New unemployment figures: whom to believe??? (Durham: home, unemployment rate, statistics) - Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary - North Carolina (NC) -The Triangle Area - City-Data Forum

rnc2mbfl · 12-01-2011, 02:30 PM

Both WRAL and the N&O have stories about the Triangle's unemployment rate on their websites today. Strangely, the two reports are wildly different. The N&O reports that the Triangle's unemployment rate is 8.7% while WRAL reports that it's 8.0%. How can they be so far off from each other? On WRAL's interactive, the news is better for the core counties of Wake, Durham and Orange. All three are below 8% with the outlying counties of the CSA reporting higher unemployment rates.
Triangle unemployment rate dips in October :: WRAL.com
.biz - Triangle jobless rate hovers at 2-year high | newsobserver.com blogs
North Carolina unemployment rates, county-by-county :: WRAL.com

Huckleberry3911948 · 12-01-2011, 02:32 PM

city, county, state, federal-- does not matter-- tweaking the stats is rampant- to create "the correct" picture.

MrRational · 12-01-2011, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rnc2mbfl

The N&O reports that the Triangle's unemployment rate is 8.7% while WRAL reports that it's 8.0%.
How can they be so far off from each other?

Because they aren't.

Whether either report tells the whole story is another matter...
but a 7/10's of 1% difference is not statistically significant.

Dire Wolf · 12-01-2011, 02:51 PM

The N&O blog specifically states its numbers are seasonably adjusted numbers from Wells Fargo, based on the original report. It may be that the WRAL numbers are not the adjusted ones.

Rdanville · 12-01-2011, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrRational

Because they aren't.

Whether either report tells the whole story is another matter...
but a 7/10's of 1% difference is not statistically significant.

Yes it is. Damn I'm glad you don't work for me.

Francois · 12-01-2011, 03:16 PM

The "quote unquote OFFICIAL" [said in booming, echoing voice] "Unemployment Rate" is published monthly by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, at least for the state/national level. There may be various sources that report on counties.

benthephysicist · 12-01-2011, 03:34 PM

I keep thinking of my sister and her boyfriend who sit at home and collect government checks all day long and they are part of that statistic.

Rdanville · 12-01-2011, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by benthephysicist

I keep thinking of my sister and her boyfriend who sit at home and collect government checks all day long and they are part of that statistic.

Yes sadly government using taxpayer dollars are the great enablers.

benthephysicist · 12-01-2011, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rdanville

Yes sadly government using taxpayer dollars are the great enablers.

If I could burn her mail every day, she'd just get it direct deposit. I hate it too.

ducter · 12-02-2011, 06:50 AM

It is based on unemployment CLAIMS, not how long or if currently out of work.

People who have used all their benefits and cannot claim anymore are no longer counted, that is very high since the economy has been bad for some time.

Also doesnt take into account under employed.
Could also talk about people who moved out of state to find work.