Biggest Increase in Unemployment Rate: Men Aged 45 to 54

Who has been affected the most by rising unemployment rates? It's not the usual suspects--young adults, blacks, or the poorly educated. Those groups have been coping with relatively high unemployment rates for years, so the increase in unemployment during the past few years has not been as great for them as it has for others who have long enjoyed low rates.

Between 2006 (when the unemployment rate reached its low for the decade) and November 2010, the biggest percent increase in the unemployment rate has been experienced by men aged 45 to 54. Their unemployment rate nearly tripled during the time period, rising from 3.1 to 9.1 percent, a 194 percent increase. The overall unemployment rate climbed by a smaller 113 percent during those years, from 4.6 to 9.8 percent.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics