Market News / Story
US Unemployment Stayed at or Below 4.5% for Nearly Five Years
stlouisfed.org ·
AI-assisted briefing: According to a St. Louis Fed preview, U.S. unemployment remained at or below 4.5% for nearly five years as of mid-2026, marking one of the longest low-unemployment stretches in modern history. Unemployment fell rapidly after the COVID-19 recession’s sharp job losses and stayed low across much of the country. The article examines how young adults benefit from tight labor markets.