Economy - Labor Force Participation
Labor Force Participation Rate, ages 16-64
77%
Rank: 7th of 9 counties
LFP, Males, ages 16 - 64
82.6%
82.6%
LFP, Females, ages 16 - 64
71.4%
71.4%
LFP, Veterans, ages 18 - 64
70.6%
70.6%
LFP, with a Disability, ages 18 - 64
49.3%
49.3%
Why do we track this? A strong workforce should include most of the working age adult population. An extreme change or prolonged upward or downward trend in labor force participation indicates that we need to try to understand the factors that drive the change. We also rely on neighboring counties for workers for some of our jobs and jobs for some of our residents. Changes in the labor force in neighboring communities may have indirect impacts for workers or employers in Larimer County.
Several factors influence Colorado and Larimer County's high LFP: generally, rates of employment are higher among more highly educated people, and Colorado has a greater proportion of the adult population with education beyond high school than the nation as a whole. Colorado's Front Range currently has a strong economy which makes finding and keeping a job easier than it is in some other markets. A common reason people leave the workforce during their prime working years is to care for family members, not only children, but also spouses or parents with health issues. Additionally, workers whose skills do not match the needs of the job market may leave the workforce if they are unable to find work opportunities after an extended period of time.
Keeping LFP high or increasing it is only partly related to the number of job opportunities available. A large component in maintaining or increasing an already high labor force participation rate is addressing the reasons why people leave the workforce and reducing the barriers that keep some people from being able to find and maintain jobs that can support a basic standard of living.
Looking at LFP of sub-populations, such as breaking participation rates down by gender, veteran status, race/ethnicity or disability status provides a lens for asking questions of where barriers to employment may hinder participation in the labor force. A thriving economy needs an environment that allows equitable access to employment opportunities.
What are some limitations to this source and what are the alternatives? Census ACS data is based on annual surveys and is updated once per year.
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment data is published monthly and the Colorado Dept of Labor and employment adjusts these estimates to include larger Colorado cities.
Colorado Department of Local Affairs also maintains their own annual estimates.
Why did we use this source? This allows labor force data to be broken down to very small geographic areas and also by demographic groups not available in other products.
Keeping LFP high or increasing it is only partly related to the number of job opportunities available. A large component in maintaining or increasing an already high labor force participation rate is addressing the reasons why people leave the workforce and reducing the barriers that keep some people from being able to find and maintain jobs that can support a basic standard of living.
Looking at LFP of sub-populations, such as breaking participation rates down by gender, veteran status, race/ethnicity or disability status provides a lens for asking questions of where barriers to employment may hinder participation in the labor force. A thriving economy needs an environment that allows equitable access to employment opportunities.
Data Source
- U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey. Tables B23001 and C23001 (1-year estimates) and (5-year estimates), as well as B21005 (Veterans, 1-year) and C18120 (Disability Status, 1-year and 5-year). Calculated as total number of participants in the labor force (per individual or summed age group) divided by the total population estimates (for individual or summed age groups).
Related Dashboard Measures
- Employment Gap (Economy)
- Jobs Change (Economy)
- Jobs (Vital Stats)
- Unemployment Rate (Vital Stats)
Additional Information and Other Data Sources
- Census definition of Labor Force related terms
- BLS Current Population Survey : An alternate source of Labor Force participation statistics
- Colorado Dept. of Local Affairs Labor Force Data: recent estimates and future projections for labor force participation by Colorado county
- "People who are not in the labor force: why aren't they working" by Hipple, Steven F. Beyond the Numbers, Bureau of Labor Statistics. December 2015, vol. 4, #15.
- "The Long Term Decline in Prime-Age Male Labor Force Participation". Council of Economic Advisors (CEA), Executive Office of the President of the United States. January 2016. Report.