Chart LabUS Growth & Economic Activity

Unemployment Rate

Unemployment Rate stands at 4.20% as of June 2026, up from 4.10% a year earlier. The reading sits in the 23rd percentile of its history back to 1948.

15.41%8.70%1.99% 1948 1987 2026
Unemployment Rate, 1948–2026. Updated 2026-07-16.
Latest (June 2026)4.20%
One year ago4.10%
10-year range3.40% – 14.80%
Percentile vs. full history23rd
History1948–2026 (941 observations)

What it is & how to read it

The headline unemployment rate. A lagging indicator on the way down but a powerful signal on the way up: increases of half a percentage point from the cycle low (the basis of the Sahm Rule) have reliably marked recession starts.

Related charts

GDPNow (Atlanta Fed)Leading Index YoYISM ManufacturingISM ServicesNonfarm Payrolls YoYInitial Claims (4wk avg)
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Data: download CSV (source: FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data)).

Source: FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data). Updated daily. Part of Cambria Chart Lab — free macro & market charts. For research and education only; not investment advice.