Jobless Rate for Youths Lowest Since ’69

The summer job picture for youths mirrors that for adults, which has remained rosy as the economy continues to create jobs. For youths, the unemployment rate in July fell to 9.6%, the lowest level since 1969, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Of 24.7 million job seekers between the ages of 16 and 24, 22.4 million found work in July. A majority worked in retail or services. Labor force participation, the proportion of the youth population working or looking for work, continued a 10-year decline, from 72.6% in July 1999 to 71.9% last month. The overall U.S. unemployment rate stood at 4% in July.