The Fact
In 2025 annual-average BLS data, about one-quarter of unemployed workers ages 55–64 had been unemployed for 27 weeks or longer—the standard statistical definition of long-term unemployment.
What This Means
A substantial share of unemployed people in this age group were not between jobs for a few weeks. They had been searching for at least half a year.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, Labor Force Statistics annual averages, 2025: duration of unemployment by age.