Regional and State Employment and Unemployment (Monthly)

May 18, 2012

In April, 37 states and the District of Columbia reported over-the-month unemployment rate decreases, 5 had increases, and 8 had no change. Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 32 states and the district and decreased in 18 states. More »

Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment (Monthly)

May 18, 2012

Jobless rates were lower in March than a year earlier in 342 of the 372 metropolitan areas, higher in 16, and unchanged in 14. Nonfarm payroll employment was up in 267 metropolitan areas over the year, down in 96, and unchanged in 9. More »

Current

• Regional and State Employment and Unemployment (HTML) (PDF)
• Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment (HTML) (PDF)
• Subscribe to the BLS News Service— receive BLS economic news releases by e-mail.
• Schedule of Upcoming Releases

Annual

Regional and State Unemployment

February 29, 2012

Annual average unemployment rates in 2011 declined in 48 states and rose in 2 states and the District of Columbia. Employment-population ratios decreased in 25 states and the district, increased in 18 states, and were unchanged in 7 states. More...
(HTML) (PDF)

Archived

Caution: data in many archived news releases have been revised in subsequent releases.

• Archived Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Releases (1993-forward)
• Archived Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment Releases (1998-forward)
• Archived Regional and State Unemployment (Annual) Releases (1992-forward)

• Please note that the "Get Detailed LAUS Statistics" tools for data retrieval will be unavailable from 10:00 AM to approximately 10:30 AM on the day of a Local Area Unemployment Statistics release because the LAUS database is updated during that time. A schedule of upcoming release dates is available at www.bls.gov/lau/lausched.htm.

• Instructions for Extracting Data--Quick, easy instructions on how to extract Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) data.

Databases

Database Name	Special Notice	Top Picks	One Screen	Multi- Screen	Tables	Text Files
Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS)

More Tools

Create Customized Maps

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Mapping Unemployment Rates (States, Metropolitan Areas, Counties)

• Series Report —Already know the series identifier for the statistic you want? Use this shortcut to retrieve your data.

Monthly

STATEWIDE DATA

Tables

• Current Unemployment Rates for States and Historical Highs/Lows
• Unemployment Rates for States
• Over-the-Month Change in Unemployment Rates for States
• Over-the-Year Change in Unemployment Rates for States
• Employment Status of the Civilian Noninstitutional Population by State

Map

• Unemployment rates by state, seasonally adjusted (GIF)
• Unemployment rates by state, seasonally adjusted (PDF)

METROPOLITAN AREA DATA

Tables

• Unemployment Rates for Metropolitan Areas
• Over-the-Year Change in Unemployment Rates for Metropolitan Areas
• Unemployment Rates for Large Metropolitan Areas
• Over-the-Year Change in Unemployment Rates for Large Metropolitan Areas

Map

• Unemployment Rates by Metropolitan Area, not seasonally adjusted (GIF)
• Unemployment Rates by Metropolitan Area, not seasonally adjusted (PDF)

COUNTY DATA

Table

• Labor force data by county, not seasonally adjusted, latest 14 months (TXT) (ZIP 1,847KB)

Map

• Unemployment rates by county, latest 12-month averages (GIF) (PDF)

NEW ENGLAND DATA BY
MINOR CIVIL DIVISION

Map

• Unemployment rates in New England by Minor Civil Division, latest 12-month averages (GIF) (PDF)

