The number of Americans stuck in long-term unemployment, defined as 27 weeks or more without a job, has climbed above 1.8 million per month in 2026. That’s roughly 45% higher than 2019 levels and 55% above where things stood in 2023, according to a CNBC analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
In May 2026, the figure hit 2.0 million, jumping by 524,000 compared to the same month a year earlier. Long-term jobless workers now make up about 27.5% of all unemployed Americans, meaning more than one in four people looking for work have been at it for over half a year.
The ‘low-hire, low-fire’ trap
Here’s the thing about this labor market: companies aren’t laying people off in waves. They’re just not hiring, either. Economists have started calling it a “low-hire, low-fire” environment, and it’s creating a slow-motion crisis that doesn’t generate the same alarm bells as mass layoffs.
The median duration of unemployment has risen to 10.2 weeks, a figure that reflects how much longer job searches are taking in this climate.
