1.2 percent
In 1944, unemployment dipped to 1.2 percent of the civilian labor force, a record low in American economic history and as near to “full employment” as is likely possible (Samuelson).
What was the nation’s unemployment rate in 1940?
NOTES: Estimates prior to 1940 are based on sources other than direct enumeration. Data prior to 1948 are for persons age 14 and over. Data beginning in 1948 are for persons age 16 and over….United States Unemployment Rate.
| Year | Rate |
|---|---|
| 1938 | 19.0 |
| 1940 | 14.6 |
| 1942 | 4.7% |
| 1944 | 1.2 |
What year was the worst unemployment rate in US history?
The highest rate of U.S. unemployment was 24.9% in 1933, during the Great Depression. 1 Unemployment remained above 14% from 1931 to 1940. It remained in the single digits until September 1982 when it reached 10.1%.
What was the unemployment rate during World War 2?
Between 1940 and 1944 unemployment fell by either 7.45 million (official measure) or by 4.62 million (Darby measure), while the armed forces increased by 10.87 million.
What was the lowest unemployment rate in the United States?
U.S. Unemployment Rate History. Unemployment remained in the single digits until 1982 when it reached 10.8 percent. The annual unemployment rate reached 9.9 percent in 2009, during the Great Recession . The lowest unemployment rate was 1.2 percent in 1944. You may think that unemployment can’t get too low, but it can.
What was the unemployment rate in 1982 during the Great Recession?
It remained in the single digits until September 1982 when it reached 10.1%. 2 During the Great Recession, unemployment reached 10% in October 2009. The government steps in when unemployment exceeds 6%.
What was the unemployment rate during the Great Depression?
The unemployment rate rose sharply during the Great Depression and reached its peak at the moment Franklin D. Roosevelt took office. As New Deal programs were enacted, the unemployment rate gradually lowered.