Economy · United States · Employment
US initial jobless claims
199k on 10 Oct 2026, compared with 198k on 3 Oct 2026.
- Range, past 10 years52-week and 10-year range The lowest and highest values over a period, with a marker for where the latest value sits between them. Learn more
- 189k 18 Jul6,137k 4 Apr 2020
- Over 3 monthsYear on year, month on month, quarter on quarter How a figure compares with the same period a year earlier (y/y), or with the period just before (m/m, q/q). Year-on-year removes seasonal swings; shorter comparisons show turning points sooner. Learn more
- −8.3%from 217k
- Over 12 monthsPercentage points and basis points The difference between two percentages. A rate rising from 4.00% to 4.25% is up 0.25 percentage points, or 25 basis points; it is not up 0.25%. Learn more
- −14.6%from 233k
- Long-run averageLong-run average The average of every reading in the series' history. A rough guide to what is normal, though economies change and some series never return to their old average. Learn more
- 363ksince 1999
- Against its historyPercentile against history Where the latest reading ranks among every reading since the series began. The 90th percentile means it is higher than 90% of past readings. Learn more
- 1stpercentile: higher than 1% of readings since 1999
HistorySeasonally adjusted A figure with the regular calendar pattern removed (Christmas, school holidays, harvests), so one month can be compared fairly with the next. Learn more
thousand claims, weekly
02,0004,0006,0008,00015 Oct 201616 Oct 202110 Oct 2026
Show the data
| Period | thousand claims |
|---|---|
| 10 Oct 2026 | 199k |
| 3 Oct 2026 | 198k |
| 26 Sept 2026 | 199k |
| 19 Sept 2026 | 198k |
| 12 Sept 2026 | 198k |
| 5 Sept 2026 | 207k |
| 29 Aug 2026 | 207k |
| 22 Aug 2026 | 204k |
| 15 Aug 2026 | 207k |
| 8 Aug 2026 | 212k |
| 1 Aug 2026 | 200k |
| 25 July 2026 | 198k |
| 18 July 2026 | 189k |
| 11 July 2026 | 209k |
| 4 July 2026 | 217k |
| 27 June 2026 | 217k |
| 20 June 2026 | 216k |
| 13 June 2026 | 227k |
| 6 June 2026 | 230k |
| 30 May 2026 | 225k |
| 23 May 2026 | 212k |
| 16 May 2026 | 210k |
| 9 May 2026 | 212k |
| 2 May 2026 | 199k |
The latest 24 readings in this range.
Source: FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, series ICSA. Data from 2 Jan 1999.
What it measures
New claims for unemployment insurance filed each week, seasonally adjusted.
Why it matters
One of the most timely readings of the US job market, published every Thursday.