Jobs Added vs. Jobs People Want: Why the Numbers Don’t Match Reality
Headline job growth can look strong while job quality deteriorates. Here’s what the top-line jobs report misses, and what to watch instead.
- 14 claims
- 13 match a source
- 0 need one
- 0 unreachable
- 1 corrected
13 of 14 claims match a source; 1 corrected
Claim by claim: what the check found
| Claim | Finding |
|---|---|
| Gallup and partners released the American Job Quality Study in October 2025 | Matches a source |
| Only about 40% of U.S. workers hold a "quality job" | Matches a source |
| The definition is multi-factor, including pay, predictability, growth, and voice | Matches a source |
| The BLS Employment Situation release for January 2026 shows a labor market still adding jobs | Matches a source |
| Post-pandemic growth leaned toward hospitality, retail and support roles; higher-wage sectors were choppier | Corrected to match its source |
| Part-time work often means no employer health insurance, no retirement plan and no paid time off | Matches a source |
| Choosy employers ask for more experience: in the weak labor markets of 2007 to 2012, online job postings asked for more, Boston Fed researchers found | Matches a source |
| Jobs can be added in one metro area while another loses them | Matches a source |
| U-6 counts people who are employed but underemployed (part-time workers who want full-time work) | Matches a source |
| The employment-population ratio (EMRATIO) is a BLS series available on FRED | Matches a source |
| The study reports most workers fall short on job quality across dimensions like financial well-being, predictability and voice | Matches a source |
| Indeed Hiring Lab's February 2026 update: openings trending down | Matches a source |
| Indeed: wage growth more subdued | Matches a source |
| Indeed: a rebalancing toward employer leverage, with firms able to be more selective | Matches a source |
Clarified September 25, 2026. An earlier version of this post described the employment-population ratio chart as showing "participation." The chart shows the employment-population ratio, the share of people age 16 and over who have a job. The labor force participation rate is a different measure that also counts people who are looking for work. The caption now names the measure the chart shows.
Corrected September 28, 2026. An earlier version of this post said post-pandemic job growth had leaned heavily toward hospitality, retail and many support roles. It cited no source, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics data at the time of the post showed otherwise: the January 2026 jobs report said health care added an average of 33,000 jobs a month in 2025 and that retail trade and leisure and hospitality changed little. The post now says growth leaned toward health care and social assistance, and cites that report.
Clarified September 28, 2026. An earlier version of this post said entry-level jobs increasingly demand experience, that jobs can be added in Austin and Boise while layoffs concentrate in expensive metros, and that part-time work often means no health insurance. The first two statements had no source. The post now says employers ask for more experience when they can be selective, citing Federal Reserve Bank of Boston research on online job postings of all kinds from 2007 to 2012, and makes the geography point without naming cities. The benefits survey now cited measures access to health insurance through an employer, so the list now says no employer health insurance.
The headline reads: “Economy adds 250,000 jobs.” Economists cheer. Markets exhale. Politicians take a victory lap.
Meanwhile, recent graduates send out 200 applications for “entry-level” roles that require three years of experience. Mid-career professionals apply for work that pays 30% less than their last job. Gig workers stitch together three part-time jobs without benefits and still cannot plan a month ahead.
The disconnect is not imaginary. Job quantity and job quality are different metrics. We report the first like it is the whole story.
A quick reality check: this isn’t just a “vibes” claim. In October 2025, Gallup and partners released the American Job Quality Study, which found that only about 40% of U.S. workers hold a “quality job” under a multi-factor definition that includes pay, predictability, growth, and voice.https://www.gallup.com/analytics/691241/american-job-quality-study.aspx
And the macro data has been noisy in early 2026. The BLS Employment Situation release for January 2026 highlights a labor market that can still add jobs even as people argue about whether the jobs being created translate into stability.https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm
1) Not all jobs are created equal
The Bureau of Labor Statistics counts all of these equally:
- A software engineer with benefits and career progression
- A warehouse job with mandatory overtime and no predictable schedule
- A gig driver whose “wage” disappears after gas, insurance, and wear-and-tear
- A retail shift that gets cut the week rent is due
That is fine for measuring headcount. It is not fine for measuring lived economic strength.
2) Composition matters more than the headline
You can add 250,000 jobs and still be creating a weaker economy if the mix shifts toward lower pay, fewer benefits, and less stability.
Recent growth has leaned toward health care and social assistance: health care averaged 33,000 new jobs a month in 2025, while retail and leisure and hospitality changed little in January 2026 [7]. Some higher-wage sectors have been choppier: financial activities lost 49,000 jobs from May 2025 to January 2026 [7].
A headline count cannot tell you whether the labor market is creating ladders or just treading water.
