Improve economic vitality of businesses and individuals

Indicator 1: Increase percentage of people employed

Measure a: Percent of Prime Working Age Population Employed

Description:

Percent of 25 to 54 year-olds who are employed either full-time or part-time at the time of the State Population Survey.

The percent of prime working age population employed represents the degree to which the economy is able to provide jobs and incomes to those who want to work. The greater the share of the labor force employed is indicative of a healthy economy, growing incomes, and lesser demands by unemployed workers and their families on publicly provided social services.

The graph shows that the percent of prime working age population employed has declined from 1998 to 2006. The survey results for 2002 reflect the weakness of the economy just after the national recession of 2001. By 2006, the percent of prime working age population employed had bounced back, but no to the pre-2001-recession levels.

Percent of Age 25-54 Population who are Employed
	1998	2000	2002	2004	2006
Percent Employed	82.1%	81.2%	77.5%	76.6%	78.2%

Source:

Office of Financial Management - State Population Survey

Related information:

Those 25 to 54 that worked in the previous week, own their own businesses, or worked without compensation in the family business or on the family farm are counted as employed as well as those on vacation, on sick leave or unable to work due to weather, among other things.