Guide to the
1997 Economic Census

The statistics issued by industry in the 1997 Economic Census are classified primarily on the 1997 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), and, to a lesser extent, on the 1987 Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system used in previous censuses. Both NAICS and SIC categorize establishments by the principal activity in which they are engaged.

NAICS, developed in cooperation with Canada and Mexico, classifies North America's economic activities at 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-digit levels of detail, and the U.S. version of NAICS further defines industries to a sixth digit.  The Economic Census takes advantage of this hierarchy to publish data at successive levels of detail.

Table 2. NAICS hierarchic structure

NAICS level	Example
	NAICS code	Description
Sector	51	Information
Subsector	513	Broadcasting and telecommunications
Industry group	5133	Telecommunications
Industry	51332	Wireless telecommunications carriers, except satellite
U.S. Industry	513321	Paging

The Census Bureau also classifies products, and, in the case of manufacturing and mining industries, products are classified in a manner consistent with the NAICS structure.  The first 6 digits of the 10-digit product code are normally the same as the NAICS code for the industry with which the product is most frequently associated.  Broad product or service lines also are provided for retail and wholesale trade and other service industries.

The 1997 Economic Census covers 1,057 of the 1,169 industries in NAICS; industries not covered are noted in general in Table 3, and detailed in a separate list of exclusions.

Table 3. NAICS Sectors and Their Coverage in the 1997 Economic Census

NAICS codes	Economic Sector
11	Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting (Separate census of agriculture, conducted by the Department of Agriculture, covers farming but excludes agricultural services, forestry, and fisheries)
21	Mining
22	Utilities
23	Construction
31-33	Manufacturing
42	Wholesale Trade
44-45	Retail Trade
48-49	Transportation and Warehousing(Census excludes U.S. Postal Service, large certificated passenger air transportation, and all rail transportation)
51	Information
52	Finance and Insurance (Census excludes funds and trusts)
53	Real Estate and Rental and Leasing
54	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (Census excludes landscape architecture and veterinary services)
55	Management of Companies and Enterprises
56	Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services (Census excludes landscaping services)
61	Educational Services (Census excludes elementary and secondary schools, colleges, and professional schools)
62	Health Care and Social Assistance
71	Arts, Entertainment and Recreation
72	Accommodation and Food Services
81	Other Services (Except Public Administration) (Census excludes pet care; labor, political, and religious organizations; and private households)
92	Public Administration (Separate census of governments does not present data according to NAICS or SIC systems)

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