3) Full-time vs. part-time hides a lot of pain
Someone working three part-time jobs is “employed” in the statistics. So is someone with a stable, full-time role.
But part-time work often means:
- No employer health insurance [8]
- No retirement plan [9]
- No paid time off [10]
- Unpredictable scheduling
Many people are not unemployed. They are underemployed.
4) The credential-experience trap
Choosy employers ask for more experience: in the weak labor markets of 2007 to 2012, online job postings asked for more, Boston Fed researchers found [11]. An entry-level job that requires experience is a contradiction, and it signals employer selectiveness more than genuine requirements.
When the bottom rung disappears, the whole ladder jams:
- New grads take jobs beneath their skill level.
- Mid-career workers can’t move up because openings shrink.
- People stay put, even when the job is a bad fit, because the alternative is worse.
5) Geography is a friction, not a footnote
Jobs can be added in one metro area while another loses them [12]. “Just move” is advice that ignores:
- Housing costs and deposits
- Family obligations
- Licensing and local networks
- The real cost of breaking a community to chase a paycheck
A national number smooths over regional reality.
What we should measure instead (a better dashboard)
If you want to know whether jobs are improving lives, the dashboard should include:
- Underemployment (part-time workers who want full-time work)
- Real wage growth (wages after inflation)
- Job stability (tenure, hours volatility)
- Benefits coverage (health insurance, retirement)
- Labor force participation (who gave up, who came back)
Charts
U-6 underemployment rate, 2000 to 2026
Unemployed, plus people marginally attached to the labor force, plus people working part time who want full-time work, as a percent of the labor force plus the marginally attached. Seasonally adjusted.
No figure for October 2025: the Bureau of Labor Statistics did not conduct its household survey that month because of the federal government shutdown (Oct. 1 to Nov. 12, 2025), and there is no estimate for that month. Source: BLS, 2025 federal government shutdown impact on the Current Population Survey. The line connects the readings on either side, and the data table marks the gap “not published.”
Left and Right arrows read the values point by point; Page Up and Page Down jump a tenth of the way later or earlier; Home and End go to the ends; Escape clears.
- Months with no published figure
Data table
| date | U-6 rate |
|---|---|
| 2000-01-01 | 7.0 |
| 2000-02-01 | 7.1 |
| 2000-03-01 | 7.1 |
| 2000-04-01 | 6.9 |
| 2000-05-01 | 7.1 |
| 2000-06-01 | 7.0 |
| 2000-07-01 | 7.0 |
| 2000-08-01 | 7.1 |
| 2000-09-01 | 7.0 |
| 2000-10-01 | 6.8 |
| 2000-11-01 | 7.1 |
| 2000-12-01 | 6.9 |
| 2001-01-01 | 7.3 |
| 2001-02-01 | 7.3 |
| 2001-03-01 | 7.3 |
| 2001-04-01 | 7.4 |
| 2001-05-01 | 7.5 |
| 2001-06-01 | 7.9 |
| 2001-07-01 | 7.9 |
