Demographics

This page contains information about national labor force statistics with demographic characteristics available from the Current Population Survey (CPS). Data on the labor force characteristics of employed and unemployed persons, plus hours of work and earnings, also are available.

Demographic labor force information for States, counties, and cities are available separately from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program. Contact LAUS staff for state or city data.

Age

Labor force, employment, and unemployment statistics by age group. See also Older workers and Youth.

• Database: Retrieve historical data series



• Annual table: Employment status by detailed age group, sex, and race (HTML) (PDF)
• Monthly table: Employment status by detailed age group, sex, and race (HTML) (PDF)



• NEW Table: Employed persons by detailed occupation and age, including median age (HTML) (XLS)
• NEW Table: Employed persons by detailed industry and age, including median age (HTML) (XLS)



• Articles:
  • The early 2000s: a period of declining teen summer employment rates (May 2010)
    (Summary) (PDF)
  • Record unemployment among older workers does not keep them out of the job market (March 2010)
    (HTML) (PDF)
  • Trends in labor force participation in the United States (October 2006)
    (Abstract) (Excerpt) (PDF)
    

Disability

Labor force, employment, and unemployment statistics for persons with or without a disability. These are estimates for the nation as a whole; data are not available by state.

• Current monthly data: Employment Situation news release (Monthly, beginning with January 2010), Table A-6
  (HTML) (PDF) (Archives)
• News release: Labor Force Characteristics of Persons With a Disability (Annual)
  (HTML) (PDF) (Archives)



• Frequently asked questions about disability data



• Database: Retrieve historical data series



• Monthly tables: Disability tables, 2008–09 (prior to publication in the Employment Situation news release)



• Charts:
  • Unemployment among persons with a disability, 2011 (June 2012)
  • Employment of persons with a disability, 2011 (June 2012)
  • Labor force characteristics of persons with a disability in 2010 (June 2011)
  • Employment among persons with a disability by age, 2009 (August 2010)
• Articles:
  • Working paper: Discussion and presentation of the disability test results from the Current Population Survey (August 2006) - testing disability questions in the February 2006 CPS
    (Abstract) (PDF)
  • Working paper: Designing questions to identify people with disabilities in labor force surveys (August 2005) - early development work on disability questions for the CPS
    (Abstract) (PDF)
  • Census Bureau report: Evaluation report covering disability (January 2007) - testing done in the 2006 American Community Survey (ACS)
    (PDF, Census Bureau's 2006 ACS Content Test Report Series, report P.4)
  • The lack of a disability measure in today's Current Population Survey (June 2001)
    (Abstract) (PDF)

Educational attainment

Labor force, employment, and unemployment statistics by educational attainment for persons age 25 and older. See also Earnings by education and School enrollment.

• Databases: Retrieve historical data series
  • Top series
  • More options (must select age 25 and over)
• Annual table: Employment status by educational attainment, sex, race, and Hispanic ethnicity (HTML) (PDF)
• Monthly table: Employment status by educational attainment (HTML) (PDF)



• Charts:
  • Educational attainment of women in the labor force, 1970–2010 (December 2011)
  • Back to College, Spotlight on Statistics (September 2010), includes CPS and other BLS survey data
• Article: Measuring education in the Current Population Survey (September 1993)
  (PDF)

Families and marital status

See also Women, including additional tables on parents, families, and marital status in the annual report on Women in the Labor Force: A Databook.

Employment, unemployment, and labor force participation in families

• News release: Employment Characteristics of Families (Annual)
  (HTML) (PDF) (Archives)



• Databases: Retrieve historical data series
  • Top series
  • More options
• Table: Wives who earn more than their husbands (HTML) (XLS)