Annual Average

STATEWIDE DATA

Tables

• Unemployment rates for States:
  • 2011
  • 2010
  • 2009
  • 2008
  • 2007
  • 2006
  • 2005
  • 2004
  • 2003
  • 2002
  • 2001
  • 2000
• Over-the-year change in unemployment rates for States:
• 2010-2011
• 2009-2010
• 2008-2009
• 2007-2008
• 2006-2007
• 2005-2006
• 2004-2005
• 2003-2004
• 2002-2003
• 2001-2002
• 2000-2001
• 1999-2000
• Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population by state
• Geographic Profile of Employment and Unemployment, Section II: Estimates for States, 2010
• Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population in states by sex, race, Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, and detailed age (preliminary):
• 2011 Annual Averages (PDF)
• Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population in states by sex, race, Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, marital status, and detailed age:
• 2010 Annual Averages (PDF)
• 2009 Annual Averages (PDF)
• 2008 Annual Averages (PDF)
• 2007 Annual Averages (PDF)
• 2006 Annual Averages (PDF)
• 2005 Annual Averages (PDF)
• 2004 Annual Averages (PDF)
• 2003 Annual Averages (PDF)
• Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population in states by sex, detailed age, race, and Hispanic origin:
• 2002 Annual Averages (PDF)
• 2001 Annual Averages (PDF)
• 2000 Annual Averages (PDF)
• 1999 Annual Averages (PDF)
• Notes on using data

Maps

• Latest annual average State unemployment rates (GIF) (PDF)
• Latest over-the-year change in unemployment rates by State (GIF) (PDF)
• Latest employment-population ratios by State (GIF) (PDF)
• Historical State unemployment rate maps (ZIP 394K) (PDF 614K)

How to View Zip Files

METROPOLITAN AREA DATA

Tables

• Unemployment rates for metropolitan areas:
  • 2011 NEW
  • 2010
  • 2009
  • 2008
  • 2007
• Unemployment rates for large metropolitan areas:
  • 2011 NEW
  • 2010
  • 2009
  • 2008
  • 2007
• Over-the-year change in unemployment rates for metropolitan areas:
  • 2010-2011 NEW
  • 2009-2010
  • 2008-2009
  • 2007-2008
  • 2006-2007
• Over-the-year change in unemployment rates for large metropolitan areas:
  • 2010-2011 NEW
  • 2009-2010
  • 2008-2009
  • 2007-2008
  • 2006-2007
• Geographic Profile of Employment and Unemployment, Section III: Estimates for metropolitan areas, metropolitan divisions, and cities, 2010

Maps

• Latest annual average metropolitan area unemployment rates (GIF) (PDF)
• Historical metropolitan area unemployment rates (ZIP 1,303KB)(PDF 1,661KB)

How to View Zip Files

COUNTY DATA

Tables

• Labor force data by county, 2011 annual averages (TXT, ZIP) NEW
• Labor force data by county, 2010 annual averages (TXT, ZIP)
• Labor force data by county, 2009 annual averages (TXT, ZIP)
• Labor force data by county, 2008 annual averages (TXT, ZIP)
• Labor force data by county, 2007 annual averages (TXT, ZIP)
• Labor force data by county, 2006 annual averages (TXT, ZIP)
• Labor force data by county, 2005 annual averages (TXT, ZIP)
• Labor force data by county, 2004 annual averages (TXT, ZIP)
• Labor force data by county, 2003 annual averages (TXT, ZIP)
• Labor force data by county, 2002 annual averages (TXT, ZIP)
• Labor force data by county, 2001 annual averages (TXT, ZIP)
• Labor force data by county, 2000 annual averages (TXT, ZIP)
• Labor force data by county, 1999 annual averages (TXT, ZIP)
• Labor force data by county, 1998 annual averages (TXT, ZIP)
• Labor force data by county, 1997 annual averages (TXT, ZIP)
• Labor force data by county, 1996 annual averages (TXT, ZIP)
• Labor force data by county, 1995 annual averages (TXT, ZIP)
• Labor force data by county, 1994 annual averages (TXT, ZIP)
• Labor force data by county, 1993 annual averages (TXT, ZIP)
• Labor force data by county, 1992 annual averages (TXT, ZIP)
• Labor force data by county, 1991 annual averages (TXT, ZIP)
• Labor force data by county, 1990 annual averages (TXT, ZIP)

Maps

• Latest annual average county unemployment rates (GIF) (PDF)
• Historical county unemployment rates (ZIP 2,611KB) (PDF 3,517KB)

  How to View Zip Files

NEW ENGLAND DATA BY
MINOR CIVIL DIVISION

Maps

• Latest annual average Minor Civil Division unemployment rates (GIF) (PDF)
• Historical Minor Civil Division unemployment rates (ZIP 2,644KB) (PDF 2,744KB)

