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US vs Russia Unemployment
United States moved above Russia in 1994. In 1991 Russia stood at roughly 75% of United States’s Unemployment; today the figure is about 51%, and the pair was closest in 2022 (106%).
| Year | United States | Russia | Russia as % of US |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 6.8% | 5.11% | 75% |
| 1970 | 6.8% | 5.11% | 75% |
| 1980 | 6.8% | 5.11% | 75% |
| 1990 | 6.8% | 5.11% | 75% |
| 2000 | 3.99% | 10.58% | 265% |
| 2010 | 9.63% | 7.41% | 77% |
| 2020 | 8.06% | 5.62% | 70% |
| 2025 | 4.2% | 2.13% | 51% |
Frequently asked questions
When did United States move above Russia in Unemployment?
In 1994. United States’s published Unemployment rose above Russia’s that year.
How do United States and Russian Federation compare today?
United States is ahead: 4.2% against 2.13% — the trailing economy stands at about 51% of the leader.
Are these Unemployment figures nominal or adjusted?
The series is a share expressed in % of total labor force, exactly as the World Bank publishes it; movements are percentage points, not percent.
Full series
Every published year for both economies, with charts, downloads and citations: