Youth Unemployment Rate

Can young people find jobs?

Youth unemployment measures the share of residents ages 16–24 who are actively seeking but unable to find work. It reflects how well a city is preparing young people for economic participation.

When youth unemployment is high, it may point to gaps in education, training, or job access—particularly for students from under-resourced schools or first-time job seekers. Young people without early work experience can face long-term earning penalties. Cities can respond with youth employment programs, internships, and school-to-career pipelines.

When youth unemployment is low, young residents are gaining skills, income, and confidence to build their future, contributing to long-term economic resilience.

Primary Indicator

Percentage of city residents aged 16 to 24 able and willing to work who are currently unemployed

Data were calculated using the American Community Survey Table B23001. First, we calculated the total number of unemployed civilians aged 16 to 24 by adding variables B23001_008E (16-19, males) + B23001_015E (20-21 males) + B23001_022E (22-24 males) + B23001_094E (16-19 females) + B23001_101E (20-21 females) + B23001_108E (22-24 females). This was then divided by the size of the labor force aged 16 to 24, which was the sum of variables B23001_006E (male 16-19) + B23001_013E (male 20-21) + B23001_020E (male 22-24) + B23001_092E (female 16-19) + B23001_099E (female 20-21)+ B23001_106E (female 22-24).

Additional Indicators

Percentage of city residents aged 16 to 24 able and willing to work who are currently unemployed by age

Data were calculated using the American Community Survey Table B23001. To calculate the rate, we performed the following calculations using these variables:

  • 16-19 years old: (B23001_008E+B23001_094E)/(B23001_006E+B23001_092E)
  • 20-21 years old: (B23001_015E+B23001_101E)/(B23001_013E+B23001_099E)
  • 22-24 years old: (B23001_022E+B23001_108E)/(B23001_020E+B23001_106E)

Percentage of city residents aged 16 to 24 able and willing to work who are currently unemployed by sex

Data were calculated using the American Community Survey Table B23001. To calculate the rate, we performed the following calculations using these variables:

  • Male: (B23001_008E+B23001_015E+B23001_022E)/ (B23001_006E+B23001_013E+B23001_020E)
  • Female: (B23001_094E+B23001_101E+B23001_108E)/ (B23001_092E+B23001_099E+B23001_106E)