Updated 7 June 2026
How Long Do Recessions Last?
The average US recession since 1945 has lasted 10 months. The shortest was 2 months. The longest was 18 months.
10 months
Average duration
2 months
Shortest (COVID 2020)
18 months
Longest (Great Recession)
Every US Recession Since 1945
| Recession | Start | End | Months | GDP Drop | Peak Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Post-WWII | Feb 1945 | Oct 1945 | 8 | -11.6% | 5.2% |
| 1948-49 | Nov 1948 | Oct 1949 | 11 | -1.7% | 7.9% |
| 1953-54 | Jul 1953 | May 1954 | 10 | -2.2% | 6.1% |
| 1957-58 | Aug 1957 | Apr 1958 | 8 | -3.7% | 7.5% |
| 1960-61 | Apr 1960 | Feb 1961 | 10 | -1.6% | 7.1% |
| 1969-70 | Dec 1969 | Nov 1970 | 11 | -0.6% | 6.1% |
| 1973-75 | Nov 1973 | Mar 1975 | 16 | -3.2% | 9% |
| 1980 | Jan 1980 | Jul 1980 | 6 | -2.2% | 7.8% |
| 1981-82 | Jul 1981 | Nov 1982 | 16 | -2.7% | 10.8% |
| 1990-91 | Jul 1990 | Mar 1991 | 8 | -1.4% | 7.8% |
| 2001 (Dot-com) | Mar 2001 | Nov 2001 | 8 | -0.3% | 6.3% |
| 2007-09 (Great Recession) | Dec 2007 | Jun 2009 | 18 | -4.3% | 10% |
| 2020 (COVID) | Feb 2020 | Apr 2020 | 2 | -19.2% | 14.7% |
Source: NBER Business Cycle Dating Committee. GDP figures are peak-to-trough declines.
How Long Does Recovery Take?
Recovery typically takes 2 to 4 years to return to pre-recession GDP levels. Employment takes longer to recover than GDP because businesses delay hiring after the economy starts growing again.
After the Great Recession, GDP returned to pre-crisis levels by 2011 (about 2 years after the recession ended), but employment did not fully recover until 2014 (5 years after). The stock market recovered faster: the S&P 500 regained its 2007 peak by early 2013.