| 2001-08-01 | 8.2 |
| 2001-09-01 | 8.7 |
| 2001-10-01 | 9.3 |
| 2001-11-01 | 9.4 |
| 2001-12-01 | 9.6 |
| 2002-01-01 | 9.4 |
| 2002-02-01 | 9.5 |
| 2002-03-01 | 9.4 |
| 2002-04-01 | 9.7 |
| 2002-05-01 | 9.6 |
| 2002-06-01 | 9.5 |
| 2002-07-01 | 9.6 |
| 2002-08-01 | 9.6 |
| 2002-09-01 | 9.6 |
| 2002-10-01 | 9.6 |
| 2002-11-01 | 9.8 |
| 2002-12-01 | 9.8 |
| 2003-01-01 | 9.9 |
| 2003-02-01 | 10.1 |
| 2003-03-01 | 10.0 |
| 2003-04-01 | 10.2 |
| 2003-05-01 | 10.1 |
| 2003-06-01 | 10.3 |
| 2003-07-01 | 10.3 |
| 2003-08-01 | 10.1 |
| 2003-09-01 | 10.4 |
| 2003-10-01 | 10.2 |
| 2003-11-01 | 10.1 |
| 2003-12-01 | 9.8 |
| 2004-01-01 | 9.8 |
| 2004-02-01 | 9.7 |
| 2004-03-01 | 10.0 |
| 2004-04-01 | 9.6 |
| 2004-05-01 | 9.7 |
| 2004-06-01 | 9.6 |
| 2004-07-01 | 9.5 |
| 2004-08-01 | 9.4 |
| 2004-09-01 | 9.4 |
| 2004-10-01 | 9.7 |
| 2004-11-01 | 9.4 |
| 2004-12-01 | 9.3 |
| 2005-01-01 | 9.2 |
| 2005-02-01 | 9.2 |
| 2005-03-01 | 9.1 |
| 2005-04-01 | 9.0 |
| 2005-05-01 | 8.9 |
| 2005-06-01 | 9.0 |
| 2005-07-01 | 8.8 |
| 2005-08-01 | 8.9 |
| 2005-09-01 | 9.0 |
| 2005-10-01 | 8.7 |
| 2005-11-01 | 8.7 |
| 2005-12-01 | 8.6 |
| 2006-01-01 | 8.4 |
| 2006-02-01 | 8.4 |
| 2006-03-01 | 8.2 |
| 2006-04-01 | 8.1 |
| 2006-05-01 | 8.2 |
| 2006-06-01 | 8.4 |
| 2006-07-01 | 8.5 |
| 2006-08-01 | 8.4 |
| 2006-09-01 | 8.0 |
| 2006-10-01 | 8.2 |
| 2006-11-01 | 8.1 |
| 2006-12-01 | 7.9 |
| 2007-01-01 | 8.3 |
| 2007-02-01 | 8.1 |
| 2007-03-01 | 8.0 |
| 2007-04-01 | 8.2 |
| 2007-05-01 | 8.2 |
| 2007-06-01 | 8.3 |
| 2007-07-01 | 8.4 |
| 2007-08-01 | 8.4 |
| 2007-09-01 | 8.4 |
| 2007-10-01 | 8.4 |
| 2007-11-01 | 8.5 |
| 2007-12-01 | 8.8 |
| 2008-01-01 | 9.1 |
| 2008-02-01 | 9.0 |
| 2008-03-01 | 9.1 |
| 2008-04-01 | 9.2 |
| 2008-05-01 | 9.7 |
| 2008-06-01 | 10.0 |
| 2008-07-01 | 10.5 |
| 2008-08-01 | 10.8 |
| 2008-09-01 | 11.1 |
| 2008-10-01 | 11.8 |
| 2008-11-01 | 12.7 |
| 2008-12-01 | 13.6 |
| 2009-01-01 | 14.1 |
| 2009-02-01 | 15.1 |
| 2009-03-01 | 15.8 |
| 2009-04-01 | 15.9 |
| 2009-05-01 | 16.5 |
| 2009-06-01 | 16.5 |
| 2009-07-01 | 16.4 |
| 2009-08-01 | 16.7 |
| 2009-09-01 | 16.7 |
| 2009-10-01 | 17.1 |
| 2009-11-01 | 17.1 |
| 2009-12-01 | 17.2 |
| 2010-01-01 | 16.6 |
| 2010-02-01 | 17.0 |
| 2010-03-01 | 17.1 |
| 2010-04-01 | 17.2 |
| 2010-05-01 | 16.7 |
| 2010-06-01 | 16.4 |
| 2010-07-01 | 16.4 |
| 2010-08-01 | 16.5 |
| 2010-09-01 | 16.9 |
| 2010-10-01 | 16.6 |
| 2010-11-01 | 16.9 |
| 2010-12-01 | 16.6 |
| 2011-01-01 | 16.1 |
| 2011-02-01 | 16.0 |
| 2011-03-01 | 16.0 |
| 2011-04-01 | 16.1 |
| 2011-05-01 | 15.9 |
| 2011-06-01 | 16.1 |
| 2011-07-01 | 15.9 |
| 2011-08-01 | 16.1 |
| 2011-09-01 | 16.4 |
| 2011-10-01 | 15.8 |
| 2011-11-01 | 15.6 |
| 2011-12-01 | 15.2 |
| 2012-01-01 | 15.1 |
| 2012-02-01 | 15.0 |
| 2012-03-01 | 14.6 |
| 2012-04-01 | 14.7 |
| 2012-05-01 | 14.8 |
| 2012-06-01 | 14.7 |
| 2012-07-01 | 14.7 |
| 2012-08-01 | 14.6 |
| 2012-09-01 | 14.8 |
| 2012-10-01 | 14.4 |
| 2012-11-01 | 14.4 |
| 2012-12-01 | 14.4 |
| 2013-01-01 | 14.5 |
