The unemployment rate doesn't include those who have given up, it's useful to look at the labor force participation rate. In particular for men ages 25-54 which

The unemployment rate doesn't include those who have given up, it's useful to look at the labor force participation rate. In particular for men ages 25-54 which are considered "prime aged": https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2018/beyond-bls/mens-declining-labor-force-participation.htm https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2018/beyond-bls/mens-declining-... Edit: here's a 2016 article showing an instance of unemployment rate going down (which looks good) because labor force participation rate dropped (which is not good): https://northcooknews.com/stories/511017085-illinois-workers-drop-out-of-labor-force-as-manufacturing-jobs-are-lost https://northcooknews.com/stories/511017085-illinois-workers... > While the unemployment rate dropped to 5.5 percent, it is still higher than the national average of 4.9 percent. In addition, the decrease is mainly due to unemployed workers dropping out of the labor force. The number of people on and off state unemployment who are looking for work determines the unemployment rate. When workers stop looking, they are no longer counted, which leads to an apparent decline in unemployment.