To provide periodic and comprehensive statistics about
business establishments and activities. The United States Code, Title 13, requires
this census and provides for mandatory responses. All domestic non-farm business
establishments, other than those operated by governments. Most reports are confined
to businesses with paid employees. Basic data obtained for all establishments
including kind of business, geographic location, type of ownership, total revenue,
annual and first quarter payroll, and employees in the pay period including
March 12. Additional inquiries vary from sector to sector and, in some cases,
industry to industry. Every 5 years since 1967, for years ending
in "2" and "7." Previous economic censuses were conducted
for years 1963, 1958, and 1954. Data collection begins in December of the census
year and responses are due in about 8 weeks. Data are requested for activities
taking place during the census calendar year.
A mail-out/mail-back data collection for
establishments of multi-unit companies, large single-unit employers, and a sample
of small employers; and administrative records data for non-selected small employers
and all nonemployers. All establishments of multi-unit firms and single-unit
employers with annualized payroll above a size cutoff (for most industries,
equivalent to about 3 employees) receive a census form. A sample of small employers
also receives a census form. This sample is selected using a stratified sampling
procedure with strata based on industry and geography. Basic data for non-selected
small employers and nonemployers are obtained from Federal administrative records.
Estimates for sales by product line and other industry-specific data for non-manufacturing
and non-mining establishments are based partly on small employer sample results. Most data are available from the Internet and on CD-ROM. The principal publications
are: Industry Series reports present preliminary
statistics, packaged for individual industries or groups of related industries. Geographic Area Series reports supersede
industry series data, and are packaged by sector and by state within sector.
Reports provide industry statistics for each state and the District of Columbia,
and, in most sectors, metropolitan and micropolitan areas, counties and places.
Geographic detail available for each sector is summarized in the Guide
to the Economic Census. Subject Series reports supplement other
products and present tabulations for the U.S. with some state detail. Reports
for most sectors include Establishment and Firm Size (Including Legal Form of
Organization); and Miscellaneous Subjects Reports for the manufacturing sector
include General Summary, Products Summary, Materials Consumed Summary, and Concentration
Ratios in Manufacturing. The Bureau of Economic Analysis uses the data to benchmark
GDP estimates and prepare input-output tables. The Bureau of Labor Statistics
uses the data to benchmark producer price indexes and prepare productivity statistics.
The Federal Reserve Board uses the data to prepare indexes of industrial production.
State and local agencies use the data to forecast economic
conditions and plan policies. Trade associations, companies, and researchers
use the data for economic planning, market analysis and investment and production
decisions. National and local news media use the data in general and special
business coverage. The Census Bureau uses the data in sampling and benchmarking activities for
current surveys.
EXPLORE INFORMATION CONTINUE OVERVIEW
Last revised:
November 01, 2006
ECONOMIC CENSUS
PURPOSE
COVERAGE
CONTENT
FREQUENCY
METHODS
PRODUCTS
USES
RELATED PROGRAMS
Nonemployer Statistics
provides annual data on the businesses without paid employees that are excluded
from most economic census reports.
County Business Patterns provides annual data
on the same businesses with paid employees covered in most economic census
reports, including establishments, employment, and payroll, but no measure
of sales or output.
Statistics
of U.S. Businesses provides annual data on business with paid employees
classified by employment-size of the enterprise.
Survey of Business Owners
(formerly known as the surveys of minority- and women-owned business enterprises)
is conducted once every 5 years in conjunction with the economic census, and
obtains information about race, gender and other owner characteristics; business
acquisition; and financing methods.
Business Expenses Survey
is conducted once every 5 years in conjunction with the economic census, and
compiles national-level data on detailed operating expenses by kind of business,
such as labor costs, depreciation, rent, utilities, and purchased services.
Vehicle Inventory and Use
Survey was conducted once every 5 years in conjunction with the
economic census through 2002, and provides information about truck characteristics
and uses.
Commodity Flow Survey is conducted once every
5 years in conjunction with the economic census, and produces data on the
movement of goods in the United States.
Business Register provides
a current and comprehensive database of U.S. business establishments and companies
that serves as the mailing list or sampling frame for the economic census
and most other business surveys.
Economic Census (Classification) determines industry classification and physical
location for establishments without complete information on file.