November 28, 2008
Headline News
Sales of New One-Family Houses in October 2008 Were At a Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate of 433,000. (Released November 26, 2008)
New Orders for Manufactured Durable Goods in October Decreased $12.7 Billion or 6.2 Percent to $193.0 Billion. (Released November 26, 2008)
Profiles of Older Workers: 2004 - North Dakota. (Released November 25, 2008)
Profiles of Older Workers: 2004 - Missouri. (Released November 20, 2008)
Privately-Owned Housing Starts in October 2008 Were at a Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate of 791,000. This Is 4.5 Percent Below the Revised September 2008 Estimate of 828,000. (Released November 19, 2008)
North American Transportation in Figures. (Released November 19, 2008)
U.S. Total Business Sales for September Were $1,164.3 Billion, Down 2.0 Percent From Last Month. Month-End Inventories Were $1,507.1 Billion, Down 0.2 Percent From Last Month. (Released November 14, 2008)
U.S. Retail and Food Service Sales for October Reached $363.7 Billion, a Decrease of 2.8
Percent From the Previous Month. (Released November 14, 2008)
Fact of the Day
North American Transportation Statistics Database
This on-line database presents information on transportation and transportation-related activities among Canada, the United States and Mexico, both within individual countries and between the countries. This database, presented in French, English, and Spanish, is accessible in table and time series formats, and covers twelve thematic areas including; transportation and the economy, transportation safety, transportation's impact on energy and the environment, passenger and freight activity, and transportation and trade.
The database currently contains 31 tables with additions planned for the future, and allows users to obtain both value data in any of the three national currencies and volume data in metric or U.S. measurement units via the time series function. Data in table or time series format can be printed or downloaded for further processing and analysis. For most tables, data are available for 1990, 1995 to 2004. The data will be updated on a regular basis, thus a few tables already contain more recent data.
Hot Tip
American Community Survey 2005-2007 Data Release
On Dec. 9, the Census Bureau will release the first set of three-year American Community Survey data for all geographies with populations greater than 20,000. The release will provide the first look at detailed socioeconomic and housing characteristics for geographies between 20,000 and 64,999 since Census 2000.
Recently Released
Latest Economic Indicators
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.
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.
Housing Starts and Building Permits: October 2008. Press release showing data for housing starts, completions, and building permits.
Advance Report on Durable Goods Manufactures' Shipments and Orders: October 2008. Press release showing advance information on key business indicators.
New Residential Sales: October 2008. Press release reporting new one-family houses sold and for sale. Includes sales prices, months on the market, and stage of construction.
Economic Census and Surveys
North American Transportation in Figures. Report providing a comprehensive overview of
transportation statistics in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Each language edition - English, Spanish and French - contains more than 30 data tables. Statistics include modes of transportation, fuel consumption, number of passengers, fatalities and more.
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:
Iowa (PDF - 1.31 MB)
Maine (PDF - 1.45 MB)
Vermont (PDF - 762 KB)
Indiana (PDF - 1.53 MB)
Arkansas (PDF - 1.81 MB)
Hawaii (PDF - 558 KB)
Delaware (PDF - 464 KB)
Colorado (PDF - 779 KB)
Wisconsin (PDF - 766 KB)
New Jersey (PDF - 800 KB)
Maryland (PDF - 1.03 MB)
Kentucky (PDF - 1.58 MB)
Oklahoma (PDF - 696 KB)
South Carolina (PDF - 1.34 MB)
Montana (PDF - 1.03 MB)
Oregon (PDF - 756 KB)
New Mexico (PDF - 486 KB)
Tennessee (PDF - 1.13 MB)
Washington (PDF - 1.03 MB)
Pennsylvania (PDF - 1.03 MB)
Minnesota (PDF - 736 KB)
Virginia (PDF - 2.37 MB)
Missouri (PDF - 849 KB)
North Dakota (PDF - 704 KB)
Reference and Compendia
American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month (November)
Thanksgiving Day (November 27)
Facts for Features: The 2008 Holiday Season
Upcoming Releases
Population
American Community Survey 2005-2007 Data Release. On December 9, 2008 the Census Bureau will release the first set of three-year American Community Survey data for all geographies with populations greater than 20,000. The release will provide the first look at detailed socioeconomic and housing characteristics for geographies between 20,000 and 64,999 since Census 2000.
