BLS Seasonal Adjustment Removes Predictable Seasonal Patterns From Data
The Fact
The Bureau of Labor Statistics describes seasonal adjustment as a statistical technique that measures and removes the influence of predictable seasonal patterns, such as holiday hiring or summer jobs, so that changes from month to month can be compared.
What This Means
The monthly jobs and price numbers you hear are usually adjusted. They are estimates of the trend, not a raw count of what happened that month.
Why It Matters
Knowing a number has been adjusted helps you read headlines without being misled by them.
Sources
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Glossary: “Seasonal adjustment”. https://www.bls.gov/bls/glossary.htm