[Economic Indicators May, 2008]
[Page Number 12]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



 
SELECTED UNEMPLOYMENT RATES

In May, the unemployment rate rose to 5.5 percent from 5.0 percent in 
April.
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                                                           [Monthly data seasonally adjusted]
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                                                                  Unemployment rate (percent of civilian labor force in group)
                                       -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                        By sex and age             By race or ethnicity \1\                 By selected groups
                                                 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Period                     All              Women                                                             Women
                                        civilian   Men 20     20      Both           Black or           Hispanic   Married     who      Full-     Part-
                                         workers   years    years    sexes    White   African   Asian  or Latino    men,    maintain    time      time
                                                    and      and     16-19           American   (NSA)  ethnicity   spouse   families   workers   workers
                                                    over     over    years                                         present    (NSA)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1998..................................       4.5      3.7      4.1     14.6     3.9       8.9  ......       7.2        2.4       7.2       4.3       5.3
1999..................................       4.2      3.5      3.8     13.9     3.7       8.0  ......       6.4        2.2       6.4       4.1       5.0
2000 .................................       4.0      3.3      3.6     13.1     3.5       7.6     3.6       5.7        2.0       5.9       3.8       4.8
2001 .................................       4.7      4.2      4.1     14.7     4.2       8.6     4.5       6.6        2.7       6.6       4.7       5.1
2002 .................................       5.8      5.3      5.1     16.5     5.1      10.2     5.9       7.5        3.6       8.0       5.9       5.2
2003 .................................       6.0      5.6      5.1     17.5     5.2      10.8     6.0       7.7        3.8       8.5       6.1       5.5
2004..................................       5.5      5.0      4.9     17.0     4.8      10.4     4.4       7.0        3.1       8.0       5.6       5.3
2005..................................       5.1      4.4      4.6     16.6     4.4      10.0     4.0       6.0        2.8       7.8       5.0       5.4
2006..................................       4.6      4.0      4.1     15.4     4.0       8.9     3.0       5.2        2.4       7.1       4.5       5.1
2007..................................       4.6      4.1      4.0     15.7     4.1       8.3     3.2       5.6        2.5       6.5       4.6       4.9
 
2007:May .............................       4.5      4.0      3.9     15.8     4.0       8.4     2.9       5.8        2.6       6.3       4.4       4.9
      June ...........................       4.6      4.1      3.9     16.0     4.1       8.4     3.1       5.7        2.4       6.8       4.5       4.7
      July ...........................       4.7      4.2      4.1     15.3     4.2       8.1     3.0       5.9        2.7       6.8       4.6       5.1
      Aug ............................       4.7      4.1      4.1     16.2     4.2       7.7     3.4       5.5        2.5       6.2       4.6       4.9
      Sept ...........................       4.7      4.3      4.1     16.0     4.2       8.2     3.2       5.7        2.5       6.4       4.7       4.7
      Oct ............................       4.8      4.3      4.1     15.7     4.2       8.5     3.7       5.6        2.6       6.3       4.7       5.0
      Nov ............................       4.7      4.1      4.1     16.4     4.2       8.4     3.6       5.7        2.6       6.6       4.6       5.0
      Dec ............................       5.0      4.4      4.4     17.1     4.4       9.0     3.7       6.3        2.7       6.9       4.9       5.6
 
2008:Jan .............................       4.9      4.4      4.2     18.0     4.4       9.2     3.2       6.3        2.7       7.0       4.8       5.4
      Feb.............................       4.8      4.3      4.2     16.6     4.3       8.3     3.0       6.2        2.7       6.7       4.8       5.0
      Mar.............................       5.1      4.6      4.6     15.8     4.5       9.0     3.6       6.9        2.8       7.1       5.0       5.3
      Apr.............................       5.0      4.6      4.3     15.4     4.4       8.6     3.2       6.9        2.8       6.8       5.0       4.9
      May.............................       5.5      4.9      4.8     18.7     4.9       9.7     3.8       6.9        2.9       6.9       5.5       5.5
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    \1\ Beginning in 2003, persons 
who selected this race group only. 
Prior to 2003, persons who reported 
more than one race were included in 
the group they identified as the 
main race. Persons whose ethnicity 
is identified as Hispanic or Latino 
may be of any race.
    Note.--Data relate to persons 
age 16 years and over.

    Source: Department of Labor, 
    Bureau of Labor Statistics.