Job growth and unemployment doesn't add up.

[edhopper]

In Biden's last year, 2024, about a million and half jobs were added to the economy. The Unemployment rate was about 4%. In Trumps first year, a paltry 180.000 jobs were created.(That is total for the year!) How is the unemployment rate only at 4.4%?
Where are all the people who would be looking for the new jobs if the economy wasn't comatose.

[ProfessorGAC]

1. Not Sure What You're Asking

1.32 million jobs is the difference.
There are about 170 million employed people.
So, 4.4% seems a little low, but not outlandishly so.
Maybe it should be 4.7%.
But, that doesn't seem a big enough difference to create confusion.

[edhopper]

4. In the past

This low job creation lead to unemployment over 6%.

[ProfessorGAC]

7. I See

It's just the math pretty much makes sense to me.
If we doubt the BLS job numbers (and with this gang in charge, we have reason to be skeptical), there is always ADP, who tracks employment independent of the government.
Here are their February numbers.
https://mediacenter.adp.com/2026-03-04-ADP-National-Employment-Report-Private-Sector-Employment-Increased-by-63,000-Jobs-in-February-Annual-Pay-was-Up-4-5

[edhopper]

8. As a comparison

Last edited Sun Mar 8, 2026, 11:38 AM - Edit history (1)

Biden's final month January 2025, ADP reported 180,000 new jobs. The following month, with the Trump tariffs in place it fell to 70,000.
And again, we are at 10% of the necessary new jobs for the work force. It all signals a serious problem with the economy, and now oil will shoot up.
Expect a recession soon (we are probably already in one but Trump's drunken spending keeps the GDP from going negative.)

[ProfessorGAC]

9. You Have Company

Recessionary concerns are why the Fed was so slow on rate reductions.
They probably sensed the same things you expressed

[edhopper]

10. Yes

And the Fed looks at both inflation and job numbers. If they already lowered rates, when it hits the fan, they will have less ability to impact the Economy.

[EdmondDantes_]

2. If they aren't actively looking for work, they aren't in the unemployment numbers

And as someone looking for a new job, while still employed, the job market is pretty dismal right now, so I imagine a significant number have given up looking for now.

[democratsruletheday]

3. Spot ON correct Edmond....

you stole my post, and I couldn't agree more with you.

[Skittles]

5. or they are "underemployed"

technically employed but just trying to stay afloat

[Johnny2X2X]

6. LPR

Remember the Labor Participation Rate? It was the star of the jobs report on FOX News for 8 years under Obama. It’s called to 62.0%. People are retiring. People that unemployed gave up looking for work.

Regardless. I think UE is rising and will be above 5% soon. I don’t think people really understand how terrible Trump has been on jobs. To go a whole year with basically no jobs created is a massive bomb waiting to drop in working people.