• Charts:
  • Unemployment among families, 2011 (May 2012)
  • Employment status of parents, 2011 (April 2012)
  • Families with an employed mother, 1994–2010 (May 2011)
  • Employment characteristics of families, 2010 (March 2011)
  • Employment and unemployment of fathers without spouses (June 2010)
  • Families with unemployed members in 2009 (June 2010)
  • Labor force participation rates among mothers, March 1975–2008 (May 2010)
  • Labor force participation of women and mothers, 2008 (October 2009)
  • Labor force participation of mothers with infants in 2008 (May 2009)
  • Wives earning more than their husbands, 1967–2006 (January 2009)
  • Labor force participation of mothers, 1975–2007 (January 2009)
  • Labor force status of families: a visual essay (July/August 2007) (PDF)
• Article: Trends in labor force participation of married mothers of infants (February 2007)
  (Abstract) (Excerpt) (PDF)

Employment and unemployment statistics for married men and women

• Database: Retrieve historical data series (Select men and women in box 1 for more options)



• Monthly tables:
  • Employment levels (HTML) (PDF)
  • Unemployment levels and rates (HTML) (PDF)

Unemployment statistics by marital status

• Monthly table: Unemployment levels and rates by marital status, sex, race, and Hispanic ethnicity (HTML) (PDF)
• Annual table: Unemployment levels and rates by marital status, sex, race, and Hispanic ethnicity (HTML) (PDF)

Foreign-born workers

Labor force, employment, and unemployment statistics by foreign- and native-born status (nativity).

• Current monthly data: Employment Situation news release (Monthly, beginning with January 2010), Table A-7
  (HTML) (PDF) (Archives)
• News release: Labor Force Characteristics of Foreign-Born Workers (Annual)
  (HTML) (PDF) (Archives)



• Database: Retrieve historical data series



• Charts:
  • Education and occupations of the foreign born in 2011 (June 2012)
  • Employed foreign-born and native-born persons by occupation, 2010 (June 2011)
  • Unemployment rates for foreign-born workers, 2009 (March 2010)
  • Foreign-born workers by region, 2008 (March 2009)
  • Unemployment and foreign-born workers, 2008 (March 2009)
  • Occupations and foreign-born workers in 2007 (April 2008)
  • Educational attainment of foreign born labor force, 2007 (April 2008)
  • Second-generation Americans, age, and the labor force, 2005 (October 2006)
  • Foreign-born workforce, 2004: a visual essay (PDF)
• Articles:
  • Labor force characteristics of second-generation Americans (September 2006)
    (Abstract) (Excerpt) (PDF)
  • The role of foreign-born workers in the US economy (May 2002)
    (Abstract) (Excerpt) (PDF)

Older workers

See also Age.
Labor force, employment, and unemployment statistics by single year of age for persons age 55 and older are available on request. Contact the Current Population Survey staff to obtain these data.

• Database: Retrieve historical data series



• Annual table: Employment status by detailed age group, sex, and race (HTML) (PDF)
• Monthly table: Employment status by detailed age group, sex, and race (HTML) (PDF)



• Charts:
  • More seniors working full time, 1977–2007 (August 2008)
  • Labor force participation of seniors, 1948–2007 (July 2008)
  • Older Workers, Spotlight on Statistics (July 2008), includes CPS and other BLS survey data
• Article: Record unemployment among older workers does not keep them out of the job market (March 2010)
  (HTML) (PDF)

Race and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

Labor force, employment, and unemployment statistics for whites, blacks or African Americans, Asians, and persons of Hispanic or Latino ethnicity. See also Earnings by Demographics.

• Annual report: Labor Force Characteristics by Race and Ethnicity
  

  HTML	-	-	-	2008	-
  PDF	2011	2010	2009	2008	2007



• Databases: Retrieve historical data series
  • Top series by race
  • Top series by Hispanic ethnicity
  • More options
• Annual tables:
  • Employment status by race (HTML) (PDF)
  • Employment status by Hispanic ethnicity and detailed ethnic group (HTML) (PDF)
  • Employment by major occupation, race, Hispanic ethnicity, and sex (HTML) (PDF)
  • Hispanic workers by detailed ethnic group, sex, and major occupation (HTML) (PDF)
  • Employment by detailed occupation, race, and Hispanic ethnicity (HTML) (PDF)
  • Employment by detailed industry, race, and Hispanic ethnicity (HTML) (PDF)
• Monthly table: Employment status by race and Hispanic ethnicity (HTML) (PDF)



