FX.co ★ US Unemployment Rate Rises to Highest Since 2021

In September 2025, the unemployment rate in the United States rose to 4.4% from 4.3% in August, surpassing market predictions and reaching its highest point since October 2021. The count of unemployed individuals increased by 219,000, totaling 7.603 million. Meanwhile, the number of employed persons grew by 251,000, bringing the total to 163.645 million. The labor force experienced an expansion of 470,000, reaching 171.248 million, which nudged the labor force participation rate up by 0.1 percentage point to 62.4%. Additionally, the broader U-6 unemployment rate, which accounts for discouraged workers and those working part-time for economic reasons, slightly decreased to 8.0% in September from 8.1% in August. This data will serve as the last unemployment statistic available prior to the Federal Reserve's meeting in December. The Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that due to a government shutdown hampering data collection, October's jobs report will not feature an unemployment rate.