THE ARISING · Markets & Strategy
Long-Term Unemployment Reaches 32% of Jobseekers Aged 55 and Older, AARP Data Show
Nearly one in three unemployed Americans aged 55 and older has been looking for work for at least 27 weeks, according to the AARP Public Policy Institute's digest of October 2026 Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
The digest, published November 6, puts the long-term unemployed share of jobseekers 55 and older at 32 percent. For jobseekers aged 16 to 54, the share was 28.1 percent. The report defines long-term unemployment as 27 weeks or more of job searching.
The overall unemployment rate for workers 55 and older rose to 2.8 percent in October from 2.6 percent in September, according to AARP's report. About 1.1 million people in this age group were unemployed. The report counts 38.3 million workers 55 and older as employed.
The change was not even across sexes. According to AARP, the unemployment rate for women 55 and older rose from 2.2 percent to 2.9 percent. For men 55 and older, it fell from 3 percent to 2.8 percent.
Participation moved up as well. AARP reports that labor force participation for those 55 and older rose from 36.9 percent to 37.2 percent. The unadjusted rate for those 65 and older rose from 18.4 percent to 18.7 percent. More older people were working or actively looking for work.
The broader market was mixed, according to the digest. The economy added 165,000 jobs in October, up from 60,000 in September, which was revised up from 29,000. The overall unemployment rate edged down from 4.2 percent to 4.1 percent. Job gains came in professional and business services, health care, transportation and warehousing, and manufacturing. BLS described construction, wholesale trade, and leisure and hospitality employment as showing little change over the month; small point estimates should not be treated as clear sector trends.
For employers, the figures point to a pool of experienced candidates who are searching longer than younger peers. The digest notes that jobseekers 55 and older typically have higher long-term unemployment than younger groups.
The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' monthly Employment Situation release, which draws on two surveys: the payroll survey and the household survey. Next month's release will show whether the rise in older women's unemployment and the 32 percent long-term share persist.