Why is this important

Employment is a fundamental determinant of good health.[i] Employment is the primary source of income for a secured livelihood and is necessary for material needs such as food, clothing, shelter, and leisure. Conversely, unemployment has been consistently linked to poor health, and has been associated with higher mortality rates, especially from heart disease and suicide.

How are we doing?

Labor force participation rates in the CMTL boundary and citywide changed significantly between the two American Community Survey sample periods. Citywide there was a 1% increase in the labor force participation rate, while there was a 5% increase in the CMTL area. Similarly, employment rates also significantly increased both citywide and in the CMTL. During the 2013-2017 survey period, labor force participation was significantly higher citywide compared to the CMTL by about 9 percentage points, while the employment rate was not significantly different between CMTL and citywide.

Dataset Source

Labor force and employment data are from the American Community Survey – 5 Year Estimates, 2005-2009 & 2010-2014.

* Labor force participation and employment rates are calculated for individuals 16 years and older.

* The rate of labor force participation provides insight into the percent of working aged individuals (16 years and older) that are employed or are actively seeking work. Low labor force participation may indicate that there are many individuals that there are either in school, on disability, retired, or have simply stopped looking for work.

* Employment rates are calculated for individuals that remain in the labor force.


[i] Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. “How Does Employment, or Unemployment, Affect Health?” Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, March 12, 2013.