The labor force participation rate — the percentage of Americans age 16 and older who are working or actively looking for work — peaked in early 2000, when it began to drop due to an aging population and more young people in college. Participation was rising before the pandemic but has only partially recovered, due in large part to accelerated retirement among older workers.
The rate for the prime working ages of 25 to 54 surpassed the pre-pandemic level in 2023 and was still above it as of early 2025. A solid prime workforce, combined with technology and other productivity measures, could help the U.S. economy stay strong with a smaller percentage of the total population in the workforce.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025; U.S. Chamber of Commerce, December 13, 2024