• Charts:
  • Employed Asians by occupation, 2008–2010 (May 2012)
  • Educational attainment and unemployment among Asians in the United States (December 2011)
  • Asians in the U.S. labor force, 2008–2010 (December 2011)
  • Unemployment rates by race and ethnicity, 1975–2010 (October 2011)
  • Earnings and employment by occupation, race, ethnicity, and sex, 2010 (September 2011)
  • African American History Month, Spotlight on Statistics (February 2010), includes CPS and other BLS survey data
  • Labor force demographics, 2008 (January 2010)
  • Blacks, Asians, and Hispanics in the civilian labor force: a visual essay (June 2004) (PDF)
• Article: Asians in the U.S. labor force: profile of a diverse population (November 2011)
  (Summary) (PDF)



• CPS questions on race and Hispanic ethnicity were revised in 2003

School enrollment

Labor force, employment, and unemployment statistics for youth ages 16 to 24 by school enrollment status. See also Youth and Educational attainment.

• News release: College Enrollment and Work Activity of High School Graduates (Annual)
  (HTML) (PDF) (Archives)



• Monthly table: Employment status by school enrollment, sex, race, and Hispanic ethnicity (HTML) (PDF)



• Charts:
  • Labor force participation among students and nonstudents, October 2011 (April 2012)
  • School's Out, Spotlight on Statistics (July 2011), includes CPS and other BLS survey data
  • High school grads not enrolled in college more likely to be in the labor force (April 2011)
  • Summertime school enrollment and employment among teens (June 2010)
  • College enrollment up among 2009 high school grads (April 2010)
  • 2008 high school grads and college enrollment (April 2009)
  • Unemployment rate among recent dropouts, October 2007 (April 2008)
  • Recent high school graduates and labor force participation, October 2007 (April 2008)
  • Back to School, Spotlight on Statistics (August 2007), includes CPS and other BLS survey data
• Article: Youth enrollment and employment during the school year (February 2008)
  (Abstract) (Excerpt) (PDF)

Veterans

Labor force, employment, and unemployment statistics for veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces by period of service and service-connected disability.

• Current monthly data: Employment Situation news release (Monthly, beginning with January 2010), Table A-5
  (HTML) (PDF) (Archives)
• News release: Employment Situation of Veterans (annual average and supplemental survey data, including service-connected disability)
  (HTML) (PDF) (Archives)
• BLS Deputy Commissioner's Statement on Veterans’ Employment (April 2010)
  (PDF) (Slides, including charts)



• Database: Retrieve historical data series



• NEW Annual table: Employment status of persons 18 years and over by veteran status, age, and sex (HTML) (PDF)
• NEW Quarterly table: Employment status of persons 18 years and over by veteran status, age, and sex (HTML) (PDF)
• NEW Monthly table: Employment status of persons 18 years and over by veteran status, age, and sex (HTML) (PDF)



• Charts:
  • Employment Situation of Veterans - 2011 (March 2012)
  • Employment of veterans, 2010 (November 2011)
  • Unemployment rates of veterans, 2010 (March 2011)
  • Demographics of Gulf War-era II veterans (August 2010)
  • Employment Situation of Veterans, Spotlight on Statistics (May 2010), includes CPS and other BLS survey data
  • Charts submitted with Statement on Veterans’ Employment (April 2010)
  • Disabled veterans and the labor force, August 2009 (March 2010)
  • Labor force participation in 2008 of veterans of World War II, Korean War, or Vietnam era (March 2009)
  • Unemployment in 2008 and veterans who served since September 2001 (March 2009)
  • Employment characteristics of Gulf War-era II veterans in 2006: a visual essay (PDF)
• Article: Employment and earnings of recent veterans: data from the CPS (July 2010)
  (Summary) (PDF)



• Revised Data from the August 1995 Vietnam Veterans Survey

Volunteering

Statistics on persons who volunteer through or for an organization.

