Young Black Women's Unemployment Hit 19% in August 2025 as Job Searches Stretched to 19 Weeks
Updated
Updated · quasa.io · Jul 29
Young Black Women's Unemployment Hit 19% in August 2025 as Job Searches Stretched to 19 Weeks
1 articles · Updated · quasa.io · Jul 29
Summary
IWPR said unemployment for Black women ages 16–24 reached 19% in August 2025, more than twice the rate for young White women and nearly one in five in the labor force.
The July 2026 analysis said the spike was not driven by more young Black women entering the labor market, falling educational attainment, or a lack of openings in sectors where Black women commonly work.
December 2025 data showed a median unemployment duration of 19 weeks for young Black women versus 9 weeks for White women, underscoring slower hiring in what IWPR described as a low-hire, low-fire market.
Across education levels, Black workers still faced higher unemployment, while separate IWPR pay-gap data showed Black women working full-time year-round earned 65 cents per dollar earned by non-Hispanic White men.
IWPR said the pattern points to constrained hiring interacting with persistent racial and gender barriers, and urged employers to audit screening stages while policymakers strengthen enforcement, transparency and workforce supports.