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Labor Force Participation under every president, month by month

At month 21 in office, Trump II is at 61.8%: #9 of 10 administrations (average 63.9%). Official Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data.

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59.9%63.4%66.9%Month 1Month 13Month 25Month 37Month 48Nixon, month 1: 59.6%Nixon, month 4: 60.0%Nixon, month 7: 60.1%Nixon, month 10: 60.4%Nixon, month 13: 60.4%Nixon, month 16: 60.6%Nixon, month 19: 60.4%Nixon, month 22: 60.4%Nixon, month 25: 60.4%Nixon, month 28: 60.1%Nixon, month 31: 60.1%Nixon, month 34: 60.1%Nixon, month 37: 60.2%Nixon, month 40: 60.4%Nixon, month 43: 60.4%Nixon, month 46: 60.3%Nixon, month 48: 60.5%NixonCarter, month 1: 61.6%Carter, month 4: 62.1%Carter, month 7: 62.1%Carter, month 10: 62.4%Carter, month 13: 62.8%Carter, month 16: 63.0%Carter, month 19: 63.2%Carter, month 22: 63.3%Carter, month 25: 63.6%Carter, month 28: 63.5%Carter, month 31: 63.6%Carter, month 34: 63.7%Carter, month 37: 64.0%Carter, month 40: 63.8%Carter, month 43: 63.8%Carter, month 46: 63.7%Carter, month 48: 63.6%CarterReagan, month 1: 63.9%Reagan, month 4: 64.2%Reagan, month 7: 63.8%Reagan, month 10: 63.8%Reagan, month 13: 63.7%Reagan, month 16: 63.9%Reagan, month 19: 64.0%Reagan, month 22: 64.1%Reagan, month 25: 63.9%Reagan, month 28: 63.8%Reagan, month 31: 64.1%Reagan, month 34: 64.0%Reagan, month 37: 63.9%Reagan, month 40: 64.3%Reagan, month 43: 64.6%Reagan, month 46: 64.4%Reagan, month 48: 64.6%ReaganBush 41, month 1: 66.5%Bush 41, month 4: 66.4%Bush 41, month 7: 66.5%Bush 41, month 10: 66.5%Bush 41, month 13: 66.8%Bush 41, month 16: 66.6%Bush 41, month 19: 66.5%Bush 41, month 22: 66.4%Bush 41, month 25: 66.2%Bush 41, month 28: 66.4%Bush 41, month 31: 66.1%Bush 41, month 34: 66.1%Bush 41, month 37: 66.3%Bush 41, month 40: 66.5%Bush 41, month 43: 66.7%Bush 41, month 46: 66.2%Bush 41, month 48: 66.3%Bush 41Clinton, month 1: 66.2%Clinton, month 4: 66.1%Clinton, month 7: 66.4%Clinton, month 10: 66.3%Clinton, month 13: 66.6%Clinton, month 16: 66.5%Clinton, month 19: 66.4%Clinton, month 22: 66.7%Clinton, month 25: 66.8%Clinton, month 28: 66.9%Clinton, month 31: 66.6%Clinton, month 34: 66.6%Clinton, month 37: 66.4%Clinton, month 40: 66.7%Clinton, month 43: 66.9%Clinton, month 46: 67.0%Clinton, month 48: 67.0%ClintonBush 43, month 1: 67.2%Bush 43, month 4: 66.9%Bush 43, month 7: 66.8%Bush 43, month 10: 66.7%Bush 43, month 13: 66.5%Bush 43, month 16: 66.7%Bush 43, month 19: 66.5%Bush 43, month 22: 66.6%Bush 43, month 25: 66.4%Bush 43, month 28: 66.4%Bush 43, month 31: 66.2%Bush 43, month 34: 66.1%Bush 43, month 37: 66.1%Bush 43, month 40: 65.9%Bush 43, month 43: 66.1%Bush 43, month 46: 65.9%Bush 43, month 48: 65.9%Bush 43Obama, month 1: 65.7%Obama, month 4: 65.7%Obama, month 7: 65.5%Obama, month 10: 65.0%Obama, month 13: 64.8%Obama, month 16: 65.2%Obama, month 19: 64.6%Obama, month 22: 64.4%Obama, month 25: 64.2%Obama, month 28: 64.2%Obama, month 31: 64.0%Obama, month 34: 64.1%Obama, month 37: 63.7%Obama, month 40: 63.7%Obama, month 43: 63.7%Obama, month 46: 63.8%Obama, month 48: 63.7%ObamaTrump I, month 1: 62.8%Trump I, month 4: 63.0%Trump I, month 7: 62.9%Trump I, month 10: 62.7%Trump I, month 13: 62.7%Trump I, month 16: 62.9%Trump I, month 19: 63.0%Trump I, month 22: 62.9%Trump I, month 25: 63.1%Trump I, month 28: 62.8%Trump I, month 31: 63.1%Trump I, month 34: 63.3%Trump I, month 37: 63.3%Trump I, month 40: 60.1%Trump I, month 43: 61.5%Trump I, month 46: 61.7%Trump I, month 48: 61.5%Trump IBiden, month 1: 61.4%Biden, month 4: 61.6%Biden, month 7: 61.8%Biden, month 10: 61.8%Biden, month 13: 62.2%Biden, month 16: 62.2%Biden, month 19: 62.1%Biden, month 22: 62.2%Biden, month 25: 62.4%Biden, month 28: 62.6%Biden, month 31: 62.6%Biden, month 34: 62.6%Biden, month 37: 62.5%Biden, month 40: 62.6%Biden, month 43: 62.7%Biden, month 46: 62.5%Biden, month 48: 62.5%BidenTrump II, month 1: 62.6%Trump II, month 4: 62.6%Trump II, month 7: 62.2%Trump II, month 11: 62.5%Trump II, month 14: 62.0%Trump II, month 17: 61.8%Trump II, month 20: 61.6%Trump II, month 21: 61.8%Trump II
Labor Participation, months 1–48 of each term. Highlighted: Trump II.

