TOPIC AREA
Workforce and Economic Development

INDICATOR:

Percent of population ages 16-64 that is employed

Why is this indicator important in Baltimore City?

The percent of the population ages 16-64 that is employed is an indicator of the nature of employment in Baltimore, including the availability of jobs and people having the skills for those jobs.

This indicator is used to reflect people employed or self-employed out of the entire population, and not just out of those in the labor force (those looking for work or working, which is 65.8 percent of Baltimore's population.)

What has been happening in Baltimore City?

Over the past 10 years, 5.82 percent less of the working age population were employed in Baltimore (58.53 percent in 2000 compared to 64.45 percent in 1990.)

In Maryland, 2.8 percent less people were employed (72.1 percent in 2000 compared with 74.9 percent in 1990.)

Definition:

This indicator reflects the number of people ages 16-64 who are formally employed or self-employed out of all people ages 16-64 in the area.

Employed means the person is earning a formal income.

Calculation considerations:

The indicator captures those who are not working or self-employed out of all those in the working aged population, whether or not they are in the labor force.

Working age is typically considered ages 16-64 by labor standards.

People in the labor force considered to be looking for work or are working. Those not in the labor force are not looking for work either because they choose not to (because of caretaking, etc) or because they cannot (no skills, frustrated from looking, or disability.)

Data for this indicator are from the U.S. Census 2000, which is different from the annual and monthly unemployment rate that comes from surveys conducted by the U.S. Census American Community Survey and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to ascertain employment information. See www.bls.gov for more information

Data source:

U.S. Census 2000, provided by Maryland Department of Planning-State Data Center

Analysis:

Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance staff

Years tracked:

2000

Geography:

Citywide, CSA, census tract

To access the Indicator:

Download Vital Signs 3

Activate the interactive mapping system

Obtain the Vital Signs by census tract

Download Community Statistical Area profiles

For more information about the Alliance and the Vital Signs, go to the website www.ubalt.edu/bnia.

To find out about your neighborhood, go to the Vital Signs section.

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