EMRATIOEmployment–Population Ratio (EMRATIO) — Current Value & Historical Data
Employment–Population Ratio (EMRATIO) Chart & Data Table
Gray bands: NBER recessions
What is Employment–Population Ratio (EMRATIO)?
The series comes from the 'Current Population Survey (Household Survey)' The source code is: LNS12300000.
Current Employment–Population Ratio (EMRATIO) Value
As of August 1, 2026, the current employment-population ratio is 59.10 Percent. This is the most recent observation available for this series, updated monthly.
Employment–Population Ratio Historical Trend
Employment-Population Ratio rose 0.34% month-over-month. Over the past year, employment-population ratio fell 0.84% from July 2025. In the series' tracked history, the highest recorded value was 64.70 (April 2000), and the lowest was 51.20 (April 2020).
Methodology & Source
Source
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Frequency
Monthly
Units
Percent
Notes
The series comes from the 'Current Population Survey (Household Survey)' The source code is: LNS12300000...
Frequently Asked Questions About Employment–Population Ratio (EMRATIO)
What is the current employment-population ratio?
As of August 1, 2026, employment-population ratio stands at 59.10 Percent.
Where does employment-population ratio data come from?
Employment-Population Ratio data is sourced from the Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED) system and related U.S. government agencies. Data quality and historical coverage vary by series.
How often is employment-population ratio updated?
This series is updated according to its publication schedule. Check FRED or the source agency for the most current release calendar.
What is the historical high and low for employment-population ratio?
In the available data, the highest value was 64.70 Percent in April 2000, and the lowest was 51.20 Percent in April 2020.
How has employment-population ratio changed over the past year?
Over the past year, employment-population ratio decreased 0.84%.
See Employment–Population Ratio in context
EMRATIO is tracked on the Labor Market dashboard, alongside related indicators and historical context.
View the Labor Market dashboard →Related government-spending dashboards
How Employment–Population Ratio connects to the federal budget across GOVSPENDING.ORG:
Federal Debt
Total public debt, debt held by the public, and intragovernmental holdings.
Receipts vs Outlays
Federal revenue, spending, and the resulting surplus or deficit over time.
Congressional Activity
Recent legislation, appropriations, and fiscal-related bills in Congress.
Interest Expense vs Revenue
How rising debt service costs crowd out federal spending as a share of receipts over time.
Revenue Composition
Federal receipts broken down by source — individual income, corporate, social insurance, excise taxes, and customs duties as shares of total revenue.
Agency Spending (FY 2019 vs FY 2024)
Net outlays by federal agency for FY 2019 and FY 2024, from the Treasury Monthly Treasury Statement. Both nominal and inflation-adjusted comparisons.