Description: The Current Population Survey (CPS), sponsored jointly by the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), is the primary source of labor force statistics for the population of the United States. The CPS provides numerous high-profile economic statistics, including the national unemployment rate, and includes data on a wide range of issues relating to employment and earnings. The CPS also collects extensive demographic data that complement and enhance the understanding of labor market conditions in the nation overall, among many different population groups in the states and in sub-state areas.

Population: Sample of 60,000 households for nationally representative sample. Basic survey administered with some individual follow-up calls.

Periodicity: Conducted monthly since 1940 – major redesign occurred in 1994.

Additional relevant topics covered in this dataset: Benefits

(Information adapted from the publisher)

For more information, please see the Compendium of Family-Self Sufficiency Databases.