| 2013-02-01 | 14.3 |
| 2013-03-01 | 13.9 |
| 2013-04-01 | 14.0 |
| 2013-05-01 | 13.9 |
| 2013-06-01 | 14.2 |
| 2013-07-01 | 13.8 |
| 2013-08-01 | 13.6 |
| 2013-09-01 | 13.5 |
| 2013-10-01 | 13.6 |
| 2013-11-01 | 13.1 |
| 2013-12-01 | 13.1 |
| 2014-01-01 | 12.6 |
| 2014-02-01 | 12.6 |
| 2014-03-01 | 12.7 |
| 2014-04-01 | 12.3 |
| 2014-05-01 | 12.3 |
| 2014-06-01 | 12.0 |
| 2014-07-01 | 12.1 |
| 2014-08-01 | 12.0 |
| 2014-09-01 | 11.7 |
| 2014-10-01 | 11.5 |
| 2014-11-01 | 11.4 |
| 2014-12-01 | 11.2 |
| 2015-01-01 | 11.2 |
| 2015-02-01 | 10.9 |
| 2015-03-01 | 10.9 |
| 2015-04-01 | 10.9 |
| 2015-05-01 | 10.9 |
| 2015-06-01 | 10.4 |
| 2015-07-01 | 10.3 |
| 2015-08-01 | 10.2 |
| 2015-09-01 | 10.0 |
| 2015-10-01 | 9.8 |
| 2015-11-01 | 10.0 |
| 2015-12-01 | 9.9 |
| 2016-01-01 | 9.7 |
| 2016-02-01 | 9.6 |
| 2016-03-01 | 9.8 |
| 2016-04-01 | 9.9 |
| 2016-05-01 | 9.9 |
| 2016-06-01 | 9.5 |
| 2016-07-01 | 9.6 |
| 2016-08-01 | 9.6 |
| 2016-09-01 | 9.7 |
| 2016-10-01 | 9.6 |
| 2016-11-01 | 9.4 |
| 2016-12-01 | 9.2 |
| 2017-01-01 | 9.2 |
| 2017-02-01 | 9.0 |
| 2017-03-01 | 8.8 |
| 2017-04-01 | 8.6 |
| 2017-05-01 | 8.5 |
| 2017-06-01 | 8.5 |
| 2017-07-01 | 8.5 |
| 2017-08-01 | 8.6 |
| 2017-09-01 | 8.3 |
| 2017-10-01 | 8.1 |
| 2017-11-01 | 8.0 |
| 2017-12-01 | 8.1 |
| 2018-01-01 | 8.0 |
| 2018-02-01 | 8.1 |
| 2018-03-01 | 8.0 |
| 2018-04-01 | 7.9 |
| 2018-05-01 | 7.8 |
| 2018-06-01 | 7.8 |
| 2018-07-01 | 7.5 |
| 2018-08-01 | 7.4 |
| 2018-09-01 | 7.5 |
| 2018-10-01 | 7.5 |
| 2018-11-01 | 7.6 |
| 2018-12-01 | 7.6 |
| 2019-01-01 | 8.0 |
| 2019-02-01 | 7.2 |
| 2019-03-01 | 7.4 |
| 2019-04-01 | 7.4 |
| 2019-05-01 | 7.1 |
| 2019-06-01 | 7.2 |
| 2019-07-01 | 6.9 |
| 2019-08-01 | 7.2 |
| 2019-09-01 | 6.9 |
| 2019-10-01 | 6.9 |
| 2019-11-01 | 6.8 |
| 2019-12-01 | 6.8 |
| 2020-01-01 | 7.0 |
| 2020-02-01 | 7.0 |
| 2020-03-01 | 8.8 |
| 2020-04-01 | 22.9 |
| 2020-05-01 | 21.1 |
| 2020-06-01 | 18.0 |
| 2020-07-01 | 16.5 |
| 2020-08-01 | 14.2 |
| 2020-09-01 | 12.8 |
| 2020-10-01 | 12.1 |
| 2020-11-01 | 11.9 |
| 2020-12-01 | 11.7 |
| 2021-01-01 | 11.2 |
| 2021-02-01 | 11.1 |
| 2021-03-01 | 10.8 |
| 2021-04-01 | 10.3 |
| 2021-05-01 | 10.1 |
| 2021-06-01 | 9.8 |
| 2021-07-01 | 9.2 |
| 2021-08-01 | 8.8 |
| 2021-09-01 | 8.4 |
| 2021-10-01 | 8.2 |
| 2021-11-01 | 7.7 |
| 2021-12-01 | 7.3 |
| 2022-01-01 | 7.1 |
| 2022-02-01 | 7.2 |
| 2022-03-01 | 7.0 |
| 2022-04-01 | 7.0 |
| 2022-05-01 | 7.1 |
| 2022-06-01 | 6.7 |
| 2022-07-01 | 6.8 |
| 2022-08-01 | 6.9 |
| 2022-09-01 | 6.7 |
| 2022-10-01 | 6.7 |
| 2022-11-01 | 6.7 |
| 2022-12-01 | 6.6 |
| 2023-01-01 | 6.7 |
| 2023-02-01 | 6.8 |
| 2023-03-01 | 6.7 |
| 2023-04-01 | 6.6 |
| 2023-05-01 | 6.7 |
| 2023-06-01 | 6.9 |
| 2023-07-01 | 6.7 |
| 2023-08-01 | 7.1 |
| 2023-09-01 | 7.0 |
| 2023-10-01 | 7.2 |
| 2023-11-01 | 7.0 |
| 2023-12-01 | 7.2 |
| 2024-01-01 | 7.2 |
| 2024-02-01 | 7.3 |
| 2024-03-01 | 7.3 |
| 2024-04-01 | 7.4 |
| 2024-05-01 | 7.4 |
| 2024-06-01 | 7.4 |
| 2024-07-01 | 7.8 |
| 2024-08-01 | 7.8 |
| 2024-09-01 | 7.7 |
| 2024-10-01 | 7.7 |
| 2024-11-01 | 7.7 |
| 2024-12-01 | 7.6 |
| 2025-01-01 | 7.5 |
| 2025-02-01 | 8.0 |
| 2025-03-01 | 7.9 |
| 2025-04-01 | 7.8 |
| 2025-05-01 | 7.8 |
| 2025-06-01 | 7.7 |
| 2025-07-01 | 7.9 |
| 2025-08-01 | 8.1 |
| 2025-09-01 | 8.1 |
| 2025-10-01 | not published |
| 2025-11-01 | 8.7 |
| 2025-12-01 | 8.4 |
| 2026-01-01 | 8.1 |
| 2026-02-01 | 7.9 |
| 2026-03-01 | 8.0 |
| 2026-04-01 | 8.2 |
| 2026-05-01 | 8.1 |
| 2026-06-01 | 7.9 |
| 2026-07-01 | 7.9 |
| 2026-08-01 | 7.7 |
| 2026-09-01 | 7.6 |
Source: Total Unemployed, Plus All Persons Marginally Attached to the Labor Force, Plus Total Employed Part Time for Economic Reasons, as a Percent of the Civilian Labor Force Plus All Persons Marginally Attached to the Labor Force (U-6) (U6RATE). U6RATE · retrieved Oct. 26, 2026 · 320 rows · as of September 2026 · monthly. Download CSV
What to notice: U-6 captures “employed but not really stable.” It’s often closer to the lived economy than the unemployment rate.
Employment-population ratio, 2000 to 2026
Employed people as a percent of the civilian noninstitutional population age 16 and over. Seasonally adjusted. It falls as the population ages, so compare it with care across decades.
No figure for October 2025: the Bureau of Labor Statistics did not conduct its household survey that month because of the federal government shutdown (Oct. 1 to Nov. 12, 2025), and there is no estimate for that month. Source: BLS, 2025 federal government shutdown impact on the Current Population Survey. The line connects the readings on either side, and the data table marks the gap “not published.”
Left and Right arrows read the values point by point; Page Up and Page Down jump a tenth of the way later or earlier; Home and End go to the ends; Escape clears.
- Months with no published figure
Data table
| date | Employment-population ratio |
|---|---|
| 2000-01-01 | 64.6 |
| 2000-02-01 | 64.6 |
| 2000-03-01 | 64.6 |
| 2000-04-01 | 64.7 |
| 2000-05-01 | 64.4 |
| 2000-06-01 | 64.5 |
| 2000-07-01 | 64.2 |
| 2000-08-01 | 64.2 |
| 2000-09-01 | 64.2 |
| 2000-10-01 | 64.2 |
| 2000-11-01 | 64.3 |
| 2000-12-01 | 64.4 |
| 2001-01-01 | 64.4 |
| 2001-02-01 | 64.3 |
| 2001-03-01 | 64.3 |
| 2001-04-01 | 64.0 |
| 2001-05-01 | 63.8 |
| 2001-06-01 | 63.7 |
| 2001-07-01 | 63.7 |
| 2001-08-01 | 63.2 |
| 2001-09-01 | 63.5 |
| 2001-10-01 | 63.2 |
| 2001-11-01 | 63.0 |
| 2001-12-01 | 62.9 |
| 2002-01-01 | 62.7 |
| 2002-02-01 | 63.0 |
| 2002-03-01 | 62.8 |
| 2002-04-01 | 62.7 |
| 2002-05-01 | 62.9 |
| 2002-06-01 | 62.7 |
| 2002-07-01 | 62.7 |
| 2002-08-01 | 62.7 |
| 2002-09-01 | 63.0 |
| 2002-10-01 | 62.7 |
| 2002-11-01 | 62.5 |
| 2002-12-01 | 62.4 |
| 2003-01-01 | 62.5 |
| 2003-02-01 | 62.5 |
| 2003-03-01 | 62.4 |
| 2003-04-01 | 62.4 |
| 2003-05-01 | 62.3 |
| 2003-06-01 | 62.3 |
| 2003-07-01 | 62.1 |
| 2003-08-01 | 62.1 |
| 2003-09-01 | 62.0 |
| 2003-10-01 | 62.1 |
| 2003-11-01 | 62.3 |
