Labor Force Statistics

1. Where can I find Census 2000 data on people in the Armed Forces?
2. Where can I find Census 2000 data on self-employed people or people in other class of worker categories?
3. Where can I find reports presenting Census 2000 employment data?
4. Where can I find data on average work hours or on average weeks worked?
5. Where can I find Census 2000 data on employment or unemployment, including the unemployment rate?
6. How are full-time/part-time and full year/part year workers defined in Census 2000 and the American Community Survey?

These data are available on the American FactFinder. For example, Table 38 presents information for people 16 to 19 years old by school enrollment and educational attainment; Table P43 displays counts of people 16 years and over in the Armed Forces. These data can be found by going to American FactFinder

Please note that Census 2000 data for people in the Armed Forces do not include Armed Forces members who were not living in the United States at the time of the Census 2000 enumeration (that is, they do not include the overseas members of the Armed Forces). For more information, see the topic of residence rules.

You can find these numbers from the Census 2000 American FactFinder. For information about self-employed people: Click on the American FactFinder main page Choose "Data Sets" on the left Select "Census 2000 Summary File3 (SF3) - Sample Data" and click "Detailed Tables" to the right.

Select the geography you want and click "Add" then "Next" Under the "Select table selection method," choose "keyword" and type in "class of worker" in the box and click "Search" Choose the table you want, and Click "Show result".

For information about other classes workers: Click on the American FactFinder main page Choose "Data Sets" on the left Select "Census 2000 Summary File3 (SF3) - Sample Data" and click "Detailed Tables" to the right Select the geography you want and click "Add" then "Next" Under the "Select table selection method," choose "keyword" and type in "class of worker" in the box and click "Search" Choose the table you want, and Click "Show result".

Please note that the term Aworker@ is used in connection with several subjects concerning economic characteristics. For more information, see the entry AWorker@ in the Glossary at the American FactFinder main page.

See the Census 2000 Brief , "Employment Status: 2000", which can be found on the Census Bureau's website at: /prod/2003pubs/c2kbr-18.pdf [PDF - 494K]

Depending upon your needs, the Bureau of Labor Statistics may be the best source for data on these topics; see their website: http://www.bls.gov/cps, or e-mail them at cpsinfo@bls.gov.

The Census Bureau does not publish data on these derived measures. They can, however, be calculated from the Usual Hours Worked and Weeks Worked variables on the Census 2000 or the American Community Survey Public Use Microdata (PUMS) files. For more information on PUMS files go to: /prod/cen2000/doc/pums.pdf [PDF - 3.86M]

We publish data on employment status (including counts of employed people, unemployed people, and people not in the labor force, as well as the unemployment rate) that can be accessed through the American FactFinder, Census 2000 data set, Summary File 3. For example, Employment Status for the nation is shown in Table P43 and can be found by going to: For example, Employment Status for the nation is shown in Table P43 and can be found by going to: FactFinder

Census 2000 and the American Community Survey have different time frames for these work experience concepts. In Census 2000, the question collecting information for these concepts asks about events occurring throughout the entire calendar year 1999; in the American Community Survey, the corresponding question asks about events occurring throughout the 12 months preceding the time when the question is answered. Here are some definitions

Reference period for work experience data: Calendar year 1999 for Census 2000 data; the past 12 months for data from the American Community Survey.

Full-time, year-round workers in (reference period): all people 16 years old and over who usually worked 35 hours or more per week for 50 to 52 weeks in the (reference period).

Part-time, year-round workers in (reference period): all people 16 years old and over who usually worked 1 to 34 hours per week for 50 to 52 weeks in the (reference period).

Part-time or part-year workers in (reference period): all people 16 years old and over who usually worked 1 to 34 hours per week or less than 50 weeks in the (reference period).