Rise in U.S. Labor-Force Participation Led by Millennial Women

The share of Americans in the labor force is the highest in nearly seven years -- and the trend is led by younger women.

The overall U.S. labor-force participation rate climbed to 63.4% in January, the biggest share since June 2013. Drilling into the latest data released Friday, the gain reflects the highest participation in almost two decades among prime-age women who are 25 to 54, called that because the years are key for career-building.

Among women, the fastest increases were among millennials and younger Gen Xers, with the biggest gains for those in their early 20s and 30s ...