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The Census Product Update is a listing of recently released and upcoming data products from the U.S. Census Bureau. Census Bureau data come in many media types. PDF files cited below can be ordered in print from the Customer Services Center for a cost. Call for prices. Some printed reports must be ordered from the U.S. Government Printing Office (202-512-1800). Before ordering other products listed for sale, be sure to consult the ordering information at the end of this newsletter.


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Headline News

Profiles of Older Workers: 2004 - Pennsylvania. (Released October 30, 2008)

Facts for Features: The 2008 Holiday Season. (Released October 30, 2008)

New Orders for Manufactured Durable Goods in September Increased $1.6 Billion or 0.8 Percent to $207.8 Billion. (Released October 29, 2008)

Third Quarter 2008 Homeownership, Rental Vacancy, and Homeowner Vacancy Rates Were Not Statistically Differerent Than the Third Quarter 2007 Rates. (Released October 28, 2008)

Sales of New One-Family Houses in September 2008 Were at a Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate of 464,000. This Is 2.7 Percent Above the Revised August 2008 Estimate of 452,000. (Released October 27, 2008)

2007 Census of Governments Counts 16 Million State and Local Employees. (Released October 22, 2008)

Media Advisory -- Census Bureau Reaffirms Commitment to Working With American Indians and Alaska Natives. (Released October 21, 2008)

Facts for Features: *Special Edition* 2008 World Series. (Released (October 21, 2008)

Media Advisory -- Census Bureau Director to Visit Anchorage 2010 Census Office. (Released October 20, 2008)

Privately-Owned Housing Starts in September 2008 Were at a Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate of 817,000. This Is 6.3 Percent Below the Revised August 2008 Estimate of 872,000. (Released (October 17, 2008)

American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month (November). (Released October 16, 2008)

Veterans Day (November 11). (Released October 16, 2008)


Fact of the Day

State and Local Employees

Local governments accounted for 12.1 million full-time equivalent employees, and state governments had 4.3 million. Most full-time equivalent state and local employees worked in education (8.8 million), hospitals (989,000), police protection (933,000) and corrections (731,000). These data, and much more, are available on our web site. The census of governments is taken at five-year intervals in years ending in 2 and 7. We also conduct an annual public employment survey that provides estimates for years in which the census is not conducted and parallels that of the census of governments.


Hot Tip

New Data Tool Available

A new online search tool known as Build-a-Table is now available to help users find data. Users can search for employment and payroll data by state, level of government (i.e. state, local, or state and local combined) and function of government (i.e. education, health, highways) for censuses in 1997, 2002 and 2007. All governments across the country were surveyed.


Recently Released

Housing

American Housing Survey: 2007. (PDF - 6.82 MB) The American Housing Survey (AHS) is conducted by the Bureau of the Census for the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The survey collects data on the nation's housing, including apartments, single-family homes, mobile homes, vacant housing units, household characteristics, income, housing, neighborhood quality, and much more. National data are collected in odd numbered years, and data for each of 47 selected metropolitan areas are collected currently about every six years. The AHS returns to the same housing units year after year to gather data; therefore, this survey is ideal for analyzing the flow of households through housing.

Small Area Health Insurance Estimates: 2005. Interactive tables, maps, and downloadable files containing estimates of health insurance coverage for all counties and states. Data are provided by age, sex, and income at the county level, and, in addition to these characteristics, by race and Hispanic origin at the state level. The estimates are based on models combining data from a variety of sources, including the Annual Social and Economic Supplement to the Current Population Survey, Census 2000, administrative records, and population estimates.


Latest Economic Indicators

Housing Starts and Building Permits: September 2008. Press release showing data for housing starts, completions, and building permits.

New Residential Sales: September 2008. Press release reporting new one-family houses sold and for sale. Includes sales prices, months on the market, and stage of construction.

Housing Vacancies: 3rd Quarter 2008. Press release showing rental and homeowner vacancy rates and characteristics of units available for occupancy.

Advance Report on Durable Goods Manufactures' Shipments and Orders: September 2008. Press release showing advance information on key business indicators.


Economic Census and Surveys

2008 Capital Spending Report: US Capital Spending Patterns, 1999-2006. A look at capital expenditure patterns from 1999 to 2006 reveals data about firms with and without employees, expenditures for structures and equipment, and expenditures for major industry sectors. The data comes from the Annual Capital Expenditures Survey.

Older Worker Profiles. Reports (will be released for each of over 30 states) providing a detailed picture of workers 55 and older at the county and metropolitan area levels for 2004. Based on data from the Local Employment Dynamics program, the reports highlight the age of the states' work force, job gains, and losses, industries in which older workers are concentrated, job stability, and earnings. The following states are available as of the publish date of this newsletter:


Government

2007 State and Local Government Employees and Payroll. Internet tables and files available in PDF containing figures about the nation's 89,526 state and local governments. These will be the first comprehensive data from the 2007 Census of Governments. Local governments include counties, cities, townships, special districts and school districts.

Quarterly Survey of the Finances of Public Employee Retirement Systems. Internet tables available as text files containing aggregate figures for the 100 largest Public Employee Retirement Systems. Cash and security holdings, and receipts and payments are included for the last five years.


Reference and Compendia

Facts for Features: The 2008 Holiday Season

Facts for Features: *Special Edition* 2008 World Series

American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month (November)

Veterans Day (November 11)

Facts for Features: Halloween (October 31)

Thanksgiving Day (November 27)


Upcoming Releases

Population

Foreign-Born Characteristics: 2007. There were an estimated 38 million people in 2007 living in the United States who were born outside of the country. New data profiles show educational attainment, income, year of entry, occupations and more based on a group's country of birth. For example, Chinese-born residents in one part of the country are much more likely to graduate high school than others.


Economic Indicators

Construction Spending (Put-in-Place): September 2008. Press release showing estimates of the value of total new construction put-in-place by type of construction (residential and non-residential), annual value, and by type of owner (private and public). Scheduled for release November 3, 2008.

Manufacturers' Shipments, Inventories, and Orders: September 2008. Press release showing information on key business indicators. Shows revised durable goods totals, in addition to nondurable goods manufacturers' shipments, inventories, and orders. Scheduled for release November 4, 2008.

Monthly Wholesale Trade: September 2008. Press release showing estimates for sales, inventories on a non-LIFO ("last in-first out") basis, and stock-sales ratios for merchant wholesalers by three-digit major kind-of-business groups. Scheduled for release November 7, 2008.

US International Trade in Goods and Services: September 2008. Press release showing monthly exports, general imports (including data by country), and limited data on imports for consumption. Scheduled for release November 13, 2008.

Advance Monthly Sales for Retail and Food Services: October 2008. Press release presenting advance monthly estimates of retail store sales by kind-of-business groups. Report includes seasonally adjusted estimates and percentage changes for major kind-of-business groups. Scheduled for release November 14, 2008.

Manufacturing and Trade: Inventories and Sales: September 2008. Press release showing sales, inventories, and inventories-to-sales ratios for the combined domestic activities of retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers. Scheduled for release November 14, 2008.