How is unemployment measured for States and local areas?
The Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program is a Federal-State cooperative effort in which monthly estimates of total employment and unemployment are prepared for approximately 7,300 areas: • Census regions and divisions • States • Metropolitan Statistical Areas and Metropolitan NECTAs (New England City and Town Areas) • Metropolitan Divisions and NECTA Divisions • Micropolitan Statistical Areas and Micropolitan NECTAs • Combined Metropolitan Statistical Areas and Combined NECTAs • Small Labor Market Areas • Counties and county equivalents • Cities of 25,000 population or more • Cities and towns in New England regardless of population These estimates are key indicators of local economic conditions. BLS is responsible for the concepts, definitions, technical procedures, validation, and publication of the estimates that State workforce agencies prepare under agreement with BLS. The concepts and definitions underlying LAUS data are the same as those used at the national level. S
