Current Population Survey (CPS)
What is it measuring?
The CPS is the primary source of labor force statistics for the US. It measures employment and unemployment. Among the employed, it counts how many are self-employed, and among those, how many are incorporated versus unincorporated, similar to the American Community Survey. Unincorporated self-employed workers can be seen as a measure of the gig economy. The CPS also includes income and health insurance coverage information.
What does it tell us?
As of spring 2025, there were 9.95 million unincorporated self-employed workers, representing 5.9 percent of the workforce.
How is it collected?
CPS is conducted monthly via telephone and in-person interviews.
Who collects it?
The US Census Bureau in collaboration with the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Considerations
The CPS is a large, nationally representative sample, though the larger sample of the American Community Survey makes it a better source for geographically specific data. Both surveys only captures a narrow definition of the gig economy--the unincorporated self-employed.
How to access this data?
Data is publicly available on the CPS website from the U.S. Census Bureau.