On average, there was a 14.5% unemployment rate for 20 to 24-year-olds for that time range, who were actively in the labor force but unemployed. To be counted in the labor force, the state said a person either has to be employed or is unemployed and available, able and actively seeking work. The state says those percentages translate to 45,000 unemployed. The average unemployment rate from May 2020 to April 2021 for 16 to 19-year-olds was 13.9%, translating to 18,400 unemployed. The main reason someone in this age group isn't captured in the labor force is because of school. "It's always has been typically higher than the general population," said McRaith. "This age group is often in the service industry. We know those were the hardest hit by the pandemic."