Census Bureau

The Census Bureau is the U.S. government agency collecting and publishing some of the largest business-oriented data. In addition, it also partners with and disseminates data from other agencies. Below are some of the major business-related series issued by this agency. If you are looking to understand and use the older print Census title at the Library of Congress, Business Reference has published U. S. Census Connections: A Resource Guide.

For anyone that is interested in more in-depth assistance, the Census Academy offers pre-recorded videos and webinars that are specific types of research and products. Each of the webinars is usually recorded and available:

Exploring data.census.gov
Introduction to Census Bureau Data
Exploring Census Data Webinar Series: Transportation Statistics
Women-Owned Businesses
Accessing the Economic Census Local Area Data on data.census.gov

They also produce video shorts - DATA GEMS - that are usually more task oriented like:

How to Navigate data.census.gov
How to Customize and Download Tables Using data.census.gov
How Do I Get Business Data for My Location?

In 2023 the Census Bureau began transition to the Annual Capital Expenditures Survey (ACES). This new survey is rolling up several surveys into one. It is designed to integrate and replace seven existing annual business surveys into one. This includes:

Annual Capital Expenditures Survey (ACES)
Annual Retail Trade Survey (ARTS)
Annual Survey of Manufactures (ASM)
Annual Wholesale Trade Survey (AWTS)
Manufacturers’ Unfilled Orders Survey (M3UFO)
Report of Organization (COS)
Service Annual Survey (SAS)

Data that is collected include Capital Expenditures, Employment, Expenses, Inventories, Payroll, and Sales, Shipments, Receipts or Revenue. The first release of data that was collection will be summer of 2025,

