Dataset · Labor
BLS QCEW
Available bls-qcew
The Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages: annual-average private-sector employment, establishments and location quotients by county and NAICS industry, for a curated list of manufacturing, logistics and related industries, so a question like "does this market have an aerospace base?" can be screened.
- Publisher
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Category
- Labor
- Period
- 2025 annual averages, private ownership
- Refresh cadence
- Quarterly
- Measures
- 59
- Licence
- Public domain (U.S. federal government work)
Source
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Publisher | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| Product | Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (annual averages by county and industry) |
| Source | https://www.bls.gov/cew/ (opens in a new tab) |
| Category | Labor |
| Period | 2025 annual averages, private ownership |
| Refresh cadence | Quarterly |
| Geographies | County. A metro is assembled from its counties: counts are summed over the counties that disclose them, and the location quotient is rebuilt from the counties' jobs rather than averaged. |
| Availability | Available |
| Cadastre key | bls-qcew |
Licence and attribution
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Licence | Public domain (U.S. federal government work) |
| Terms | https://www.bls.gov/opub/copyright-information.htm (opens in a new tab) |
| Register status | Production approved; licence open |
| Allowed uses | evaluation, internal, public_display, derived_analytics, redistribution, bulk_export, public_geometry, api |
This source requires no credit line beyond naming the publisher. Cite it as U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (annual averages by county and industry).
Measures
The key is the measure's identifier in Cadastre. A measure stored for the metro itself is read as stored; Rule from counties is how a metro is assembled from its counties where it is not (see Methodology).
| Key | Label | Unit | Rule from counties | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
qcew_total_employment | Private-sector employment | jobs | sum over member counties that disclose it, a lower bound (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | coverage: Private-sector establishments |
qcew_total_establishments | Private-sector establishments | establishments | sum over member counties | — |
qcew_31_33_employment | Manufacturing employment | jobs | sum over member counties that disclose it, a lower bound (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | coverage: Manufacturing establishments |
qcew_31_33_establishments | Manufacturing establishments | establishments | sum over member counties | — |
qcew_31_33_location_quotient | Manufacturing location quotient | ratio to the U.S. share of jobs (1 = U.S. average) | member counties' combined job share against the U.S. share (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | weight: Private-sector employment; coverage: Manufacturing establishments |
qcew_311_employment | Food manufacturing employment | jobs | sum over member counties that disclose it, a lower bound (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | coverage: Food manufacturing establishments |
qcew_311_establishments | Food manufacturing establishments | establishments | sum over member counties | — |
qcew_311_location_quotient | Food manufacturing location quotient | ratio to the U.S. share of jobs (1 = U.S. average) | member counties' combined job share against the U.S. share (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | weight: Private-sector employment; coverage: Food manufacturing establishments |
qcew_325_employment | Chemical manufacturing employment | jobs | sum over member counties that disclose it, a lower bound (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | coverage: Chemical manufacturing establishments |
qcew_325_establishments | Chemical manufacturing establishments | establishments | sum over member counties | — |
qcew_325_location_quotient | Chemical manufacturing location quotient | ratio to the U.S. share of jobs (1 = U.S. average) | member counties' combined job share against the U.S. share (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | weight: Private-sector employment; coverage: Chemical manufacturing establishments |
qcew_3254_employment | Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing employment | jobs | sum over member counties that disclose it, a lower bound (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | coverage: Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing establishments |
qcew_3254_establishments | Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing establishments | establishments | sum over member counties | — |
qcew_3254_location_quotient | Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing location quotient | ratio to the U.S. share of jobs (1 = U.S. average) | member counties' combined job share against the U.S. share (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | weight: Private-sector employment; coverage: Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing establishments |
qcew_332_employment | Fabricated metal product manufacturing employment | jobs | sum over member counties that disclose it, a lower bound (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | coverage: Fabricated metal product manufacturing establishments |
