Answers to the Unemployment QUIZ #2. There's a Map for that!

Amaze your friends by showing them a dynamic application that will visually MAP the answers to life's unemployment geography questions.

You decide.

Locate the unemployment rates by States, Counties, or Metro Statistical Area (MSA). Pick a category and press the Draw button and a custom map will be created based on the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

To get you started, here are a few Quiz Questions.

1. What states have the lowest unemployment rate in the nation?

2. In Colorado, what counties have the highest and lowest rate?

3. Is the unemployment rate increasing or decreasing in your area over time?

4. The Basic question: Are there greener pastures elsewhere?

To Answer the question, do the following:

1. Navigate to : ( The Bureau of Labor Statistics web site http://www.bls.gov )

2. Click on this link to view the main map.

http://data.bls.gov/map/servlet/map.servlet.MapToolServlet?survey=la

3. Select the tab by States, Counties, or MSAs.

For example, here is an map for colorado.

http://data.bls.gov/map/servlet/map.servlet.MapToolServlet?state=08&datatype=unemployment&year=2010&period=M08&survey=la&map=county&seasonal=u

4. Move the cursor over the map to see more detail.

Summary: Overall, Colorado is in the middle of the range between high and low employment rates across the nation.

The dynamic nature of the map can reveal trends without having to read all of the details. The answers just pop out.

How did you do on the Quiz?