# Labor Statistics Scraper (BLS): Inflation, Jobs & Wages (`scrapemint/bls-labor-statistics-scraper`) Actor Get official US economic data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics: inflation (CPI), unemployment, wages, job openings and more. Pick a metric or paste BLS series IDs and get a clean time series. No API key needed. - **URL**: https://apify.com/scrapemint/bls-labor-statistics-scraper.md - **Developed by:** [Ken M](https://apify.com/scrapemint) (community) - **Categories:** Business, Education - **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks - **User rating**: No ratings yet ## Pricing Pay per usage This Actor is paid per platform usage. The Actor is free to use, and you only pay for the Apify platform usage, which gets cheaper the higher subscription plan you have. Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-usage ## What's an Apify Actor? Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows. In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours, and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store. In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server. Actors are written with capital "A". ## How to integrate an Actor? If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects. You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready. The best way to integrate Actors is as follows. In JavaScript/TypeScript projects, use official [JavaScript/TypeScript client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): ```bash npm install apify-client ``` In Python projects, use official [Python client library](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): ```bash pip install apify-client ``` In shell scripts, use [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): ````bash # MacOS / Linux curl -fsSL https://apify.com/install-cli.sh | bash # Windows irm https://apify.com/install-cli.ps1 | iex ```bash In AI frameworks, you might use the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md). If your project is in a different language, use the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md). For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below. For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt). # README ## Labor Statistics Scraper (BLS): Inflation, Jobs & Wages Official US economic data - inflation, unemployment, wages, job openings and more - straight from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as a clean time series. No API key required, no login, no browser. The catch with the BLS API is that everything is a cryptic series ID like `CUUR0000SA0`. This actor gives you plain-English metrics instead, while still letting power users paste raw series IDs. ### Pick a metric | Metric | What it is | | --- | --- | | Inflation (CPI-U) | Consumer Price Index, all items | | Unemployment rate | Headline US unemployment | | Labor force participation | Share of adults working or looking | | Total nonfarm employment | Jobs in the economy | | Average hourly earnings | Private-sector pay | | Average weekly hours | Private-sector hours | | Producer Price Index | Wholesale/producer prices | | Job openings (JOLTS) | Open positions | | Quits rate (JOLTS) | Share of workers quitting | ### Example input ```json { "metrics": ["cpi-inflation", "unemployment-rate"], "startYear": 2020, "endYear": 2025 } ```` Each metric comes back as one row per month, with the value, period, unit and a plain label. Add raw BLS series IDs under `seriesIds` for anything not in the preset list. ### Who uses this - **Companies**: benchmark pay against average earnings, track inflation and the labor market for budgeting and planning. - **Schools and universities**: economics and business teaching and research with real, current data. - **Analysts, consultants and journalists**: inflation, jobs and wage trends as structured numbers, ready for a spreadsheet or model. ### Limits and the optional key The keyless BLS API allows 25 requests per day per IP (shared here) and a 10-year range. If the daily limit is hit, the run stops cleanly and tells you. Add your own free BLS registration key (data.bls.gov/registrationEngine) to raise the limit to 500/day, 50 series and a 20-year range - it stays private to your run. ### Pricing A small fee per data-point row. Unknown series IDs and requests blocked by the daily limit are free note rows, and the first 2 rows of every run are free. ### Notes - Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics public API (public-domain government data). Series are US national and monthly unless noted. # Actor input Schema ## `metrics` (type: `array`): Pick the economic indicators you want (US national, monthly). Each becomes its own time series. ## `seriesIds` (type: `array`): For power users: paste raw BLS series IDs, one per line (e.g. "LNS14000000"). Find them at data.bls.gov. Combined with the metrics above. ## `startYear` (type: `integer`): First year of data. ## `endYear` (type: `integer`): Last year of data. Without a BLS key the range is capped at 10 years (20 with a key). ## `registrationKey` (type: `string`): Optional: your own free BLS registration key. Raises the shared daily limit (25 queries/day per IP) to 500/day and allows more series and a wider year range. Register free at data.bls.gov/registrationEngine. ## `maxRows` (type: `integer`): Stop after this many rows in total. ## Actor input object example ```json { "metrics": [ "cpi-inflation", "unemployment-rate" ], "startYear": 2020, "endYear": 2025, "maxRows": 5000 } ``` # API You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup. ## JavaScript example ```javascript import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client'; // Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token // Replace the '' with your token const client = new ApifyClient({ token: '', }); // Prepare Actor input const input = { "metrics": [ "cpi-inflation", "unemployment-rate" ] }; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("scrapemint/bls-labor-statistics-scraper").call(input); // Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any) console.log('Results