Economy · Jobs
The 3-month average unemployment rate minus its low over the prior 12 months. At 0.5 points or more it has marked the start of past recessions.
| Year | Average | Year close |
|---|---|---|
| 1959 | 0.77 | 0.77 |
| 1960 | 0.47 | 1.30 |
| 1961 | 1.25 | −0.07 |
| 1962 | 0.01 | 0.07 |
| 1963 | 0.20 | 0.13 |
| 1964 | −0.02 | −0.03 |
| 1965 | −0.06 | −0.10 |
| 1966 | 0.05 | 0.00 |
| 1967 | 0.20 | 0.27 |
| 1968 | 0.01 | −0.10 |
| 1969 | 0.20 | 0.27 |
| 1970 | 1.33 | 2.27 |
Source: FRED SAHMREALTIME (Real-time Sahm Rule Recession Indicator). Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
Gray bands mark U.S. recessions as dated by the NBER (FRED USREC).
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