American Indians and Alaska Natives in the U.S. labor force

Using data from the Current Population Survey, we examine the labor force characteristics of American Indians and Alaska Natives (AIANs) during the 2016–18 period. We find that AIANs had a younger age profile, a higher unemployment rate, and a lower labor force participation rate than the overall U.S. population. In addition, the unemployment rate was higher for AIANs who lived in an AIAN area—that is, a federal or state American Indian reservation or off-reservation trust land, tribal statistical area, or Alaska Native village statistical area—than for AIANs who lived elsewhere.