• News release: Volunteering in the United States (Annual)
  (HTML) (PDF) (Archives)



• Charts:
  • Volunteer rate rises in 2011 (February 2012)
  • Volunteering in 2010 (January 2011)
  • Volunteering on the rise: September 2008–September 2009 (February 2010)
  • Most frequent volunteer activities, 2008: fundraising, tutoring, and teaching (January 2009)
  • Education and volunteering, 2007 (January 2008)
  • Volunteering in 2007 (January 2008)
  • Volunteering in the United States, 2005: a visual essay (PDF)
• Article: Volunteerism in the United States (August 2003)
  (Abstract) (Excerpt) (PDF)

Women

Labor force, employment, and unemployment statistics for women. See also Families and marital status and Earnings by demographics.

• Database: Retrieve historical data series



• Annual tables: Complete list
  • Employment by detailed occupation and sex (HTML) (PDF)
  • Employment by detailed industry and sex (HTML) (PDF)
• Monthly and quarterly tables: Complete list



• Table: Wives who earn more than their husbands (HTML) (XLS)



• Annual report: Women in the Labor Force: A Databook

  HTML	2011 edition	2010 edition	2009 edition	2008 edition	2007 edition	2006 edition	2005 edition	2004 edition
  PDF	2011 edition	2010 edition	2009 edition	2008 edition	2007 edition	2006 edition	2005 edition	2004 edition

  
  
• Annual report: Highlights of Women's Earnings

  PDF

  2010

  2009

  2008

  2007

  2006

  2005

  2004

  2003

  2002

  2001

  2000

  1999

  1998

  
  
• Charts:
  • Women as a percent of total employed in selected occupations, 2011 (May 2012)
  • Employment status of parents, 2011 (April 2012)
  • Educational attainment of women in the labor force, 1970–2010 (December 2011)
  • Women in the labor force, 2010 (December 2011)
  • Women at Work, Spotlight on Statistics (March 2011), includes CPS and other BLS survey data
  • Women's earnings and employment by industry, 2009 (February 2011)
  • Women in the labor force, 1970–2009 (January 2011)
  • Women's-to-men's earnings ratio by age, 2009 (July 2010)
  • Labor force participation rates among mothers, March 1975–2008 (May 2010)
  • Labor force participation of women and mothers, 2008 (October 2009)
  • Labor force participation of mothers with infants in 2008 (May 2009)
  • Wives earning more than their husbands, 1967–2006 (January 2009)
  • Labor force participation of mothers, 1975–2007 (January 2009)
  • Women and employment by industry, 2007 (January 2009)
  • Women at work: a visual essay (October 2003) (PDF)
• Articles:
  • Women still underrepresented among highest earners (March 2006)
    (PDF)
  • The labor force experience of women from 'Generation X' (March 2002)
    (Abstract) (Excerpt) (PDF)

Youth

Labor force, employment, and unemployment statistics for youth ages 16 to 24. See also Age and School Enrollment.

• Database: Retrieve historical data series



• News release: Summer Employment and Unemployment Among Youth (Annual)
  (HTML) (PDF) (Archives)
• News release: College Enrollment and Work Activity of High School Graduates (Annual)
  (HTML) (PDF) (Archives)



• Charts:
  • Youth employment in July 2011 (August 2011)
  • School's Out, Spotlight on Statistics (July 2011), includes CPS and other BLS survey data
  • Youth unemployment and employment in July 2010 (August 2010)
  • Youth unemployment and employment in July 2009 (August 2009)
  • Summer 2008 labor force participation of youth (September 2008)
  • Unemployment among youth, Summer 2008 (August 2008)
• Articles:
  • The early 2000s: a period of declining teen summer employment rates (May 2010)
    (Summary) (PDF)
  • Youth enrollment and employment during the school year (February 2008)
    (Abstract) (Excerpt) (PDF)
  • Declining teen labor force participation (September 2002)
    (PDF)
  • Report on the Youth Labor Force (November 2000)

 

Last Modified Date: August 28, 2012