U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 

Current Population Survey (CPS) 

Technical Documentation 

February 2019 

 

Documentation for prior years is available at 

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

Adjustments to Household Survey 

Population Estimates in January 2019 

Household survey data beginning in January 2019 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. (Additional information about household survey population controls is available on the 

Current Population Survey technical documentation page.) 

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 2019 reflect 

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

methodological improvements to the estimation process. 

For additional information, see the Census Bureau’s Vintage 2018 Methodology and Release 

Notes documentation. Questions about the population estimates and the methodology used to 

develop them should be directed to the Census Bureau. 

Following usual Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) practice, official household survey estimates 

for December 2018 and earlier months were not revised. 

To evaluate the impact of population control adjustments on key labor force data, BLS produces 

special tabulations of December data that incorporate the new population controls. The 

difference between the special tabulations and the official December estimates (not seasonally 

adjusted) shows the effect of the adjustment. The adjustment effect may be either positive or 

negative. 

See the accompanying table for the latest population control adjustment effects to the major labor 

force series, based on not seasonally data for December 2018. A supplemental table (XLSX) that 

includes population control adjustment effects for additional series also is available. 
Employment status of the population for selected labor force groups, not seasonally adjusted, December 2018 (2019

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 258,888 258,088 -800

Civilian labor force 162,510 162,004 -506

Participation rate 62.8 62.8 0.0

Employed 156,481 155,993 -488

Employment-population ratio 60.4 60.4 0.0

Unemployed 6,029 6,011 -18

Unemployment rate 3.7 3.7 0.0

Not in labor force 96,378 96,084 -294

Men, 16 years and over

Civilian noninstitutional population 125,227 124,815 -412

Civilian labor force 85,857 85,576 -281

Participation rate 68.6 68.6 0.0

Employed 82,440 82,170 -270

Employment-population ratio 65.8 65.8 0.0

Unemployed 3,417 3,406 -11

Unemployment rate 4.0 4.0 0.0

Not in labor force 39,370 39,239 -131

Men, 20 years and over

Civilian noninstitutional population 116,739 116,357 -382

Civilian labor force 83,101 82,829 -272

Participation rate 71.2 71.2 0.0

Employed 80,036 79,773 -263

Employment-population ratio 68.6 68.6 0.0

Unemployed 3,066 3,055 -11

Unemployment rate 3.7 3.7 0.0

Not in labor force 33,638 33,528 -110

Women, 16 years and over

Civilian noninstitutional population 133,662 133,273 -389

Civilian labor force 76,654 76,428 -226

Participation rate 57.3 57.3 0.0

Employed 74,041 73,824 -217

Employment-population ratio 55.4 55.4 0.0

Unemployed 2,612 2,604 -8

Unemployment rate 3.4 3.4 0.0

Not in labor force 57,008 56,844 -164

See notes at end of table.

2
Employment status of the population for selected labor force groups, not seasonally adjusted, December 2018 (2019

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 125,393 125,019 -374

Civilian labor force 73,768 73,546 -222

Participation rate 58.8 58.8 0.0

Employed 71,422 71,208 -214

Employment-population ratio 57.0 57.0 0.0

Unemployed 2,345 2,338 -7

Unemployment rate 3.2 3.2 0.0

Not in labor force 51,625 51,474 -151

Both sexes, 16 to 19 years

Civilian noninstitutional population 16,756 16,712 -44

Civilian labor force 5,641 5,630 -11

Participation rate 33.7 33.7 0.0

Employed 5,023 5,012 -11

Employment-population ratio 30.0 30.0 0.0

Unemployed 619 617 -2

Unemployment rate 11.0 11.0 0.0

Not in labor force 11,115 11,082 -33

WHITE

Civilian noninstitutional population 200,774 200,319 -455

Civilian labor force 126,072 125,769 -303

Participation rate 62.8 62.8 0.0

Employed 121,900 121,608 -292

Employment-population ratio 60.7 60.7 0.0

Unemployed 4,173 4,161 -12

Unemployment rate 3.3 3.3 0.0

Not in labor force 74,702 74,549 -153

BLACK OR AFRICAN AMERICAN

Civilian noninstitutional population 32,956 32,837 -119

Civilian labor force 20,325 20,258 -67

Participation rate 61.7 61.7 0.0

Employed 19,067 19,005 -62

Employment-population ratio 57.9 57.9 0.0

Unemployed 1,257 1,253 -4

Unemployment rate 6.2 6.2 0.0

Not in labor force 12,632 12,579 -53

See notes at end of table.

3
Employment status of the population for selected labor force groups, not seasonally adjusted, December 2018 (2019

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 16,138 15,914 -224

Civilian labor force 10,250 10,116 -134

Participation rate 63.5 63.6 0.1

Employed 9,928 9,797 -131

Employment-population ratio 61.5 61.6 0.1

Unemployed 322 318 -4

Unemployment rate 3.1 3.1 0.0

Not in labor force 5,888 5,798 -90

HISPANIC OR LATINO ETHNICITY

Civilian noninstitutional population 43,234 42,959 -275

Civilian labor force 28,913 28,730 -183

Participation rate 66.9 66.9 0.0

Employed 27,659 27,483 -176

Employment-population ratio 64.0 64.0 0.0

Unemployed 1,255 1,247 -8

Unemployment rate 4.3 4.3 0.0

Not in labor force 14,321 14,230 -91

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.

4