Data Sources
| Metric | Source | Geography | Update Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics | County | Monthly | Not seasonally adjusted |
| Grocery Prices | BLS Consumer Price Index | Metro area | Monthly | Food at home category |
| Shelter Costs | BLS Consumer Price Index | Metro area | Monthly | Shelter sub-index |
| Energy Costs | BLS Consumer Price Index | Metro area | Monthly | Energy sub-index |
| Gas Prices | EIA Weekly Retail Gasoline Prices | State-level | Weekly | — |
Methodology
Year-over-year percentage changes are calculated by comparing the most recent available data point to the value from January 20, 2025 — the date of the presidential inauguration. National comparison overlays use the same BLS and EIA series at the national level, allowing you to see whether local trends diverge from the country as a whole.
Political Era Shading
Charts include subtle background shading to mark presidential terms. Vertical lines and shaded bands indicate inauguration dates: January 20, 2017, January 20, 2021, and January 20, 2025.
Data Audit
Every week, an automated audit verifies the data on this site against the original government sources. It tests 10 random zip codes, checks that every number matches BLS, EIA, and Census data, re-derives all calculations, and takes screenshots as evidence.
The audit checks API correctness, display accuracy, internal math, and cross-references gas prices against AAA as an independent source.
About This Project
Source code is available on GitHub.
Last updated: March 29, 2026
All BLS and EIA data used on this site is public domain and freely available from the respective government agencies.