qcew_332_establishments | Fabricated metal product manufacturing establishments | establishments | sum over member counties | — |
qcew_332_location_quotient | Fabricated metal product manufacturing location quotient | ratio to the U.S. share of jobs (1 = U.S. average) | member counties' combined job share against the U.S. share (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | weight: Private-sector employment; coverage: Fabricated metal product manufacturing establishments |
qcew_332710_employment | Machine shop employment | jobs | sum over member counties that disclose it, a lower bound (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | coverage: Machine shop establishments |
qcew_332710_establishments | Machine shop establishments | establishments | sum over member counties | — |
qcew_332710_location_quotient | Machine shop location quotient | ratio to the U.S. share of jobs (1 = U.S. average) | member counties' combined job share against the U.S. share (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | weight: Private-sector employment; coverage: Machine shop establishments |
qcew_333_employment | Machinery manufacturing employment | jobs | sum over member counties that disclose it, a lower bound (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | coverage: Machinery manufacturing establishments |
qcew_333_establishments | Machinery manufacturing establishments | establishments | sum over member counties | — |
qcew_333_location_quotient | Machinery manufacturing location quotient | ratio to the U.S. share of jobs (1 = U.S. average) | member counties' combined job share against the U.S. share (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | weight: Private-sector employment; coverage: Machinery manufacturing establishments |
qcew_334_employment | Computer and electronic product manufacturing employment | jobs | sum over member counties that disclose it, a lower bound (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | coverage: Computer and electronic product manufacturing establishments |
qcew_334_establishments | Computer and electronic product manufacturing establishments | establishments | sum over member counties | — |
qcew_334_location_quotient | Computer and electronic product manufacturing location quotient | ratio to the U.S. share of jobs (1 = U.S. average) | member counties' combined job share against the U.S. share (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | weight: Private-sector employment; coverage: Computer and electronic product manufacturing establishments |
qcew_335_employment | Electrical equipment and appliance manufacturing employment | jobs | sum over member counties that disclose it, a lower bound (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | coverage: Electrical equipment and appliance manufacturing establishments |
qcew_335_establishments | Electrical equipment and appliance manufacturing establishments | establishments | sum over member counties | — |
qcew_335_location_quotient | Electrical equipment and appliance manufacturing location quotient | ratio to the U.S. share of jobs (1 = U.S. average) | member counties' combined job share against the U.S. share (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | weight: Private-sector employment; coverage: Electrical equipment and appliance manufacturing establishments |
qcew_336_employment | Transportation equipment manufacturing employment | jobs | sum over member counties that disclose it, a lower bound (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | coverage: Transportation equipment manufacturing establishments |
qcew_336_establishments | Transportation equipment manufacturing establishments | establishments | sum over member counties | — |
qcew_336_location_quotient | Transportation equipment manufacturing location quotient | ratio to the U.S. share of jobs (1 = U.S. average) | member counties' combined job share against the U.S. share (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | weight: Private-sector employment; coverage: Transportation equipment manufacturing establishments |
qcew_3361_employment | Motor vehicle manufacturing employment | jobs | sum over member counties that disclose it, a lower bound (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | coverage: Motor vehicle manufacturing establishments |
qcew_3361_establishments | Motor vehicle manufacturing establishments | establishments | sum over member counties | — |
qcew_3361_location_quotient | Motor vehicle manufacturing location quotient | ratio to the U.S. share of jobs (1 = U.S. average) | member counties' combined job share against the U.S. share (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | weight: Private-sector employment; coverage: Motor vehicle manufacturing establishments |
qcew_3362_employment | Motor vehicle body and trailer manufacturing employment | jobs | sum over member counties that disclose it, a lower bound (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | coverage: Motor vehicle body and trailer manufacturing establishments |
qcew_3362_establishments | Motor vehicle body and trailer manufacturing establishments | establishments | sum over member counties | — |
qcew_3362_location_quotient | Motor vehicle body and trailer manufacturing location quotient | ratio to the U.S. share of jobs (1 = U.S. average) | member counties' combined job share against the U.S. share (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | weight: Private-sector employment; coverage: Motor vehicle body and trailer manufacturing establishments |
