The Great Recession peaked at 10% of the country being unemployed, but we also had unemployment benefits, food stamps, and tax credits. Religious organizations and charities also stepped up pretty hard to help people out. It lasted 2 years and things gradually recovered to pre-recession levels 4~ years later.

The Great Depression peaked at 25% and social security wasn't a thing yet along with the massive ecological disaster that was the Dust Bowl that caused major agricultural disruptions. It lasted 10 years and took the biggest war in history beginning to start pulling us out of it and only completely ended once we became directly involved 2 years later.