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Line 1 - Unemployment Rate
Line 1
(a) Unemployment Rate, Percent, Seasonally Adjusted (UNRATE)
The unemployment rate represents the number of unemployed as a percentage of the labor force. Labor force data are restricted to people 16 years of age and older, who currently reside in 1 of the 50 states or the District of Columbia, who do not reside in institutions (e.g., penal and mental facilities, homes for the aged), and who are not on active duty in the Armed Forces. This rate is also defined as the U-3 measure of labor underutilization. The series comes from the 'Current Population Survey (Household Survey)' The source code is: LNS14000000

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    Line 1 - Unemployment Rate
    Line 2
    (a) All Employees, Total Nonfarm, Thousands of Persons, Seasonally Adjusted (PAYEMS)
    All Employees: Total Nonfarm, commonly known as Total Nonfarm Payroll, is a measure of the number of U.S. workers in the economy that excludes proprietors, private household employees, unpaid volunteers, farm employees, and the unincorporated self-employed. This measure accounts for approximately 80 percent of the workers who contribute to Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This measure provides useful insights into the current economic situation because it can represent the number of jobs added or lost in an economy. Increases in employment might indicate that businesses are hiring which might also suggest that businesses are growing. Additionally, those who are newly employed have increased their personal incomes, which means (all else constant) their disposable incomes have also increased, thus fostering further economic expansion. Generally, the U.S. labor force and levels of employment and unemployment are subject to fluctuations due to seasonal changes in weather, major holidays, and the opening and closing of schools. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) adjusts the data to offset the seasonal effects to show non-seasonal changes: for example, women's participation in the labor force; or a general decline in the number of employees, a possible indication of a downturn in the economy. To closely examine seasonal and non-seasonal changes, the BLS releases two monthly statistical measures: the seasonally adjusted All Employees: Total Nonfarm (PAYEMS) and All Employees: Total Nonfarm (PAYNSA), which is not seasonally adjusted. The series comes from the 'Current Employment Statistics (Establishment Survey).' The source code is: CES0000000001

    Select a date that will equal 100 for your custom index:
      Enter date as YYYY-MM-DD
    to

    Write a custom formula to transform one or more series or combine two or more series.

    You can begin by adding a series to combine with your existing series.

    Type keywords to search for data

      Now create a custom formula to combine or transform the series.

      For example, invert an exchange rate by using formula 1/a, where “a” refers to the first FRED data series added to this line. Or calculate the spread between 2 interest rates, a and b, by using the formula a - b.

      Use the assigned data series variables (a, b, c, etc.) together with operators (+, -, *, /, ^, etc.), parentheses and constants (1, 1.5, 2, etc.) to create your own formula (e.g., 1/a, a-b, (a+b)/2, (a/(a+b+c))*100). As noted above, you may add other data series to this line before entering a formula.

      Finally, you can change the units of your new series.

      Select a date that will equal 100 for your custom index:
          Enter date as YYYY-MM-DD

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      Line 1
      Unemployment Rate
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      Line 2
      All Employees, Total Nonfarm
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      Notes

      Unemployment Rate  (UNRATE)

      Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics  

      Release: Employment Situation  

      Units:  Percent, Seasonally Adjusted

      Frequency:  Monthly

      Notes:

      The unemployment rate represents the number of unemployed as a percentage of the labor force. Labor force data are restricted to people 16 years of age and older, who currently reside in 1 of the 50 states or the District of Columbia, who do not reside in institutions (e.g., penal and mental facilities, homes for the aged), and who are not on active duty in the Armed Forces.

      This rate is also defined as the U-3 measure of labor underutilization.

      The series comes from the 'Current Population Survey (Household Survey)'

      The source code is: LNS14000000

      Suggested Citation:

      U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Unemployment Rate [UNRATE], retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/UNRATE, April 13, 2025.

      All Employees, Total Nonfarm  (PAYEMS)

      Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics  

      Release: Employment Situation  

      Units:  Thousands of Persons, Seasonally Adjusted

      Frequency:  Monthly

      Notes:

      All Employees: Total Nonfarm, commonly known as Total Nonfarm Payroll, is a measure of the number of U.S. workers in the economy that excludes proprietors, private household employees, unpaid volunteers, farm employees, and the unincorporated self-employed. This measure accounts for approximately 80 percent of the workers who contribute to Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

      This measure provides useful insights into the current economic situation because it can represent the number of jobs added or lost in an economy. Increases in employment might indicate that businesses are hiring which might also suggest that businesses are growing. Additionally, those who are newly employed have increased their personal incomes, which means (all else constant) their disposable incomes have also increased, thus fostering further economic expansion.

      Generally, the U.S. labor force and levels of employment and unemployment are subject to fluctuations due to seasonal changes in weather, major holidays, and the opening and closing of schools. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) adjusts the data to offset the seasonal effects to show non-seasonal changes: for example, women's participation in the labor force; or a general decline in the number of employees, a possible indication of a downturn in the economy. To closely examine seasonal and non-seasonal changes, the BLS releases two monthly statistical measures: the seasonally adjusted All Employees: Total Nonfarm (PAYEMS) and All Employees: Total Nonfarm (PAYNSA), which is not seasonally adjusted.

      The series comes from the 'Current Employment Statistics (Establishment Survey).'

      The source code is: CES0000000001

      Suggested Citation:

      U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, All Employees, Total Nonfarm [PAYEMS], retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/PAYEMS, April 13, 2025.

      Release Tables

      Employment Situation

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      Unemployment Rate

      Monthly, Not Seasonally Adjusted

      All Employees, Total Nonfarm

      Monthly, Not Seasonally Adjusted

      Related Categories

      Unemployment Rate Current Population Survey (Household Survey) Population, Employment, & Labor Markets Total Nonfarm Current Employment Statistics (Establishment Survey)

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      More Series from Employment Situation

      Tags

      Labor Underutilization Headline Figure Civilian 16 Years + Labor Current Population Survey (Household Survey) Unemployment Rate Seasonally Adjusted Bureau of Labor Statistics Monthly Nation Public Domain: Citation Requested United States of America Payrolls Nonfarm Current Employment Statistics Survey (Establishment Survey) Employment

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