qcew_3363_employment | Motor vehicle parts manufacturing employment | jobs | sum over member counties that disclose it, a lower bound (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | coverage: Motor vehicle parts manufacturing establishments |
qcew_3363_establishments | Motor vehicle parts manufacturing establishments | establishments | sum over member counties | — |
qcew_3363_location_quotient | Motor vehicle parts manufacturing location quotient | ratio to the U.S. share of jobs (1 = U.S. average) | member counties' combined job share against the U.S. share (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | weight: Private-sector employment; coverage: Motor vehicle parts manufacturing establishments |
qcew_3364_employment | Aerospace manufacturing employment | jobs | sum over member counties that disclose it, a lower bound (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | coverage: Aerospace manufacturing establishments |
qcew_3364_establishments | Aerospace manufacturing establishments | establishments | sum over member counties | — |
qcew_3364_location_quotient | Aerospace manufacturing location quotient | ratio to the U.S. share of jobs (1 = U.S. average) | member counties' combined job share against the U.S. share (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | weight: Private-sector employment; coverage: Aerospace manufacturing establishments |
qcew_336411_employment | Aircraft manufacturing employment | jobs | sum over member counties that disclose it, a lower bound (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | coverage: Aircraft manufacturing establishments |
qcew_336411_establishments | Aircraft manufacturing establishments | establishments | sum over member counties | — |
qcew_336411_location_quotient | Aircraft manufacturing location quotient | ratio to the U.S. share of jobs (1 = U.S. average) | member counties' combined job share against the U.S. share (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | weight: Private-sector employment; coverage: Aircraft manufacturing establishments |
qcew_336412_employment | Aircraft engine and engine parts manufacturing employment | jobs | sum over member counties that disclose it, a lower bound (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | coverage: Aircraft engine and engine parts manufacturing establishments |
qcew_336412_establishments | Aircraft engine and engine parts manufacturing establishments | establishments | sum over member counties | — |
qcew_336412_location_quotient | Aircraft engine and engine parts manufacturing location quotient | ratio to the U.S. share of jobs (1 = U.S. average) | member counties' combined job share against the U.S. share (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | weight: Private-sector employment; coverage: Aircraft engine and engine parts manufacturing establishments |
qcew_336413_employment | Aircraft parts and auxiliary equipment manufacturing employment | jobs | sum over member counties that disclose it, a lower bound (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | coverage: Aircraft parts and auxiliary equipment manufacturing establishments |
qcew_336413_establishments | Aircraft parts and auxiliary equipment manufacturing establishments | establishments | sum over member counties | — |
qcew_336413_location_quotient | Aircraft parts and auxiliary equipment manufacturing location quotient | ratio to the U.S. share of jobs (1 = U.S. average) | member counties' combined job share against the U.S. share (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | weight: Private-sector employment; coverage: Aircraft parts and auxiliary equipment manufacturing establishments |
qcew_493_employment | Warehousing and storage employment | jobs | sum over member counties that disclose it, a lower bound (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | coverage: Warehousing and storage establishments |
qcew_493_establishments | Warehousing and storage establishments | establishments | sum over member counties | — |
qcew_493_location_quotient | Warehousing and storage location quotient | ratio to the U.S. share of jobs (1 = U.S. average) | member counties' combined job share against the U.S. share (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | weight: Private-sector employment; coverage: Warehousing and storage establishments |
qcew_484_employment | Truck transportation employment | jobs | sum over member counties that disclose it, a lower bound (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | coverage: Truck transportation establishments |
qcew_484_establishments | Truck transportation establishments | establishments | sum over member counties | — |
qcew_484_location_quotient | Truck transportation location quotient | ratio to the U.S. share of jobs (1 = U.S. average) | member counties' combined job share against the U.S. share (unavailable where suppression hides much of the industry) | weight: Private-sector employment; coverage: Truck transportation establishments |
Known gaps and caveats
- BLS withholds a county's employment where a few employers would be identifiable; establishment counts are never withheld. Withheld employment is unknown, never zero.
- A metro has no value where the disclosing counties hold less than 80% of its establishments in the industry, so most small metros have no value for the narrow industries. That is BLS disclosure, not a gap in the import.
- It counts an industry's own establishments, not a customer's suppliers.