Local Area Unemployment Statistics
Welcome to the step-by-step guide on how to use the Local Area Unemployment Statistics one-screen query system
The Local Area Unemployment Statistics program provides monthly and annual average estimates for labor force, employment, unemployment, and the unemployment rate for some 6,700 areas. The areas include census regions and divisions, states, metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), primary metropolitan statistical areas (PMSAs), labor market areas (LMAs), counties and county equivalents, cities with a population of 25,000 and over, and cities and towns in New England.
This tool lets users query the BLS databases for specific data series. For each survey and program, make a selection for each characteristic in the order listed. As you make your selection, the remaining characteristics will filter to show only choices where data are available. After choosing the series, click on "Add to selection." If you need more data series, repeat the steps of choosing the data series you need. After you've finished finding the data series you need, click on the "Get Data" button to retrieve the data, and an HTML table with data for the most recent 10 years will display. If you desire a different time period or format, you may modify the options on the data display page, or click on the "More Formatting Options" button for additional options on refining the data retrieval results. Note: Users may not retrieve more than 200 data series in one query.
Users have the option of viewing area types within a State or Census Region and Division, or State(s) by area type or view data for Census Regions or Divisions. Click on the radio button next to the desired view.
Type all or part of a search string in the search text box. The contents of the box will filter to show only those options that contain the search string.
Click on the State/Region/Division of interest to select. If the State/Region/Division by area type view is used, the available States/Regions/Divisions for the selected Area Type automatically appear in the next window
Type all or part of a search string in the search text box. The contents of the box will filter to show only those options that contain the search string.
Click on the Area Type of interest to select. If the area type by State/Region/Division view is used, the available Area Types for the selected State/Region/Division automatically appear in the next window.
To select multiple options, hold the Ctrl/Command button, and click the desired options.
Type all or part of a search string in the search text box. The contents of the box will filter to show only those options that contain the search string.
Click on each area of interest to select. The Areas available for the selected State/Region/Division and Area Type combination will automatically appear in the Area window.
To select multiple options, hold the Ctrl/Command button, and click the desired options.
Seasonal adjustment is a statistical technique that attempts to measure and remove the influences of predictable seasonal patterns from time series data. Seasonally adjusted data contain this type of adjustment to enable comparisons of data across any point in time. Not seasonally data have no such adjustment.
You must make a selection for each of the characteristics in the order listed. Once you have selected all of the characteristics, the "Add to selection" button becomes active. Click the "Add to selection" button to list the selected data series in the "Your selection" box. You can return to the characteristics boxes and make new selections to request additional data series. Click the "Get Data" button to retrieve all the selected data series.
You must make a selection for each of the characteristics in the order listed. Once you have selected all of the characteristics, the "Get Data" button becomes active. Click to retrieve the data.
Last Modified Date: February 20, 2018
United States Department of Labor
