• National Statistics
• Finding Local Statistics: table data
• Finding Local Statistics: graphical displays
  • Graphical Displays: county maps
  • Graphical Displays: trend charts

The Bureau of Labor Statistics is a rich source of data on workforce trends, for both national and local data. There are other resources for mining the data. If you know of any additional sites that are useful, please help to build the list.

National Statistics

Over-the-Year Change in Unemployment Rates for States

The chart shows monthly rankings seasonally adjusted and is currently displaying September 2008 rates compared with September 2009. States are ranked in reverse order of severity of unemployment rates.

Graphical Displays of State Unemployment Rates

1. From the Bureau of Labor Statistics Map Tool

This map view of the US clearly shows the areas of the country hardest hit by the economic downturn. Hover you cursor on a state to see its unemployment rate.

2. From GeoFRED

The Geographic Federal Reserve Economic Data also displays color-coded unemployment rates by state, with an additional category for over 12.5% rates.
(Note: site may be slow to load.)

Finding Local Statistics: table data

Note: You may also find monthly data by state on each state Department of Labor site.

• Bureau of Labor Statistics Economy at a Glance

Click a state on the map or select from the list in the left navigation column to see: Labor Force Data, Nonfarm Wage and Salary Employment, Mass Layoffs

• County Monthly Employment and Unemployment Trends

Proximity is a private company that collects a variety of data to support private and public organizations. This site includes a table of September 2009 unemployment rates by county for each state.

Use the drop-down list to select each state’s set of county statistics.

Finding Local Statistics: graphical displays

1

State Maps by County

	Select the Databases & Tables tab on the Bureau of Labor Statistics site. Select Maps from the On This Page menu. The screen jumps to the Create Customized Maps section. Click the globe icon.
	When the US map view opens, select the Counties tab. In the select a state drop-down menu, select the desired state. You may also change the options in the Select Year and Select Month drop-down menus to the right. Click Draw Map. Hover over any county to see the county name and unemployment rate. Scroll down to the table data to see an alphabetical list of counties and unemployment rates.

2

Trend charts by state

For sets of charts tracking labor force, employment, and unemployment statistics over many years (as far back as 1976), follow these steps:

	Select the Databases & Tables tab on the Bureau of Labor Statistics site. Click the desired state in the list.
	For state-wide trends that are seasonally adjusted, select the top item. Click Retrieve data.
	To change the output options for the data, select the desired range of years in the From and To drop-down menus. Select include graphs. Click Go. For the selected time period, the database generates trend charts for labor force, employment, and unemployment numbers, and for unemployment rates.