from dataset'); console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`); const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems(); items.forEach((item) => { console.dir(item); }); // 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs ``` ## Python example ```python from apify_client import ApifyClient # Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token # Replace '' with your token. client = ApifyClient("") # Prepare the Actor input run_input = { "metrics": [ "cpi-inflation", "unemployment-rate", ] } # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("scrapemint/bls-labor-statistics-scraper").call(run_input=run_input) # Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any) print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"]) for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items(): print(item) # 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start ``` ## CLI example ```bash echo '{ "metrics": [ "cpi-inflation", "unemployment-rate" ] }' | apify call scrapemint/bls-labor-statistics-scraper --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=scrapemint/bls-labor-statistics-scraper", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer " ] } } } ``` ## OpenAPI specification ```json { "openapi": "3.0.1", "info": { "title": "Labor Statistics Scraper (BLS): Inflation, Jobs & Wages", "description": "Get official US economic data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics: inflation (CPI), unemployment, wages, job openings and more. Pick a metric or paste BLS series IDs and get a clean time series. No API key needed.", "version": "0.1", "x-build-id": "9htdCeZeCXHH88Uue" }, "servers": [ { "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2" } ], "paths": { "/acts/scrapemint~bls-labor-statistics-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-scrapemint-bls-labor-statistics-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for its completion, and returns Actor's dataset items in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } }, "/acts/scrapemint~bls-labor-statistics-scraper/runs": { "post": { "operationId": "runs-sync-scrapemint-bls-labor-statistics-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK", "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema" } } } } } } }, "/acts/scrapemint~bls-labor-statistics-scraper/run-sync": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-scrapemint-bls-labor-statistics-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } } }, "components": { "schemas": { "inputSchema": { "type": "object", "properties": { "metrics": { "title": "Metrics", "type": "array", "description": "Pick the economic indicators you want (US national, monthly). Each becomes its own time series.", "items": { "type": "string", "enum": [ "cpi-inflation", "unemployment-rate", "labor-force-participation", "nonfarm-employment", "avg-hourly-earnings", "avg-weekly-hours", "producer-price-index", "job-openings", "quits-rate" ], "enumTitles": [ "Inflation (CPI-U, all items)", "Unemployment rate", "Labor force participation rate", "Total nonfarm employment", "Average hourly earnings (private)", "Average weekly hours (private)", "Producer Price Index (final demand)", "Job openings (JOLTS)", "Quits rate (JOLTS)" ] } }, "seriesIds": { "title": "BLS series IDs (advanced)", "type": "array", "description": "For power users: paste raw BLS series IDs, one per line (e.g. \"LNS14000000\"). Find them at data.bls.gov. Combined with the metrics above.", "items": { "type": "string" } }, "startYear": { "title": "Start year", "minimum": 1913, "maximum": 2100, "type": "integer", "description": "First year of data.", "default": 2020 }, "endYear": { "title": "End year", "minimum": 1913, "maximum": 2100, "type": "integer", "description": "Last year of data. Without a BLS key the range is capped at 10 years (20 with a key).", "default": 2025 }, "registrationKey": { "title": "BLS API key (optional)", "type": "string", "description": "Optional: your own free BLS registration key. Raises the shared daily limit (25 queries/day per IP) to 500/day and allows more series and a wider year range. Register free at data.bls.gov/registrationEngine." }, "maxRows": { "title": "Max rows", "minimum": 1, "maximum": 50000, "type": "integer", "description": "Stop after this many rows in total.", "default": 5000 } } }, "runsResponseSchema": { "type": "object", "properties": { "data": { "type": "object", "properties": { "id": { "type": "string" }, "actId": { "type": "string" }, "userId": { "type": "string" }, "startedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "finishedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "status": { "type": "string", "example": "READY" }, "meta": { "type": "object", "properties": { "origin": { "type": "string", "example": "API" }, "userAgent": { "type": "string" } } }, "stats": { "type": "object", "properties": { "inputBodyLen": { "type": "integer", "example": 2000 }, "rebootCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "restartCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "resurrectCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "computeUnits": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "options": { "type": "object", "properties": { "build": { "type": "string", "example": "latest" }, "timeoutSecs": { "type": "integer", "example": 300 }, "memoryMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 1024 }, "diskMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 2048 } } }, "buildId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultKeyValueStoreId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultDatasetId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultRequestQueueId": { "type": "string" }, "buildNumber": { "type": "string", "example": "1.0.0" }, "containerUrl": { "type": "string" }, "usage": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 1 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "usageTotalUsd": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "usageUsd": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } } } } } } } } } ```