United States Unemployment Rate: 5.4% (July 2021)
United States Unemployment Rate came in at 5.4 on Aug 6, 2021, compared with 5.9 previously. See the full release history, chart, Federal Reserve context, and API access for this series.
- Actual
- 5.4
- Previous
- 5.9
- Forecast
- --
- Next release
- Nov 6, 2026
July 2021
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United States Unemployment Rate release chart
Readings leading into this release, with this print highlighted. Hover or tap a point for its value.
United States Unemployment Rate release analysis
What the release showed
United States Unemployment Rate came in at 5.4 in the release of Aug 6, 2021, down 0.5 from 5.9.
How it compares
This is the lowest reading in the 3 releases shown since May 2021.
The series rose in 1 and fell in 1 of those release-to-release moves.
Why Unemployment Rate matters for USD
The unemployment rate is a cornerstone of the Federal Reserve's dual or single mandate. A tightening labour market signals wage pressure and potential inflation, pulling rate expectations higher and supporting the usd.
How to read it
A lower-than-expected unemployment rate is typically usd-positive because it implies a tight labour market and possible wage inflation, consistent with hawkish central bank policy. A rising unemployment rate increases rate-cut odds.
What to watch next
The next United States Unemployment Rate release is due on Nov 6, 2026.
- Direction of change rather than the level itself
- Participation rate moving the headline rate independently
- Underemployment (U-6 in the US) widening vs U-3
- Sahm Rule trigger for US recession risk
Recent United States Unemployment Rate releases
Each release with the date it was published. Full history
| Released | Period | Actual | Previous | Forecast |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 6, 2021 | July 2021 | 5.4 | 5.9 | -- |
| Jul 2, 2021 | June 2021 | 5.9 | 5.8 | -- |
| Jun 4, 2021 | May 2021 | 5.8 | 6.1 | -- |
Get United States Unemployment Rate data as soon as it is published
This page shows the most recent releases. The API serves the full United States Unemployment Rate history and every other series we cover, with each row stamped with the time the official source published it.
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Start Free Trial Read the API referenceGET https://api.fxmacrodata.com/v1/announcements/usd/unemployment
import requests
resp = requests.get(
"https://api.fxmacrodata.com/v1/announcements/usd/unemployment",
headers={"X-API-Key": "YOUR_API_KEY"},
timeout=30,
)
rows = resp.json()["data"]
print(rows[-1])Match this release by announcement_id usd_unemployment_2021-07-31. Forecasts for the same release: /v1/predictions/usd/unemployment.
Release data snapshot
Citation fields for this announcement.
| Public release ID | usd_unemployment_2021-08-06 |
|---|---|
| API announcement ID | usd_unemployment_2021-07-31 |
| Release time | Exact time unavailable |
| Reference period date | 2021-07-31 |
| Actual value | 5.4 |
| Previous value | 5.9 |
| Forecast | -- |
| Surprise | -- |
Related research
Analysis and guides connected to United States Unemployment Rate.
September 2026 NFP: Why a +29K Jobs Report Matters After the Fed Hike
US payrolls rose just 29,000 in September 2026 with 60,000 of downward revisions, two weeks after the Fed hiked. Why NFP matters, how markets read it, and what to watch next.
USD Unemployment rises to 4.20%; EUR/JPY falls to 176.99 — FX Market Recap, Oct 3
FX breadth pointed to broad USD strength, with cross-asset confirmation still required. Relative rates and positioning are the next confirmation tests.
AUD Unemployment 4.70% prints; USD/JPY rises to 158.92 — FX Market Recap, Sep 24
FX breadth was mixed rather than one-way. Falling platinum left the cross-asset tape mixed. Relative rates and positioning are the next check.
USD Unemployment holds at 4.10%; NZD/USD trades near 0.5883 — FX Market Recap, Sep 5
FX breadth pointed to broad USD softness, but rising platinum left the cross-asset tape mixed. Relative rates and positioning are the next confirmation tests.
More United States Unemployment Rate releases
Move through adjacent announcement records for the same series.
Related United States indicators
Continue from this release into adjacent macro series for the same country.
Average Hourly Earnings
Measures the change in the price businesses pay for labor.
Average Weekly Earnings / Wages
Measures nominal wage growth.
Employment Level
Total number of employed persons.
Full-Time Employment
Number of persons employed full-time.
Initial Jobless Claims
Weekly initial unemployment insurance claims.
Job Openings
Total number of unfilled job positions, a key indicator of labor market demand and tightness.
Common questions about this release
The value, its publication time, the next scheduled date, and the official publisher for United States Unemployment Rate.
What did United States Unemployment Rate come in at, and how did it compare with the forecast and the previous reading?
United States Unemployment Rate was 5.4% in July 2021. The previous reading was 5.9%.
When was this United States Unemployment Rate release published?
The actual publication time is unavailable.
When is the next United States Unemployment Rate release?
The next United States Unemployment Rate release is scheduled for Nov 6, 2026.
What is the official source for United States Unemployment Rate?
BLS publishes the official Unemployment Rate series. FXMacroData stores every release with its announcement timestamp and serves it from the announcements endpoint for this series.
Raw announcement payload
Field names are preserved for traceability and downstream testing.
{
"announcement_datetime": 1628253000,
"announcement_id": "usd_unemployment_2021-07-31",
"date": "2021-07-31",
"previous_value": 5.9,
"publication_time_precision": "unknown",
"publication_time_status": "unverified",
"revisions": [
{
"epoch": 1628253000,
"val": 5.4
}
],
"source_contract": {
"basis": "catalogue",
"frequency": "Monthly",
"source_series_id": "BLS:LNS14000000",
"unit": "%"
},
"val": 5.4
}