| 2003-12-01 | 62.2 |
| 2004-01-01 | 62.3 |
| 2004-02-01 | 62.3 |
| 2004-03-01 | 62.2 |
| 2004-04-01 | 62.3 |
| 2004-05-01 | 62.3 |
| 2004-06-01 | 62.4 |
| 2004-07-01 | 62.5 |
| 2004-08-01 | 62.4 |
| 2004-09-01 | 62.3 |
| 2004-10-01 | 62.3 |
| 2004-11-01 | 62.5 |
| 2004-12-01 | 62.4 |
| 2005-01-01 | 62.4 |
| 2005-02-01 | 62.4 |
| 2005-03-01 | 62.4 |
| 2005-04-01 | 62.7 |
| 2005-05-01 | 62.8 |
| 2005-06-01 | 62.7 |
| 2005-07-01 | 62.8 |
| 2005-08-01 | 62.9 |
| 2005-09-01 | 62.8 |
| 2005-10-01 | 62.8 |
| 2005-11-01 | 62.7 |
| 2005-12-01 | 62.8 |
| 2006-01-01 | 62.9 |
| 2006-02-01 | 63.0 |
| 2006-03-01 | 63.1 |
| 2006-04-01 | 63.0 |
| 2006-05-01 | 63.1 |
| 2006-06-01 | 63.1 |
| 2006-07-01 | 63.0 |
| 2006-08-01 | 63.1 |
| 2006-09-01 | 63.1 |
| 2006-10-01 | 63.3 |
| 2006-11-01 | 63.3 |
| 2006-12-01 | 63.4 |
| 2007-01-01 | 63.3 |
| 2007-02-01 | 63.3 |
| 2007-03-01 | 63.3 |
| 2007-04-01 | 63.0 |
| 2007-05-01 | 63.0 |
| 2007-06-01 | 63.0 |
| 2007-07-01 | 62.9 |
| 2007-08-01 | 62.7 |
| 2007-09-01 | 62.9 |
| 2007-10-01 | 62.7 |
| 2007-11-01 | 62.9 |
| 2007-12-01 | 62.7 |
| 2008-01-01 | 62.9 |
| 2008-02-01 | 62.8 |
| 2008-03-01 | 62.7 |
| 2008-04-01 | 62.7 |
| 2008-05-01 | 62.5 |
| 2008-06-01 | 62.4 |
| 2008-07-01 | 62.2 |
| 2008-08-01 | 62.0 |
| 2008-09-01 | 61.9 |
| 2008-10-01 | 61.7 |
| 2008-11-01 | 61.4 |
| 2008-12-01 | 61.0 |
| 2009-01-01 | 60.6 |
| 2009-02-01 | 60.3 |
| 2009-03-01 | 59.9 |
| 2009-04-01 | 59.8 |
| 2009-05-01 | 59.6 |
| 2009-06-01 | 59.4 |
| 2009-07-01 | 59.3 |
| 2009-08-01 | 59.1 |
| 2009-09-01 | 58.7 |
| 2009-10-01 | 58.5 |
| 2009-11-01 | 58.6 |
| 2009-12-01 | 58.3 |
| 2010-01-01 | 58.5 |
| 2010-02-01 | 58.5 |
| 2010-03-01 | 58.5 |
| 2010-04-01 | 58.7 |
| 2010-05-01 | 58.6 |
| 2010-06-01 | 58.5 |
| 2010-07-01 | 58.5 |
| 2010-08-01 | 58.6 |
| 2010-09-01 | 58.5 |
| 2010-10-01 | 58.3 |
| 2010-11-01 | 58.2 |
| 2010-12-01 | 58.3 |
| 2011-01-01 | 58.3 |
| 2011-02-01 | 58.4 |
| 2011-03-01 | 58.4 |
| 2011-04-01 | 58.4 |
| 2011-05-01 | 58.3 |
| 2011-06-01 | 58.2 |
| 2011-07-01 | 58.2 |
| 2011-08-01 | 58.3 |
| 2011-09-01 | 58.4 |
| 2011-10-01 | 58.4 |
| 2011-11-01 | 58.6 |
| 2011-12-01 | 58.6 |
| 2012-01-01 | 58.4 |
| 2012-02-01 | 58.5 |
| 2012-03-01 | 58.5 |
| 2012-04-01 | 58.4 |
| 2012-05-01 | 58.5 |
| 2012-06-01 | 58.6 |
| 2012-07-01 | 58.5 |
| 2012-08-01 | 58.4 |
| 2012-09-01 | 58.7 |
| 2012-10-01 | 58.8 |
| 2012-11-01 | 58.7 |
| 2012-12-01 | 58.7 |
| 2013-01-01 | 58.6 |
| 2013-02-01 | 58.6 |
| 2013-03-01 | 58.5 |
| 2013-04-01 | 58.6 |
| 2013-05-01 | 58.6 |
| 2013-06-01 | 58.6 |
| 2013-07-01 | 58.7 |
| 2013-08-01 | 58.7 |
| 2013-09-01 | 58.7 |
| 2013-10-01 | 58.3 |
| 2013-11-01 | 58.6 |
| 2013-12-01 | 58.7 |
| 2014-01-01 | 58.8 |
| 2014-02-01 | 58.7 |
| 2014-03-01 | 58.9 |
| 2014-04-01 | 58.9 |
| 2014-05-01 | 58.9 |
| 2014-06-01 | 59.0 |
| 2014-07-01 | 59.0 |
| 2014-08-01 | 59.0 |
| 2014-09-01 | 59.1 |
| 2014-10-01 | 59.3 |
| 2014-11-01 | 59.2 |
| 2014-12-01 | 59.3 |
| 2015-01-01 | 59.3 |
| 2015-02-01 | 59.2 |
