Overview
On February 7th 2025, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that employment rose by 143,000 in January, and the unemployment rate edged down to 4.0 percent. Job gains occurred in health care, retail trade, and social assistance. Employment declined in the mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction industry.[1] For veterans, unemployment increased from 2.8 percent in December 2024 to 4.2 percent in January 2025. Post-9/11 veteran unemployment also rose, from 3.9 percent in December to 4.7 percent in January. The unemployment trend continues to vary across different veteran demographic groups.
In terms of age, the unemployment rate for veterans aged 18-24 is now available for January, showing a significant increase to 26.9 percent. The unemployment rate for veterans aged 25-34 increased slightly from 6.1 percent in December to 6.4 percent in January, remaining higher than that of their nonveteran peers, who had an unemployment rate of 4.6 percent in January. The unemployment rate for veterans aged 65 and older nearly doubled, rising from 2.5 percent in December to 4.5 percent in January. Veterans in this age group had a higher unemployment rate than their nonveteran peers, who had a rate of 3.6 percent in January.
For gender comparisons, the unemployment rate for female veterans increased from 3.7 percent in December to 4.9 percent in January, which remains higher than the unemployment rate for female nonveterans (3.9 percent). The unemployment rate for male veterans saw a significant rise, from 2.6 percent in December to 4.1 percent in January but continued to be lower than the rate for male nonveterans (4.7 percent).
The unemployment rate for Black or African American veterans slightly decreased from 5.2 percent in December to 4.9 percent in January, remaining below their nonveteran counterparts (6.5 percent). The unemployment rate for Hispanic, Latino/a, or Spanish Origin veterans saw an increase from 1.5 percent in December to 4.2 percent in January, remaining below their nonveteran counterparts (5.4 percent). However, readers should be cautioned that data on specific veteran subgroups can vary widely from month to month.
Demographics & Trends
The following tables summarize the employment situation of veterans in America based on BLS data released on February 7, 2025. These are unpublished data from the Current Population Survey, not seasonally adjusted, and represent the period ending January 2025.
| UNEMPLOYMENT RATES FOR: | December 2024 | January 2025 | CHANGE (+/-) | Annual Averages 2024 |
| All Americans (18 and over) | 3.7 | 4.3 | +0.6 | 3.9 |
| All Veterans | 2.8 | 4.2 | +1.4 | 3.0 |
| Post-9/11 Veterans | 3.9 | 4.7 | +0.8 | 3.2 |
| Gulf-War I Era Veterans | 1.2 | 3.4 | +2.2 | 2.3 |
| WWII, Korean War and Vietnam Era | 2.9 | 6.7 | +3.8 | 3.4 |
| Other service period veterans | 1.7 | 2.6 | +0.9 | 2.8 |
| All Nonveterans | 3.8 | 4.3 | +0.5 | 3.9 |
| UNEMPLOYMENT RATES FOR VETERANS | ||||
| Demographic Category | December 2024 | January 2025 | CHANGE (+/-) | Annual Averages 2024 |
| 18–24 | – | 26.9 | – | 6.4 |
| 25-34 | 6.1 | 6.4 | +0.3 | 4.3 |
| 35-44 | 4.5 | 4.1 | -0.4 | 3.1 |
| 45-54 | 1.3 | 3.5 | +2.2 | 2.2 |
| 55-64 | 1.3 | 2.2 | +0.9 | 2.4 |
| 65 and older | 2.5 | 4.5 | +2.0 | 3.1 |
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| Male | 2.6 | 4.1 | +1.5 | 2.9 |
| Female | 3.7 | 4.9 | +1.2 | 3.5 |
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| White, Anglo, Caucasian | 2.1 | 4.0 | +1.9 | 2.8 |
| Black or African American | 5.2 | 4.9 | -0.3 | 3.6 |
| Hispanic, Latino/a, or Spanish Origin | 1.5 | 4.2 | +2.7 | 3.5 |
| Asian or Asian American | 4.3 | 3.7 | -0.6 | 3.9 |
| UNEMPLOYMENT RATES FOR POST-9/11 VETERANS | ||||
| Demographic Category | December 2024 | January 2025 | CHANGE (+/-) | Annual Averages 2024 |
| 18–24 | – | 26.9 | – | 6.4 |
| 25-34 | 6.1 | 6.4 | +0.3 | 4.3 |
| 35-44 | 4.5 | 4.2 | -0.3 | 3.0 |
| 45-54 | 1.6 | 2.2 | +0.6 | 2.3 |
| 55-64 | 1.3 | 1.2 | -0.1 | 1.3 |
| 65 and older | – | – | – | 3.2 |
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| Male | 3.6 | 4.5 | +0.9 | 3.1 |
| Female | 5.3 | 5.7 | +0.4 | 3.7 |
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| White, Anglo, Caucasian | 2.7 | 4.6 | +1.9 | 2.9 |
| Black or African American | 7.7 | 6.6 | -1.1 | 4.3 |
| Hispanic, Latino/a, or Spanish Origin | 1.9 | 5.3 | +3.4 | 3.6 |
| Asian or Asian American | 6.5 | 5.7 | -0.8 | 3.5 |
| UNEMPLOYMENT RATES FOR NONVETERANS | ||||
| Demographic Category | December 2024 | January 2025 | CHANGE (+/-) | Annual Averages 2024 |
| 18–24 | 7.6 | 9.2 | +1.6 | 8.4 |
| 25-34 | 4.2 | 4.6 | +0.4 | 4.3 |
| 35-44 | 3.2 | 3.4 | +0.2 | 3.2 |
| 45-54 | 2.5 | 3.0 | +0.5 | 2.8 |
| 55-64 | 2.9 | 3.2 | +0.3 | 2.8 |
| 65 and older | 3.4 | 3.6 | +0.2 | 3.1 |
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| Male | 4.0 | 4.7 | +0.7 | 4.1 |
| Female | 3.5 | 3.9 | +0.4 | 3.8 |
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| White, Anglo, Caucasian | 3.4 | 3.8 | +0.4 | 3.5 |
| Black or African American | 5.5 | 6.5 | +1.0 | 6.0 |
| Hispanic, Latino/a, or Spanish Origin | 5.0 | 5.4 | +0.4 | 4.9 |
| Asian or Asian American | 3.2 | 3.8 | +0.6 | 3.4 |
NOTE: Although the BLS reports the national average for those 16 and over, the tables above include only those that are 18 and over to make a more accurate comparison to the veteran population. Post-9/11 are of the Gulf War Era II (September 2001-present). Other periods of service include Gulf War Era I (August 1990-August 2001), Vietnam Era (August 1964-April 1975), Korean War (July 1950-January 1955), World War II (December 1941-December 1946). Veterans who served in more than one wartime period are classified only in the most recent one. Veterans who served during one of the selected wartime periods and another peacetime period are classified only in the wartime period. The minority-by-gender unemployment rates are not displayed due to small sample size and are more appropriately displayed as annual averages.
[1] https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/empsit_02072025.pdf