In 2014, for example, 22.1 percent of the unemployed under age 25 had looked for work for 27 weeks or longer, compared with 44.6 percent of those 55 years and older.

The American economy is still recovering from the Great Recession of 2007-2009, with the unemployment rate still at a historical high. This analysis examines the long-term trends in unemployment, including data on demographic and occupational factors that correlate with prolonged unemployment. Find out everything there is to know about these trends in this Spotlight on Statistics.