Economic Census
This is the biggest of the economic data activities undertaken by the Census Bureau. It began in 1930 as an outgrowth of the Census of Manufactures and other reports on economic activity. Information is shown by industry code (NAICS from the 1997 Census forward and SIC for prior years) and geographically by state with industry code breakdowns. In addition to displaying data by industry codes, the Economic Census also shows data by Product Codes that can be even more specific. For example, if one were tracking pharmacies, one would use the SIC/NAICS for independent pharmacies. But to capture those supermarkets with pharmacies, one would use the SIC/NAICS for supermarkets and then look for the product code for those supermarkets that have pharmacies. There are also several subsets of data that are updated more frequently. Those include: the Annual Survey of Manufactures, the Annual Retail Trade Survey, and the Annual Wholesale Trade Survey. Another report to be aware of is the Franchise Statistics Report.
It was produced at varying intervals until 1967 but since then it has been issued once every five years. The Economic Census shows data on the national and state level. The Bureau web page has data from the Censuses for 1992, 1997, and 2002 (and going forward) though under Economic Census By Year, data goes back to 1977.
Business & Economy
This is a good starting page for economic data produced by Census. There is a link to specific surveys including:
Economic Census, Annual Retail Trade Survey (ARTS), Service Annual Survey (SAS), Annual Wholesale Trade Survey (AWTS), Export Statistics, Annual Survey of Entrepreneurs.
There is also data for: Advance Monthly Sales for Retail and Food Services (MARTS), Annual Business Survey (ABS), Annual Capital Expenditures Survey (ACES), Annual Retail Trade Survey (ARTS), Annual Services Report (Service Annual Survey), Annual Survey of Entrepreneurs, Annual Survey of Manufactures (ASM), Annual Wholesale Trade Survey (AWTS), Business Dynamics Statistics (BDS), Business R&D Surveys, Business Formation data, etc.
Economic Indicators
Economic Indicators are are data used in larger economic discussions. While much of it is not industry specific, there are data points that may be relevant to manufacturing, real estate, retail, etc. This includes:
Manufacturers' Shipments, Inventories, and Orders
Construction Spending
Advance Monthly Retail Inventories
Advance Monthly Wholesale Inventories
Advance Report on Durable Goods Manufacturers' Shipments, Inventories, and Orders
New Residential Sales
Quarterly Financial Report - Retail Trade
Quarterly Financial Report - Manufacturing, Mining, Wholesale Trade, and Selected Service Industries
New Residential Construction
Manufacturing and Trade Inventories and Sales
Advance Monthly Sales for Retail and Food Services
Quarterly Services Survey
Rental Vacancy Rate
Homeownership Rate
Non-Employer Data
This is an annual series that provides subnational economic data for businesses that have no paid employees and are subject to federal income tax most are self-employed individuals operating unincorporated businesses (sole proprietorships). Due to their small economic impact, these firms are excluded from most other Census Bureau business statistics (the primary exception being the Survey of Business Owners). The data consist of the number of businesses and total receipts by industry. This is a good source for studying the gig economy.
Annual Survey of Manufactures (ASM)
ASM provides sample estimates of statistics for all manufacturing establishments (classified in NAICS sector 31-33) with one or more paid employees and is conducted annually, except for years ending in 2 and 7. Provides statistics on employment, payroll, supplemental labor costs, cost of materials consumed, operating expenses, value of shipments, value added by manufacturing, detailed capital expenditures, fuels and electric energy used, and inventories. Data goes back to 2004.
The Annual Survey of Manufactures (ASM) transitioned to the Annual Integrated Economic Survey (AIES). The data formerly collected for the ASM will now be collected as part of the AIES, which will begin data collection in early 2024.
Annual Retail Trade Survey (ARTS)
ARTS includes national estimates of total annual sales, e-commerce sales, sales taxes, end-of-year inventories, purchases, total operating expenses, inventories held outside the United States, gross margins, and end-of-year accounts receivable for retail businesses located in the United States. Additionally, in years ending in 2 and 7, the survey also generates detailed operating expenses estimates through the Business Expenses Supplement (BES). Data goes back to 1952.
Previously, this mandatory survey also produced national estimates of annual sales, total operating expenses, and e-commerce sales for accommodation and food service firms in the United States. Beginning with the 2016 survey year, however, the accommodation and food service data are now collected and published through the Service Annual Survey (SAS).
Service Annual Survey (SAS)
This survey collects data from companies whose primary business or operation is to provide services to individuals, businesses, and governments (NAICS sectors 22, 48-49, 51, 52, 53, 54, 56, 61, 62, 71, 72, and 81). Industry coverage and detail have been expanded since 1982, and include most personal, business, automotive, amusement and recreation, social welfare, health care, and other professional services. The use of expanded 1987 SIC classifications began in 1991, and the industries covered accounted for about 20% of the Nation's 1994 Gross Domestic Product.
Data back to 1985.
The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) was used for the first time with the 1999 survey to collect data for the Service Annual Survey (SAS). The scope of the Service Annual Survey has been broadened to encompass the old Annual Survey of Communication Services and the old Transportation Annual Survey. With the implementation of NAICS, approximately 150 additional service industries are being covered. The North American Product Classification System (NAPCS) was introduced for the first time with the 2001 survey year to include the Information Sector (NAICS 51), and Computer System Design and Related Services (Industry Group 5415).
