Overview
Today, January 8th, 2021, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that employment declined by 140,000 in December, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 6.7 percent. In December, job losses in leisure and hospitality and in private education were partially offset by gains in professional and business services, retail trade, and construction.[1] For veterans, unemployment decreased to 5.3 percent in December. Post-9/11 veteran unemployment decreased from 6.9 percent to 5.1 percent in December. Of the total 462,000 unemployed veterans ages 18 and over, 21 percent have been unemployed for less than five weeks and 79 percent have been unemployed for more than five weeks. The average length of unemployment is 28.3 weeks (the median is 19.5 weeks). The overall unemployment trend varies by different veteran demographic factors, however, some more than others.
With respect to age, the youngest post-9/11 veterans’ (ages 18-24) unemployment rate decreased from 15.1 percent to 9.4 percent in December. The unemployment rate for post-9/11 veterans’ ages 25 to 34 decreased from 9.4 percent to 6.3 percent in December. Both these group of post 9/11 veterans (ages 18-24 and 25-34) were unemployed at a lower rate than their nonveteran peers of the same age group.
Female post-9/11 veterans experienced a decrease in unemployment, from 5.7 percent to 5.0 percent in December. Similarly, the overall unemployment rate for female veterans (all cohorts) decreased to 3.7 percent. By comparison, female nonveterans have a higher unemployment rate (6.2 percent) compared to female veterans. Total male veteran unemployment saw a monthly decrease in unemployment from 6.4 percent to 5.5 percent. The post-9/11 male veteran unemployment also decreased from 7.1 percent to 5.1 percent in December.
Black or African American post-9/11 veterans saw a monthly decrease in unemployment to 6.4 percent. This rate is lower than the 9.5 percent unemployment rate of their nonveteran counterparts. Hispanic, Latino/a, or Spanish Origin post-9/11 veterans experienced a monthly decrease in unemployment to 7.8 percent. This rate is lower than the 9.2 percent unemployment rate of their nonveteran counterparts. Readers should be cautioned, however, 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 January 8, 2021. These are unpublished data from the Current Population Survey, not seasonally adjusted, and represent the period ending December 2020.
| UNEMPLOYMENT RATES FOR: | November 2020 | December 2020 | CHANGE (+/-) | Annual Averages 2019 |
| All Americans (18 and over) | 6.3 | 6.4 | +0.1 | 3.5 |
| All Veterans | 6.3 | 5.3 | -1.0 | 3.1 |
| Post-9/11 Veterans | 6.9 | 5.1 | -1.8 | 3.5 |
| Gulf-War I Era Veterans | 4.7 | 4.4 | -0.3 | 2.6 |
| WWII, Korean War and Vietnam Era | 6.4 | 4.6 | -1.8 | 2.8 |
| All Nonveterans | 6.3 | 6.5 | +0.2 | 3.6 |
| UNEMPLOYMENT RATES FOR VETERANS | ||||
| Demographic Category | November 2020 | December 2020 | CHANGE (+/-) | Annual Averages 2019 |
| 18–24 | 15.1 | 9.4 | -5.7 | 7.4 |
| 25-34 | 9.4 | 6.3 | -3.1 | 3.3 |
| 35-44 | 6.5 | 6.8 | +0.3 | 3.4 |
| 45-54 | 4.2 | 2.8 | -1.4 | 2.7 |
| 55-64 | 6.0 | 6.2 | +0.2 | 2.9 |
| 65 and older | 5.6 | 4.4 | -1.2 | 2.8 |
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| Male | 6.4 | 5.5 | -0.9 | 3.0 |
| Female | 5.3 | 3.7 | -1.6 | 3.7 |
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| White, Anglo, Caucasian | 6.1 | 5.5 | -0.6 | 2.8 |
| Black or African American | 8.1 | 5.3 | -2.8 | 4.9 |
| Hispanic, Latino/a, or Spanish Origin | 9.1 | 7.6 | -1.5 | 2.4 |
| Asian or Asian American | 3.5 | 0.9 | -2.6 | 3.6 |
| UNEMPLOYMENT RATES FOR POST-9/11 VETERANS | ||||
| Demographic Category | November 2020 | December 2020 | CHANGE (+/-) | Annual Averages 2019 |
| 18–24 | 15.1 | 9.4 | -5.7 | 7.4 |
| 25-34 | 9.4 | 6.3 | -3.1 | 3.3 |
| 35-44 | 5.9 | 5.2 | -0.7 | 3.8 |
| 45-54 | 3.5 | 1.8 | -1.7 | 2.8 |
| 55-64 | 1.8 | 3.7 | +1.9 | 2.5 |
| 65 and older | – | – | – | 2.1 |
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| Male | 7.1 | 5.1 | -2.0 | 3.4 |
| Female | 5.7 | 5.0 | -0.7 | 4.7 |
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| White, Anglo, Caucasian | 7.1 | 5.2 | -1.9 | 3.0 |
| Black or African American | 7.7 | 6.4 | -1.3 | 6.8 |
| Hispanic, Latino/a, or Spanish Origin | 13.3 | 7.8 | -5.5 | 3.2 |
| Asian or Asian American | – | – | – | 3.9 |
| UNEMPLOYMENT RATES FOR NONVETERANS | ||||
| Demographic Category | November 2020 | December 2020 | CHANGE (+/-) | Annual Averages 2019 |
| 18–24 | 10.4 | 11.6 | +1.2 | 7.8 |
| 25-34 | 6.6 | 6.4 | -0.2 | 3.7 |
| 35-44 | 5.3 | 5.4 | +0.1 | 2.7 |
| 45-54 | 5.3 | 5.4 | +0.1 | 2.7 |
| 55-64 | 5.7 | 5.8 | +0.1 | 2.6 |
| 65 and older | 5.5 | 6.1 | +0.6 | 3.0 |
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| Male | 6.6 | 6.8 | +0.2 | 3.7 |
| Female | 6.0 | 6.2 | +0.2 | 3.5 |
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| White, Anglo, Caucasian | 5.5 | 5.9 | +0.4 | 3.2 |
| Black or African American | 9.8 | 9.5 | -0.3 | 5.9 |
| Hispanic, Latino/a, or Spanish Origin | 8.1 | 9.2 | +1.1 | 4.2 |
| Asian or Asian American | 6.8 | 5.9 | -0.9 | 2.6 |
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/empsit.nr0.htm