Black Unemployment Climbs to 7% in H1 2026 as White Joblessness Holds Steady
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Jul 2
Black Unemployment Climbs to 7% in H1 2026 as White Joblessness Holds Steady
1 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Jul 2
Summary
7% was the average Black unemployment rate in the first half of 2026, up 0.6 percentage points from the same period a year earlier.
White unemployment showed no change over that span, marking a widening divergence in labor-market conditions between Black and White workers.
Washington Post analysis of federal data released Thursday identified the split, with the increase concentrated in the latest first-half comparison to 2025.