US jobless rates fall for most demographic groups

The September drop in U.S. unemployment benefited a broad number of demographic groups.

Unemployment rates fell for white, black and Hispanic workers, as well as teenagers, young adults and Americans ages 25 to 54.

The national unemployment rate declined to 7.2 percent last month, down from 7.3 percent in August and the lowest since November 2008. Still, unemployment remains elevated more than four years after the recession officially ended. And many subgroups of Americans are suffering even higher jobless rates.

For example, the rate for adult black men, those 20 years and older, jumped to 14 percent last month. That's up from 13.5 percent in August and only slightly below year-ago levels. It also contrasts with 6.1 percent unemployment for white men in that same age group.

Unemployment for adult black women is also much higher than the national average. Their rate dropped to 10 percent in September, down from 10.6 percent in August. Adult white women, by contrast, were unemployed at a 5.5 percent rate last month, among the lowest for any demographic group.

Here are more details from the government's report:

Unemployment rates for:
(Numbers in percentages)	September 2013	August 2013	September 2012
White:	6.3	6.4	7.0
Black:	12.9	13.0	13.4
Hispanic:	9.0	9.3	9.9
Asian*:	5.3	5.1	4.8
Adult men:	7.1	7.1	7.3
Adult women:	6.2	6.3	7.0
Teenagers:	21.4	22.7	23.7
20-24 years old:	12.9	13.0	12.4
25-54 years old:	6.2	6.3	6.8
55 and over:	5.3	5.1	5.9
Veterans of Iraq/Afghanistan*:	10.1	10.0	9.7
No high school diploma:	10.3	11.3	11.2
High school graduate:	7.6	7.6	8.6
Some college:	6.0	6.1	6.5
College graduates:	3.7	3.5	4.0
Duration of Unemployment
Average length (weeks):	36.9	37	39.6
Jobless 6 months or more (pct.):	36.9	37.9	40.3
* not seasonally adjusted
Source: Labor Department