Civilian Population Participating in the Labor Force
Why is this important?
Like unemployment rates, this measure reflects the diversity of the economy, the availability of jobs, and the availability of workers to fill jobs.
What are the policy implications?
County-level data are, for the most part, more meaningful to analyze since economic conditions can vary substantially from one part of the state to another. This measure also reflects which states and counties contain relatively high numbers of retired adults.
Other factors to consider:
Unemployment Rates
State New Economy Index - Progressive Policy Institute
Percent Employment in Managerial and Professional Occupations
Percent Employment in Professional, Education, Health, and Social Service Industries
Data sources and related links:
http://www.census.gov
For more detailed employment data, visit the US Bureau of Labor Statistics website
http://www.bls.gov
