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Raw data: Labor force participation under Joe Biden

Here is the growth of the labor force participation rate since Joe Biden took office. This is for prime-age workers (age 25-54).

Both men and women are now working at higher rates than at any time since the end of the Great Recession.

20 thoughts on “Raw data: Labor force participation under Joe Biden

    1. kkseattle

      Remember when right-wingers shrieked hysterically that the labor force participation rate was too low under Obama.

      You know what they’re saying now—“Well of course people are working! They can’t afford not to!”

  1. middleoftheroaddem

    I understand that the gig economy has a strange impact on the labor force participation numbers.

    I will give a stylized example. A person, because they have all three apps on all day long, lists they work full time on Uber, Lyft and TaskRabbit, then they count have three full time jobs....

    1. memyselfandi

      Sorry, but you are full of sh t. All of the resaerch to date indicates that gig workers are undercounted. They routinely answer in the negative to questions about their employment as gig workers and under count their hours.

      1. middleoftheroaddem

        Respectfully, while there are certainly varying estimates, your statement of ALL is factually false. I don’t personally gather data on this topic: rather, I am utilizing the findings show in a article read.

        If I can find the article I will share it.

          1. memyselfandi

            Your article explicitly found the labor force participation rate is actually 2% higher than is being reported because of the undercounting of gig workers.

        1. jdubs

          You have completely misrepresented what your article said.

          Your article supports the position made by MemyselfandI. The article summary is pretty short and straightforward. How could you have read it and still concluded the exact opposite of what it said?

    1. memyselfandi

      It peaked under Trump at 83.1% for a single month, Janury 2020. From Trump's inauguration to peak the gain was 1.5%. It's presently at 83.8%. It has been at or above 83.1% since February 2023. It's gain from Biden's inauguration to peak was 2.9%. It's all time peak under Biden was 84% in July. It's all time peak was 84.6% in January 1999.

  2. Justin

    Life was better when trump was president because, well, it just was.

    And there isn't a damn thing any of us could say or write to change their pathetic little mind. If Harris loses, Trump will take credit for the instant improvement and everyone will forget about the last 3 1/2 years. Trump always wins. It's hilarious.

  3. rick_jones

    Both men and women are now working at higher rates than at any time since the end of the Great Recession.

    The the chart should go back (at least) that far.

  4. tango

    You know, the economy is controlled by Biden now, just as it is controlled by whoever is president at the time. So Biden caused the umbers on the graph. Congress? Companies? Foreign actors? Technology? A zillion other things? Meh.

    Or so many Americans seem to think.

  5. Vog46

    Some midwestern governors are letting very young children work in slaughter houses and many seniors are working full and part time at places like Home Depot, Lowes, and grocery stores
    That 29 year time span between 25 and 54 (the prime aged workforce) is now too narrow.
    The big changes, I think, are on either side of the "prime age"

    1. memyselfandi

      "many seniors are working full and part time at places like Home Depot, Lowes, and grocery stores" That's been true for decades.

      1. Vog46

        Agreed, however since these companies have had to raise wages to attract more workers they are hiring even more "mature" workers because they are available to work AND they place a bigger importance on work in their lives.
        I think the big increases in work force participation are happening in this age group more than any other IMHO

  6. Gilgit

    I'm glad the unemployment rate is down again. I was starting to worry that the statistics were missing something and things really were as bad as the lying liars said it was. But the economy is still good and the rate has gone down 2 months in a row. And for the first time in a while the previous employment numbers were revised up instead of down. Yeah!

    I've recommended the site calculatedriskblog.com several times on here if you want even more charts than Kevin gives. It isn't that hard to find charts of Labor Force Participation, but since some people can't seem to find the info, I'll help you out. On several previous employment posts by Kevin, I've posted the link to calculatedriskblog chart showing the "Prime Age" employment-population ratio and participation rate:

    https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSwFWhv2bC8YiU7F4JLDejOkf32KfOS3cYypG9P9EGf98svNWAHyLkkFDQaqZxjK4k9FxhaHL2BQ-j4zXE0Y6hFBnYYcHj9d9CEKrjkIBEPjQ5EhfupyJCPvloZtbNXqrnNNExj06YMT2pO7JDATrG8YmUm6voHVde8vSCEnnyOMq66FB9te82/s1062/EmployPop2554Sept2024.PNG

    As you can see, we are near record highs for both. Only the late 90s had higher numbers.

    I little while ago someone posted the link to the Working-Age Population, 15 to 64 Years US

    https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/LFWA64TTUSM647S

    Basically, the working age population first rose above 208 million in January 2023. Now, more than a year and a half later, it is still 208 million and change. (At one point it was over 209 million, but the number has gone up and down.) You can't get big job growth numbers without an increase in people 15 to 64. So the fact that we are getting any net job growth is really good.

    1. memyselfandi

      Note the FED is relying on the OECD for thiese population estimates. I wouldn;t rely on the OECD for US population estimates. They don't seem to be very believable to me. Illegal immigration in 2022 and 2023 seems to be grossly underestimated.

  7. Justin

    @JDVance
    Kamala Harris's economy has been an unmitigated disaster for American citizens. This is what happens when you bring in 20M+ low-wage workers through the wide open southern border. The American people get screwed while Kamala's corporate benefactors enjoy unlimited cheap labor.

    1:13 PM · Oct 4, 2024

    I have such contempt for my neighbors and fellow citizens. They are complete idiots full of hatred for people like me. Fuck ‘em!

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