| 2015-03-01 | 59.2 |
| 2015-04-01 | 59.3 |
| 2015-05-01 | 59.4 |
| 2015-06-01 | 59.4 |
| 2015-07-01 | 59.3 |
| 2015-08-01 | 59.4 |
| 2015-09-01 | 59.2 |
| 2015-10-01 | 59.3 |
| 2015-11-01 | 59.4 |
| 2015-12-01 | 59.6 |
| 2016-01-01 | 59.7 |
| 2016-02-01 | 59.8 |
| 2016-03-01 | 59.8 |
| 2016-04-01 | 59.7 |
| 2016-05-01 | 59.7 |
| 2016-06-01 | 59.7 |
| 2016-07-01 | 59.8 |
| 2016-08-01 | 59.8 |
| 2016-09-01 | 59.7 |
| 2016-10-01 | 59.7 |
| 2016-11-01 | 59.7 |
| 2016-12-01 | 59.7 |
| 2017-01-01 | 59.9 |
| 2017-02-01 | 60.0 |
| 2017-03-01 | 60.2 |
| 2017-04-01 | 60.2 |
| 2017-05-01 | 60.1 |
| 2017-06-01 | 60.1 |
| 2017-07-01 | 60.2 |
| 2017-08-01 | 60.1 |
| 2017-09-01 | 60.4 |
| 2017-10-01 | 60.1 |
| 2017-11-01 | 60.1 |
| 2017-12-01 | 60.1 |
| 2018-01-01 | 60.1 |
| 2018-02-01 | 60.4 |
| 2018-03-01 | 60.4 |
| 2018-04-01 | 60.4 |
| 2018-05-01 | 60.5 |
| 2018-06-01 | 60.5 |
| 2018-07-01 | 60.6 |
| 2018-08-01 | 60.3 |
| 2018-09-01 | 60.4 |
| 2018-10-01 | 60.5 |
| 2018-11-01 | 60.6 |
| 2018-12-01 | 60.6 |
| 2019-01-01 | 60.6 |
| 2019-02-01 | 60.7 |
| 2019-03-01 | 60.6 |
| 2019-04-01 | 60.5 |
| 2019-05-01 | 60.6 |
| 2019-06-01 | 60.7 |
| 2019-07-01 | 60.8 |
| 2019-08-01 | 60.8 |
| 2019-09-01 | 61.0 |
| 2019-10-01 | 61.0 |
| 2019-11-01 | 61.0 |
| 2019-12-01 | 61.1 |
| 2020-01-01 | 61.1 |
| 2020-02-01 | 61.1 |
| 2020-03-01 | 59.8 |
| 2020-04-01 | 51.2 |
| 2020-05-01 | 52.7 |
| 2020-06-01 | 54.7 |
| 2020-07-01 | 55.2 |
| 2020-08-01 | 56.5 |
| 2020-09-01 | 56.6 |
| 2020-10-01 | 57.5 |
| 2020-11-01 | 57.4 |
| 2020-12-01 | 57.4 |
| 2021-01-01 | 57.4 |
| 2021-02-01 | 57.6 |
| 2021-03-01 | 57.7 |
| 2021-04-01 | 57.8 |
| 2021-05-01 | 58.0 |
| 2021-06-01 | 58.1 |
| 2021-07-01 | 58.4 |
| 2021-08-01 | 58.6 |
| 2021-09-01 | 58.8 |
| 2021-10-01 | 59.0 |
| 2021-11-01 | 59.3 |
| 2021-12-01 | 59.5 |
| 2022-01-01 | 59.7 |
| 2022-02-01 | 59.9 |
| 2022-03-01 | 60.1 |
| 2022-04-01 | 59.9 |
| 2022-05-01 | 60.1 |
| 2022-06-01 | 59.9 |
| 2022-07-01 | 60.0 |
| 2022-08-01 | 60.1 |
| 2022-09-01 | 60.1 |
| 2022-10-01 | 60.0 |
| 2022-11-01 | 59.9 |
| 2022-12-01 | 60.1 |
| 2023-01-01 | 60.2 |
| 2023-02-01 | 60.3 |
| 2023-03-01 | 60.4 |
| 2023-04-01 | 60.4 |
| 2023-05-01 | 60.3 |
| 2023-06-01 | 60.3 |
| 2023-07-01 | 60.4 |
| 2023-08-01 | 60.4 |
| 2023-09-01 | 60.4 |
| 2023-10-01 | 60.2 |
| 2023-11-01 | 60.4 |
| 2023-12-01 | 60.1 |
| 2024-01-01 | 60.2 |
| 2024-02-01 | 60.2 |
| 2024-03-01 | 60.3 |
| 2024-04-01 | 60.2 |
| 2024-05-01 | 60.1 |
| 2024-06-01 | 60.0 |
| 2024-07-01 | 60.0 |
| 2024-08-01 | 60.0 |
| 2024-09-01 | 60.1 |
| 2024-10-01 | 60.0 |
| 2024-11-01 | 59.8 |
| 2024-12-01 | 59.9 |
| 2025-01-01 | 60.1 |
| 2025-02-01 | 59.9 |
| 2025-03-01 | 59.9 |
| 2025-04-01 | 60.0 |
| 2025-05-01 | 59.7 |
| 2025-06-01 | 59.7 |
| 2025-07-01 | 59.6 |
| 2025-08-01 | 59.6 |
| 2025-09-01 | 59.7 |
| 2025-10-01 | not published |
| 2025-11-01 | 59.6 |
| 2025-12-01 | 59.7 |
| 2026-01-01 | 59.4 |
| 2026-02-01 | 59.3 |
| 2026-03-01 | 59.2 |
