Current Population Survey—Basic Labor Force

The labor force data gathered through the Current Population Survey (CPS) are provided to users in the greatest detail possible, consistent with the demographic information obtained in the survey. In brief, the labor force data can be broken down by sex, age, race, ethnicity, marital status, family composition, educational level, certification and licensing status, disability status, and various other characteristics. Through such breakdowns, one can focus on the employment situation of specific population groups as well as on the general trends in employment and unemployment. Moreover, the survey yields data on the characteristics of people who have stopped looking for work because they believe no jobs are available, also referred to as discouraged workers. Information of this type can be obtained only through demographically-oriented surveys such as the CPS.

The latest form for Current Population Survey—Basic Labor Force expires 2026-11-30 and can be found here.