FRED Economic Data

search_series

Search for FRED economic data series by keyword.

Use this to find series IDs for economic indicators. For example,
search 'unemployment rate' to find UNRATE, or 'gross domestic product'
to find GDP. Returns series metadata including ID, title, frequency,
units, and date range.

Common series: UNRATE (unemployment), GDP (gross domestic product),
CPIAUCSL (consumer price index), FEDFUNDS (federal funds rate),
MORTGAGE30US (30-year mortgage rate), MEHOINUSA672N (median household income).

Args:
    search_text: Keywords to search for (e.g. 'unemployment rate', 'GDP', 'inflation').
    limit: Maximum number of results to return (default 10, max 1000).

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`limit`	No
`search_text`	Yes

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`result`	Yes

TDQS

A4.2/5.0

Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

With no annotations, the description conveys that the tool returns series metadata, supports search by keyword, and has configurable result limits (default 10, max 1000). It does not cover rate limits or authentication, but for a search tool this is sufficient.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness3/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is somewhat verbose with a list of common series and an Args block. While front-loaded with purpose, it could be more concise without losing clarity.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given that an output schema exists (context indicates true), the description adequately covers purpose, usage, and parameters. It provides sufficient information for an agent to use the tool correctly.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 0%, so the description adds value by explaining search_text as keywords and limit as maximum results with default and max values, which the schema lacks.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states that the tool searches for FRED economic data series by keyword, provides examples, and specifies what metadata is returned (ID, title, frequency, units, date range). This distinguishes it from sibling tools like get_series_info or get_series_observations.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines4/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description explicitly says 'Use this to find series IDs for economic indicators' and gives examples. It does not explicitly mention when not to use it or alternatives, but the context of sibling tools makes it clear.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

All FRED Economic Data tools Inspect

Try in Browser

RayrunBuild, deploy, and operate MCP servers without becoming an infrastructure team.ray.runAd

Glama MCP Gateway

Add one secure layer between your agents and this server.

TDQS

A4.4/5.0

Disambiguation5/5

Each tool has a clearly distinct purpose with no overlap: get_category_series browses series by category, get_release_dates tracks publication dates, get_series_info provides metadata, get_series_observations retrieves data points, and search_series finds series by keyword. The descriptions reinforce these unique roles, eliminating any ambiguity.

Naming Consistency5/5

All tools follow a consistent verb_noun pattern with 'get_' or 'search_' prefixes and descriptive nouns (e.g., get_category_series, search_series). The naming is uniform and predictable, making it easy for agents to understand the action and target resource.

Tool Count5/5

With 5 tools, this server is well-scoped for accessing FRED economic data. It covers essential operations like searching, retrieving metadata, and fetching observations, without being overly sparse or bloated. Each tool serves a clear purpose in the data exploration workflow.

Completeness4/5

The tool set provides strong coverage for browsing and retrieving economic data, including search, metadata, and observations. However, it lacks direct update or manipulation tools (e.g., for user favorites or annotations), which are minor gaps but not critical for the core domain of data access.

Resources

Need Help?