Every administration at month 21

Labor Force Participation at month 21 in office, 10 administrations ranked highest (best) to lowest. Average of all 10: 63.9%.
RankAdministrationValue at month 21Change since month 1Latest / end of month 48Primary federal source
#1George W. Bush66.7%−0.5 pts65.9% (month 48)Bureau of Labor Statistics · CIVPART
#2Bill Clinton66.6%+0.4 pts67.0% (month 48)Bureau of Labor Statistics · CIVPART
#3George H. W. Bush66.4%−0.1 pts66.3% (month 48)Bureau of Labor Statistics · CIVPART
#4Barack Obama64.6%−1.1 pts63.7% (month 48)Bureau of Labor Statistics · CIVPART
#5Ronald Reagan64.1%+0.2 pts64.6% (month 48)Bureau of Labor Statistics · CIVPART
#6Jimmy Carter63.3%+1.7 pts63.6% (month 48)Bureau of Labor Statistics · CIVPART
#7Donald Trump (first term)62.8%0.0 pts61.5% (month 48)Bureau of Labor Statistics · CIVPART
#8Joe Biden62.2%+0.8 pts62.5% (month 48)Bureau of Labor Statistics · CIVPART
#9Donald Trump (second term) · in office61.8%−0.8 pts61.8% (month 21)Bureau of Labor Statistics · CIVPART
#10Richard Nixon60.2%+0.6 pts60.5% (month 48)Bureau of Labor Statistics · CIVPART

Methodology and source verification

Share of the civilian population 16 and over that is working or looking for work (BLS, monthly).

Every administration is aligned to its own inauguration: month 1 is the month it took office, and the comparison runs to month 48 (the first term). Each administration is compared at the same month in office, so a president halfway through a term is never measured against another's full four years.

Primary source: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Retrieved from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED), series CIVPART, refreshed hourly. Latest observation 2026-09-01, first published 2026-10-02. Full methods: methodology.

Labor Force Participation by president

Labor Force Participation under Richard NixonLabor Force Participation under Jimmy CarterLabor Force Participation under Ronald ReaganLabor Force Participation under George H. W. BushLabor Force Participation under Bill ClintonLabor Force Participation under George W. BushLabor Force Participation under Barack ObamaLabor Force Participation under Donald Trump (first term)Labor Force Participation under Joe BidenLabor Force Participation under Donald Trump (second term)

Other benchmarks

GDP GrowthReal GDPUnemployment RateJobs Added per MonthManufacturing JobsInflation (CPI)Core InflationGas PricesReal WagesPurchasing Power of the DollarFederal Funds RateDebt-to-GDPTrade Balance30-Year Mortgage RateHousing StartsRetail SalesJob OpeningsJob Openings per Job SeekerPersonal Saving RateConsumer SentimentS&P 50010-Year Treasury Yield5-Year Treasury YieldYield Curve (10Y–2Y)Federal Budget Balance