U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 

Current Population Survey (CPS) 

Technical Documentation 

February 2017 

 

Documentation for prior years is available at 

www.bls.gov/cps/documentation.htm#poparchive

Adjustments to Household Survey 

Population Estimates in January 2017 

Household survey data beginning in January 2017 reflect updated population estimates, also 

referred to as population controls. These are independent estimates of population used to weight 

the household survey sample results to reflect the civilian noninstitutional population age 16 and 

older.

The U.S. Census Bureau develops the population estimates for the household survey. Each year, 

the Census Bureau adjusts the estimates to include the latest information about population 

change and to incorporate any improvements in the estimation methodology. 

The population adjustments incorporated with household survey data for January 2017 reflect 

updated birth and death statistics, new estimates of net international migration, and 

methodological improvements to the estimation process. 

This year, the Census Bureau’s methodological improvements included changes in the estimation 

of the foreign-born emigration subcomponent of net international migration. These method 

changes resulted in higher foreign-born emigration and lower overall net international migration 

than previously estimated. See the Vintage 2016 Methodology release notes and documentation 

on the Census Bureau’s website for additional information. 

Questions about the population estimates and the methodology used to develop them should be 

directed to the Census Bureau using the contact information found at

www.census.gov/about/contact-us.html. 

Following usual Bureau of Labor Statistics practice, official household survey estimates for 

December 2016 and earlier months were not revised. 

To show the impact on the labor force data, the Bureau of Labor Statistics uses special 

tabulations of December data that incorporate the new population controls. 

When applied to December 2016, the updated controls decreased the estimated size of the 

civilian noninstitutional population 16 years and over by 831,000, the civilian labor force by 

508,000, employment by 487,000, unemployment by 21,000, and the number of persons not in 

the labor force by 323,000. The total unemployment rate, the labor force participation rate, and 

the employment-population ratio were not affected. See the accompanying table for the 

population control adjustment effects on labor force series for key demographic groups. 
Employment status of the population for selected labor force groups, not seasonally adjusted, December 2016 (2017

population adjustment effect)

(Numbers in thousands)

Employment status, age, sex, race, and Hispanic or

Latino ethnicity

As

published

Based on

updated

population

controls

Difference

TOTAL

Civilian noninstitutional population 254,742 253,911 -831

Civilian labor force 158,968 158,460 -508

Participation rate 62.4 62.4 0.0

Employed 151,798 151,311 -487

Employment-population ratio 59.6 59.6 0.0

Unemployed 7,170 7,149 -21

Unemployment rate 4.5 4.5 0.0

Not in labor force 95,774 95,451 -323

Men, 16 years and over

Civilian noninstitutional population 123,099 122,696 -403

Civilian labor force 84,463 84,191 -272

Participation rate 68.6 68.6 0.0

Employed 80,368 80,108 -260

Employment-population ratio 65.3 65.3 0.0

Unemployed 4,095 4,083 -12

Unemployment rate 4.8 4.8 0.0

Not in labor force 38,636 38,505 -131

Men, 20 years and over

Civilian noninstitutional population 114,603 114,216 -387

Civilian labor force 81,640 81,372 -268

Participation rate 71.2 71.2 0.0

Employed 77,984 77,728 -256

Employment-population ratio 68.0 68.1 0.1

Unemployed 3,656 3,645 -11

Unemployment rate 4.5 4.5 0.0

Not in labor force 32,963 32,843 -120

Women, 16 years and over

Civilian noninstitutional population 131,643 131,215 -428

Civilian labor force 74,505 74,269 -236

Participation rate 56.6 56.6 0.0

Employed 71,430 71,203 -227

Employment-population ratio 54.3 54.3 0.0

Unemployed 3,075 3,066 -9

Unemployment rate 4.1 4.1 0.0

Not in labor force 57,138 56,946 -192

See notes at end of table.

2
Employment status of the population for selected labor force groups, not seasonally adjusted, December 2016 (2017

population adjustment effect) -- Continued

(Numbers in thousands)

Employment status, age, sex, race, and Hispanic or

Latino ethnicity

As

published

Based on

updated

population

controls

Difference

Women, 20 years and over

Civilian noninstitutional population 123,383 122,969 -414

Civilian labor force 71,794 71,561 -233

Participation rate 58.2 58.2 0.0

Employed 68,984 68,760 -224

Employment-population ratio 55.9 55.9 0.0

Unemployed 2,810 2,801 -9

Unemployment rate 3.9 3.9 0.0

Not in labor force 51,589 51,408 -181

Both sexes, 16 to 19 years

Civilian noninstitutional population 16,756 16,727 -29

Civilian labor force 5,534 5,527 -7

Participation rate 33.0 33.0 0.0

Employed 4,831 4,824

Employment-population ratio 28.8 28.8

Unemployed 704 703

Unemployment rate 12.7 12.7

-7

0.0

-1

0.0

Not in labor force 11,221 11,200 -21

WHITE

Civilian noninstitutional population 198,845 198,376 -469

Civilian labor force 124,081 123,804 -277

Participation rate 62.4 62.4 0.0

Employed 118,992 118,728 -264

Employment-population ratio 59.8 59.8 0.0

Unemployed 5,090 5,077 -13

Unemployment rate 4.1 4.1 0.0

Not in labor force 74,764 74,572 -192

BLACK OR AFRICAN AMERICAN

Civilian noninstitutional population 32,105 32,029 -76

Civilian labor force 19,779 19,735 -44

Participation rate 61.6 61.6 0.0

Employed 18,307 18,266 -41

Employment-population ratio 57.0 57.0 0.0

Unemployed 1,472 1,469 -3

Unemployment rate 7.4 7.4 0.0

Not in labor force 12,327 12,293 -34

See notes at end of table.

3
Employment status of the population for selected labor force groups, not seasonally adjusted, December 2016 (2017

population adjustment effect) -- Continued

(Numbers in thousands)

Employment status, age, sex, race, and Hispanic or

Latino ethnicity

As

published

Based on

updated

population

controls

Difference

ASIAN

Civilian noninstitutional population 15,433 15,175 -258

Civilian labor force 9,681 9,513 -168

Participation rate 62.7 62.7 0.0

Employed 9,428 9,264 -164

Employment-population ratio 61.1 61.0 -0.1

Unemployed 253 249 -4

Unemployment rate 2.6 2.6 0.0

Not in labor force 5,752 5,662 -90

HISPANIC OR LATINO ETHNICITY

Civilian noninstitutional population 41,190 40,838 -352

Civilian labor force 27,032 26,788 -244

Participation rate 65.6 65.6 0.0

Employed 25,450 25,220 -230

Employment-population ratio 61.8 61.8 0.0

Unemployed 1,582 1,568 -14

Unemployment rate 5.9 5.9 0.0

Not in labor force 14,158 14,049 -109

 NOTE: Estimates for the above race groups (White, Black or African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are not presented for

all races. Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race.

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