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.
State Population Estimates: July 1, 2008. In 2007, Nevada reclaimed its title as the nation's fastest-growing state. Will the Silver State remain tops? Internet tables showing July 1, 2008, population estimates and components of change for the nation, states and Puerto Rico.
International Data Base. The world population is undergoing constant changes in fertility, infant mortality, life expectancy and other factors. Which countries have fertility rates at or above replacement levels? Will the annual number of births peak anytime soon? Answers to these and other questions about the population of the world's 225 countries can be found in this 2008 update.
Economic Indicators
Construction Spending (Put-in-Place): October 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 December 1, 2008.
Manufacturers' Shipments, Inventories, and Orders: October 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 December 4, 2008.
Quarterly Financial Report: Manufacturing, Mining, and Wholesale Trade: 3rd Quarter 2008. Press release showing up-to-date aggregate statistics on U.S. manufacturing, mining, and wholesale trade corporations. Scheduled for release December 8, 2008.
Monthly Wholesale Trade: October 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 December 10, 2008.
Quarterly Services Survey: 3rd Quarter 2008. Press release showing quarterly estimates of total operating revenue and the percentage of revenue by class of customer for the services industries. Scheduled for release December 11, 2008.
US International Trade in Goods and Services: October 2008. Press release showing monthly exports, general imports (including data by country), and limited data on imports for consumption. Scheduled for release December 11, 2008.
Advance Monthly Sales for Retail and Food Services: November 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 December 12, 2008.
Manufacturing and Trade: Inventories and Sales: October 2008. Press release showing sales, inventories, and inventories-to-sales ratios for the combined domestic activities of retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers. Scheduled for release December 12, 2008.
Economic Census and Surveys
Business Dynamics Statistics. This new data tool provides a unique new way to track annual changes in employment at the establishment level by business size and business age.
2007 Commodity Flow Survey. Tracking value, tonnage, mileage and mode of transportation, this survey provides new data on the movement of goods in the United States. It covers mining, manufacturing, wholesale and selected retail trade and service industries.
Government
2007 State Government Finances. Complete information on the financial activity of all 50 state governments. Data cover revenues by type (taxes and federal aid), expenditures by character (current operations, capital outlay, payments to other governments), expenditures by function (welfare, health, education, natural resources), indebtedness, and cash and security holdings. Complete statistics on local government finances will be released in the summer of 2009 from the 2007 Census of Governments.
Reference and Compendia
Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2009. "Uncle Sam's Almanac" presents its usual dazzling array of statistics on topics from "A" (aerobics) to "Z" (zinc production). Published since 1878, the upcoming 128th edition includes several dozen new tables and more than 1,400 overall, describing life in our nation and the world.
Facts for Features: African-American History Month (February). To commemorate and celebrate the contributions to our nation made by people of African descent, the Census Bureau presents a collection of demographic and economic statistics about the black community.
Facts for Features: Valentine's Day. The year's most romantic edition features a collection of statistics on chocolates, flowers, jewelry and marriage, among other topics.
November 14, 2008
Headline News
The Nation's International Deficit in Goods and Services Decreased to $56.5 Billion in September From $59.1 Billion (Revised) in August, as Imports Decreased More Than Exports. (Released November 13, 2008.
