More than one in four unemployed Americans are now classified as long-term unemployed, as hiring slows across the U.S. labor market. That’s according to the latest data from The Long Shutout report, a study commissioned by MyPerfectResume, an online resume-building service.
A MyPerfectResume analysis of 23 federal data sets found that 25.9% of unemployed Americans had been out of work for at least 27 weeks during the first seven months of 2026. That is up from 18.9% in 2023. The number of long-term unemployed workers also climbed from 1.1 million to 1.9 million over the same period.
Key Findings
- More than one in four unemployed Americans were long-term unemployed. The share averaged 25.9% in the first seven months of 2026, up from 18.9% in 2023.
- The long-term unemployed population grew 68% since 2023. It rose from 1.1 million to 1.9 million.
- People are spending longer unemployed. Median unemployment duration reached about 11 weeks, while the average rose to about 25 weeks.
- Hiring is a major weakness. The hiring rate fell to its lowest level in the 11 years studied, while layoffs remained below pre-pandemic levels.
- Adults ages 25–54 remained active in the labor market. Their labor force participation rate reached its highest level in the study.
“Low layoffs can make the job market look stable, but that does not tell the full story for people who are already out of work,” said Dr. Jasmine Escalera, Career Expert at MyPerfectResume. “More unemployed Americans are spending months looking for work at the same time employers are hiring at a slower pace.”
Long-Term Unemployment Keeps Rising
Long-term unemployment has increased each year since 2023.
- In 2023, 18.9% of unemployed Americans were long-term unemployed.
- That share reached 25.9% in the first seven months of 2026.
- The number of long-term unemployed workers rose 68%, from 1.1 million to 1.9 million.
- In May 2026, nearly 2 million Americans had been unemployed for at least 27 weeks.
The time people spend unemployed has also increased. Median unemployment duration rose from 8.9 weeks in 2023 to 11.1 weeks in 2026, while average duration increased from 20.4 weeks to 25.1 weeks.
Hiring Has Slowed Without a Surge in Layoffs
Employer data show a labor market with fewer hires and fewer workers leaving their jobs.
From 2023 to 2026:
- Hiring rate: 3.8% to 3.3%
- Quits rate: 2.4% to 2.0%
- Layoffs rate: remained at 1.1%
- Job openings rate: 5.8% to 4.4%
Hiring and quits both reached their lowest rates in the period studied. At the same time, layoffs remained below their pre-pandemic rate.
The data do not prove that slower hiring caused longer unemployment, but they show both trends happening at the same time.
Workers Are Still Participating
Prime-age workers are not driving the rise in long-term unemployment.
Among adults ages 25–54, 83.7% were working or looking for work in 2026, the highest rate in the study.
Unemployment has also risen among several groups:
- Ages 25–34: 4.7%, up from 3.8% in 2019
- Ages 25–54: 3.7%, up from 3.1%
- Ages 20–24: 7.1%, up from 6.9%
- Bachelor’s degree or higher, age 25+: 2.8%, up from 2.2%
Adults ages 25–34 saw the largest increase in unemployment compared with 2019 among the age groups studied.
To view the full report, visit the MyPerfectResume Long-Term Unemployment report: https://www.myperfectresume.com/career-center/careers/basics/long-term-unemployment
Sign in to get access to this free resource, and all of our whitepapers and reports.
Download this content today!
Register Now Already registered? Click here to Log In
Tags: economy, job search, jobs, Payroll, resumes, unemployment