  How to View Zip Files

CITY DATA

Tables

• Unemployment rates for the 50 largest cities
  • 2011 NEW
  • 2010
  • 2009
  • 2008
  • 2007
• Geographic Profile of Employment and Unemployment, Section III: Estimates for metropolitan areas, metropolitan divisions, and cities, 2010

• Smoothed-Seasonally-Adjusted Estimates (SSA) Questions and Answers
• Alternative Measures of Labor Underutilization for States
• American Community Survey (ACS) Questions and Answers
• Information on Model-Based Error Measures for Regions, Divisions, and States
• Changes to State and local area labor force estimation in 2005
• Administrative Uses of Local Area Unemployment (PDF)
• Administrative Uses of LAUS Data Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (PDF)
• Labor Market Area Directory, 2011 (PDF)
• Data Availability
• LAUS Estimation Methodology
• Labor Force Concepts (PDF)
• Geographic Concepts
• Definitions of Areatypes
• Seasonal Adjustment
• Differences Between Data Series
• Differences Between Decennial Census and LAUS Data
• Region and Division Labor Force Data FAQs
• Geographic Profile of Employment and Unemployment, 2010

People Are Asking...

1. Does LAUS have information on labor force participation rates and employment-population ratios?
2. Where can I get more information on the impact of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on Local Area Unemployment Statistics?
3. What changes were made to State and local area labor force estimates?
4. Where can I find information on metropolitan areas, including recent changes?
5. What areas have the highest or lowest unemployment rates?
6. How can I apply for unemployment insurance?
7. Where can I find out if my unemployment insurance benefits will be extended?
8. Since you do not have the data I need, where can I get them?

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What kind of information does the Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program provide?
2. For what time periods are data available?
3. How are the labor force components (i.e., civilian noninstitutional population, civilian labor force, employed, unemployed, and unemployment rate) defined?
4. What is the American Community Survey (ACS), and what is the relationship between LAUS and ACS labor force estimates?
5. What are metropolitan areas?
6. What are labor market areas?
7. What is the publication schedule for LAUS program news releases?
8. Why aren't data for all areas (the Nation, states, and substate areas) available at the same time?
9. Why are the labor force estimates for areas and cities different between the LA (Local Area) and GP (Geographic Profile) series?
10. What is the difference between job losers and the unemployed?

All LAU FAQs »

• Important Information on Local Area Unemployment Statistics database series

Other BLS Programs

• Geographic Profile of Employment and Unemployment—subnational demographic labor force data from the Current Population Survey. This includes data for census regions and divisions; the 50 States and the District of Columbia; and 54 large metropolitan areas, 22 metropolitan divisions, and 41 cities.
• Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey—national data on employment, unemployment, earnings, and other labor market topics by demographic characteristics.
• Employment, Hours, and Earnings from the Current Employment Statistics survey (National)—monthly national data by detailed industry on employment, hours, and earnings of workers on the payrolls of nonfarm establishments.
• Employment, Hours, and Earnings from the Current Employment Statistics survey (State and Metro Area)—monthly data on employment, hours, and earnings by industry and geographic area.
• Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages—comprehensive employment and wage data by industry and geographic area for workers covered by State Unemployment Insurance laws.
• Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS)—monthly data on job openings, hires, and separations that serve as demand-side indicators of labor shortages at the national level.
• Occupational Employment Statistics—data on employment and wages for over 800 occupations and for about 400 nonfarm industries for the nation, plus occupational data for States and metropolitan areas.
• National Longitudinal Surveys—several surveys gathering information at multiple points in time about the labor market and life experiences of six groups of American men, women, and youth.
• Mass Layoff Statistics—reports on mass layoff actions that result in workers being separated from their jobs.
• Survey of Employer-Provided Training—provides detailed information on training by major industry division and by size of establishment from surveys conducted in 1993 and 1995.

Other Useful Links

• Information about Unemployment Insurance—this Department of Labor site provides links to local One-Stop services

Contact

E-mail: Contact LAUS
Telephone number: (202) 691-6392

Cooperating State Agencies Contact List