 4. Percent of weeks individuals were employed, unemployed, or not in the labor force
from age 18 to age 42 in 1978-2006 by age, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity
Percent of total weeks
Age and characteristic Not in
Employed Unemployed labor force
Total, ages 18 to 42 in 1978-2006 (1) ............... 77.2 4.6 17.5
Ages 18 to 22 in 1978-1986 (2) .................... 64.3 8.9 26.4
Ages 23 to 27 in 1980-1991 ........................ 77.1 5.5 17.0
Ages 28 to 32 in 1985-1996 ........................ 79.3 3.8 16.3
Ages 33 to 37 in 1990-2001 ........................ 81.5 2.9 15.2
Ages 38 to 42 in 1995-2006 (3) .................... 82.4 2.8 14.0
Men, ages 18 to 42 in 1978-2006 (1) ................. 84.1 5.1 10.2
Ages 18 to 22 in 1978-1986 (2) .................... 68.8 9.9 20.7
Ages 23 to 27 in 1980-1991 ........................ 84.8 6.3 8.4
Ages 28 to 32 in 1985-1996 ........................ 88.0 4.1 7.2
Ages 33 to 37 in 1990-2001 ........................ 89.3 3.1 7.1
Ages 38 to 42 in 1995-2006 (3) .................... 88.7 3.0 7.5
Women, ages 18 to 42 in 1978-2006 (1) ............... 70.0 4.2 25.2
Ages 18 to 22 in 1978-1986 (2) .................... 59.6 7.7 32.3
Ages 23 to 27 in 1980-1991 ........................ 69.8 4.7 25.9
Ages 28 to 32 in 1985-1996 ........................ 70.2 3.4 25.8
Ages 33 to 37 in 1990-2001 ........................ 73.4 2.7 23.5
Ages 38 to 42 in 1995-2006 (3) .................... 75.8 2.7 20.8
White non-Hispanic, ages 18 to 42 in 1978-2006 (1) .. 79.5 3.8 16.1
Ages 18 to 22 in 1978-1986 (2) .................... 67.3 7.8 24.5
Ages 23 to 27 in 1980-1991 ........................ 79.5 4.6 15.5
Ages 28 to 32 in 1985-1996 ........................ 81.4 3.1 15.0
Ages 33 to 37 in 1990-2001 ........................ 83.3 2.3 14.1
Ages 38 to 42 in 1995-2006 (3) .................... 83.9 2.2 13.2
Black non-Hispanic, ages 18 to 42 in 1978-2006 (1) .. 67.9 8.9 22.5
Ages 18 to 22 in 1978-1986 (2) .................... 51.1 14.7 33.8
Ages 23 to 27 in 1980-1991 ........................ 67.8 10.2 21.5
Ages 28 to 32 in 1985-1996 ........................ 70.6 7.6 21.0
Ages 33 to 37 in 1990-2001 ........................ 74.5 6.0 19.1
Ages 38 to 42 in 1995-2006 (3) .................... 76.0 5.8 17.4
Hispanic or Latino, ages 18 to 42 in 1978-2006 (1) .. 71.2 5.4 22.5
Ages 18 to 22 in 1978-1986 (2) .................... 59.7 9.5 30.2
Ages 23 to 27 in 1980-1991 ........................ 70.0 6.3 23.1
Ages 28 to 32 in 1985-1996 ........................ 73.4 4.3 21.3
Ages 33 to 37 in 1980-2001 ........................ 76.3 3.5 19.3
Ages 38 to 42 in 1995-2006 (3) .................... 78.3 3.8 16.7
1 This category excludes individuals who turned age 18 before January 1, 1978, or who had not
yet turned age 43 when interviewed in 2006-07.
2 This category excludes individuals who turned age 18 before January 1, 1978.
3 This category excludes individuals who had not yet turned age 43 when interviewed in 2006-07.
NOTE: Totals do not add to 100 percent due to a small number of respondents whose employment
status cannot be determined for all weeks.
The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 consists of men and women who were born in the
years 1957-64 and were ages 14 to 22 when first interviewed in 1979. These individuals were ages
41 to 50 in 2006-07. Race and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity groups are mutually exclusive but not
exhaustive. Other race groups, which are included in the overall totals, are not shown separately
because their representation in the survey sample is not sufficiently large to provide
statistically reliable estimates.
Last Modified Date: June 27, 2008