Profiles of Older Workers: 2004 - Virginia. (Released November 10, 2008)
September 2008 Sales Of Merchant Wholesalers Were $396.2 Billion, Down 1.5 Percent From Last Month. (Released November 7, 2008)
Profiles of Older Workers: 2004 - Minnesota. (Released November 6, 2008)
New Orders for Manufactured Goods In September Decreased $11.2 Billion Or 2.5 Percent To $432.0 Billion. (Released November 4, 2008)
Total Construction Activity For September 2008 ($1,060.1 Billion) Was 0.3 Percent Below The Revised August 2008 ($1,063.5 Billion). (Released November 3, 2008)
Fact of the Day
Holiday Rush
$30.5 billion - - Retail sales by the nation's department stores (including leased departments) in December 2007. This represented a 42 percent jump from the previous month (when retail sales, many holiday-related, registered $21.5 billion). No other month-to-month increase in department store sales last year was as large.
Other U.S. retailers with sizable jumps in sales between November and December 2007 were book stores (78 percent); clothing stores (37 percent); jewelry stores (137 percent); radio, TV and other electronics stores (46 percent); and sporting goods stores (53 percent). Find this information and more at the Service Sector Statistics webpage.
Hot Tip
New Series of American Community Survey Handbooks!
The Census Bureau has worked closely with a group of experts to develop a series of handbooks, each of which is designed to instruct and provide guidance regarding the American Community Survey to particular audiences. The series is called, A Compass for Understanding and Using American Community Survey Data. Series titles are listed below and began release in October 2008, to be continued on a flow-basis.
- What General Data Users Need to Know [PDF 1.7MB]
- What the Business Community Needs to Know [PDF 1.4MB]
- What High School Teachers Need to Know
- What the Media Needs to Know
- What Congress Needs to Know
- What State and Local Governments Need to Know
- What Federal Agencies Need to Know
- What Researchers Need to Know
- What Users of Data for Rural Areas Need to Know
- What Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) Data Users Need to Know
- What Users of Data for American Indian and Alaska Native Populations Need to Know
- What Users of Data from the Puerto Rico Community Survey Need to Know (in Spanish)
Recently Released
Population
USA Counties Update. Information from USA Counties (contains more than 6,000 data items for the United States, states and counties) has been updated. New items include 2007 age, sex, race and Hispanic origin data; 2007 housing units estimates; 2006 federal government expenditure data; 2006 nonemployer statistics; and 2006 private nonfarm business statistics.
Latest Economic Indicators
Manufacturer's 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.
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).
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.
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.
Economic Census and Surveys
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:
- Iowa (PDF - 1.31 MB)
- Maine (PDF - 1.45 MB)
- Vermont (PDF - 762 KB)
- Indiana (PDF - 1.53 MB)
- Arkansas (PDF - 1.81 MB)
- Hawaii (PDF - 558 KB)
- Delaware (PDF - 464 KB)
- Colorado (PDF - 779 KB)
- Wisconsin (PDF - 766 KB)
- New Jersey (PDF - 800 KB)
- Maryland (PDF - 1.03 MB)
- Kentucky (PDF - 1.58 MB)
- Oklahoma (PDF - 696 KB)
- South Carolina (PDF - 1.34 MB)
- Montana (PDF - 1.03 MB)
- Oregon (PDF - 756 KB)
- New Mexico (PDF - 486 KB)
- Tennessee (PDF - 1.13 MB)
- Washington (PDF - 1.03 MB)
- Pennsylvania (PDF - 1.03 MB)
- Minnesota (PDF - 736 KB)
- Virginia (PDF - 2.37 MB)
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. 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
American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month (November)
Thanksgiving Day (November 27)
Facts for Features: The 2008 Holiday Season
Upcoming Releases
Population
American Community Survey 2005-2007 Data Release. On December 9, 2008 the Census Bureau will release the first set of three-year American Community Survey data for all geographies with populations greater than 20,000. The release will provide the first look at detailed socioeconomic and housing characteristics for geographies between 20,000 and 64,999 since Census 2000.
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
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
Housing Starts and Building Permits: October 2008. Press release showing data for housing starts, completions, and building permits. Scheduled for release November 19, 2008
Advance Report on Durable Goods Manufactures' Shipments and Orders: October 2008. Press release showing advance information on key business indicators. Scheduled for release November 26, 2008.
