The US now has more unemployed people than job openings for the first time since April 2021

Multiple reliable sources from early September 2025 report that the US labor market has shifted such that unemployed workers now outnumber available job openings, a situation not seen since April 2021. This is supported by the July Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) data referenced in both The Hill and CNN Business articles.thehill.comthehill.comUnemployed workers outnumber available jobs for first time since 2021cnn.comcnn.comConfirmed: America is in a serious jobs slump Specifically, CNN Business notes job openings are at their lowest in 10 months and below the unemployed count of approximately 7.2 million. The Hill also highlights this as a sign of loosening labor demand, indicating a softening job market.

Additional context from Statista provides visual confirmation of this trend through charts comparing unemployed persons and job openings over time. While Debate Politics mentions this fact, it is less authoritative but consistent with other reports. Reddit discussions provide anecdotal evidence of prolonged unemployment durations, indirectly supporting a tougher job market.statista.comstatista.comChart: The U.S. Labor Market Remains Broadly in Balancedebatepolitics.comdebatepolitics.comThe US now has more unemployed people than job openings for the first time since...+1 more

Other sources like USAFacts and EPI provide background on unemployment rates and federal employment trends but do not contradict the core claim. Overall, the convergence of multiple independent sources reporting on official labor statistics supports the claim's accuracy.usafacts.orgusafacts.orgWhat is the unemployment rate in the US right now?epi.orgepi.orgJobs and unemployment

In summary, evidence strongly supports that as of mid-2025, the US has more unemployed individuals than job openings for the first time since April 2021, reflecting a notable shift in labor market conditions.