What Is the Unemployment Rate?

The U.S. unemployment rate is released monthly by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) as part of the Employment Situation report, typically in the first week of the following month. The headline figure is the share of the labor force without a job. It’s a lagging indicator that usually moves with broader economic conditions. The most cited measure is U-3, which counts people who are willing and available to work and have actively sought employment in the prior four weeks, while others without recent job searches are generally classified as outside the labor force. Unadjusted and seasonally adjusted versions are provided. BLS also publishes U-1 through U-6, with July 2026 values ranging from 1.7% (U-1) to 5.1% (U-5).