Current Population Survey

Current Population Survey - August 2016

Context

The Current Population Survey (CPS) is one of the oldest, largest, and most well-recognized surveys in the United States. It is immensely important, providing information on many of the things that define us as individuals and as a society – our work, our earnings, and our education.

• Frequency: Monthly
• Period: August 2016

Content

In addition to being the primary source of monthly labor force statistics, the CPS is used to collect data for a variety of other studies that keep the nation informed of the economic and social well-being of its people. This is done by adding a set of supplemental questions to the monthly basic CPS questions. Supplemental inquiries vary month to month and cover a wide variety of topics such as child support, volunteerism, health insurance coverage, and school enrollment. Supplements are usually conducted annually or biannually, but the frequency and recurrence of a supplement depend completely on what best meets the needs of the supplement’s sponsor.

Data Dictionary: http://thedataweb.rm.census.gov/pub/cps/basic/201501-/January_2015_Record_Layout.txt

Acknowledgements

The Current Population Survey (CPS) is administered, processed, researched and disseminated by the U.S. Census Bureau on behalf of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).