| 2026-04-01 | 59.1 |
| 2026-05-01 | 59.2 |
| 2026-06-01 | 59.0 |
| 2026-07-01 | 58.9 |
| 2026-08-01 | 59.1 |
| 2026-09-01 | 59.2 |
Source: Employment-Population Ratio (EMRATIO). EMRATIO · retrieved Oct. 26, 2026 · 320 rows · as of September 2026 · monthly. Download CSV
What to notice: the employment-population ratio, the share of people age 16 and over who have a job, tells you whether people are finding work or leaving it. It is not the labor force participation rate, which also counts people who are looking for work.
Chart sources:
- U-6 underemployment rate (U6RATE), BLS via FRED: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/U6RATE
- Employment-population ratio (EMRATIO), BLS via FRED: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/EMRATIO
Recent context (late 2025–early 2026)
Two developments make the “jobs added vs. jobs people want” gap easier to document. First, the American Job Quality Study argues that headline employment metrics miss whether jobs allow workers to thrive, and reports that most workers fall short on job quality across dimensions like financial well-being, predictability, and voice.https://www.jff.org/idea/the-american-job-quality-study/ Second, Indeed Hiring Lab’s February 2026 update describes a rebalancing of bargaining power toward employers: openings trending down, wage growth more subdued, and firms able to be more selective. That is exactly the environment where the “experience trap” and hours-and-benefits insecurity worsen, even if payrolls still print positive.https://www.hiringlab.org/2026/02/19/february-2026-labor-market-update-new-year-same-resolutions/
The policy implication (the part we avoid saying out loud)
If we only celebrate job quantity, we end up subsidizing quantity:
- Low-wage expansion that looks good on paper
- “Flexible work” that transfers risk from firms to households
- A labor market that can add jobs while shrinking security
If we measure job quality, policy changes:
- More pressure for benefits and predictable hours
- Training and credential pathways that match actual openings
- A harder look at whether the economy is creating careers or just shifts
The economy is adding jobs. The real question is whether it is adding lives people can build on.
Sources
Indeed Hiring Lab: February 2026 U.S. labor market update (employer bargaining power, wage growth cooling): https://www.hiringlab.org/2026/02/19/february-2026-labor-market-update-new-year-same-resolutions/
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Employment Situation (incl. underutilization, hours, and earnings tables): https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm
FRED (St. Louis Fed) charts for U-6 and employment-population ratio.
Gallup: American Job Quality Study landing page and toplines: https://www.gallup.com/analytics/691241/american-job-quality-study.aspx
Jobs for the Future (JFF) overview of the study: https://www.jff.org/idea/the-american-job-quality-study/