Annual Wholesale Trade Survey (AWTS)
Merchant wholesale companies provide estimates on sales, e-commerce, end-of-year inventories, inventories held outside the U.S., purchases, and total operating expenses. Sales tax and detailed expense items are requested every 5 years, with the most recent collection in 2012. Purchases and detailed operating expenses are only collected for merchant wholesale companies, excluding manufacturers’ sales branches and offices. Agent, broker, and electronic market companies provide estimates on sales, commissions, and operating expenses.
Data goes back to 2003.
Business Builder
This is a tool created by the Census Bureaus to provide selected demographic and economic data from the Census Bureau. The first step is to choose one of several large buckets for industries and then it will get more specific. The second is to choose a location (state, city, town, zip code). They have demographic data from the American Community Survey as well as economic data from the Economic Census, trade, business formation data, small business pulse/weekly, and local employment dynamics. Includes consumer data from ESRI. There is a mapping function and data is updated quarterly.
Annual Business Survey
The ABS is conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Science Foundation's National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, and provides annual data on select economic and demographic characteristics of employer businesses. This replaces several surveys including:
Survey of Business Owners (SBO)
Annual Survey of Entrepreneurs (ASE)
Business R&D and Innovation Survey for Microbusiness (BRDI-M)
Quarterly Financial Report
This report is over 60 years old and is based upon a sample survey, the QFR presents estimated statements of income and retained earnings, balance sheets, and related financial and operating ratios. It looks a profits of companies by broad industry sectors. It converted from SIC to NAICS in Fourth Quarter 2001 and covers the following industry sectors, as defined by the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS):
Mining (211-213)
Manufacturing (311-316, 321-327, 331-337, 339)
Wholesale Trade (423-425)
Retail Trade (441-448, 451-454)
Selected Service Industries (511-512, 515, 517-519, 541 - except 5411 Legal Services)
Annual Capital Expenditures Survey (ACES)
This survey covers all domestic, private, non-farm businesses, including agricultural non-farm (NAICS Subsectors 113, 114 and 115) including nonemployer businesses. Major exclusions are foreign operations of U.S. businesses, businesses in U.S. territories, government operations (including the U.S. Postal Service), agricultural production companies, and private households. Data permutation is in different ways including industry.
Data goes back to 1996.
Business Dynamics Statistics
The Business Dynamics Statistics (BDS) provides annual measures of business dynamics (such as job creation and destruction, establishment births and deaths, and firm startups and shutdowns) for the economy and aggregated by establishment and firm characteristics. Data is available by sector as well.
County Business Patterns
County Business Patterns (CBP), published since 1964, is an annual series that provides subnational economic data by industry. This series includes the number of establishments, employment during the week of March 12, first quarter payroll, and annual payroll. This data is useful for studying the economic activity of small areas; analyzing economic changes over time; and as a benchmark for other statistical series, surveys, and databases between economic censuses. Given privacy and confidentiality considerations, data does not necessarily go down to the more detailed geographic descriptors that is particularly true for manufacturing. The thresholds have changed over times.
Data tables go back to 1993, datasets go back to 1986.
Commodity Flow Survey
The CFS covers business establishments in the following industries: Mining; Manufacturing; Wholesale trade; Select Retail and Services.
The survey also covers selected auxiliary establishments (e.g., warehouses) of in-scope, multi-unit, and retail companies. Industries not covered by CFS include transportation, construction, most retail and services industries, farms, fisheries, foreign establishments, and most government-owned establishments. It is can be used by business owners, private researchers, and analysts use the CFS data for analyzing trends in the movement of goods, mapping spatial patterns of commodity and vehicle flows, forecasting demands for the movement of goods, and determining needs for associated infrastructure and equipment.
E-commerce Statistics
E-commerce data were collected in four separate Census Bureau surveys. These surveys used different measures of economic activity such as shipments for manufacturing, sales for wholesale and retail trade, and revenues for service industries. Consequently, measures of total economic and e-commerce activity vary by economic sector, are conceptually and definitionally different, and therefore, are not additive. The Census Bureau's e-commerce report measures the value of goods and services sold online whether over open networks such as the Internet, or over proprietary networks running systems such as Electronic Data Interchange (EDI). This report does not cover agriculture, mining, construction, agents, brokers, and electronic markets in wholesale trade. Data tables go back to 1998.
Beginning with the 2020 E-Stats data, the U.S Census Bureau has transitioned to an interactive data visualization rather than a full report.
Mapping files - TIGER/Line Shapefiles
This is GIS mapping files contain geographical information, which are spatial data encoded into a file format.Data is available for downloading beginning in 2006 though shapefile data begins in 2007.
U.S. International Trade Data
The Census produces their own detailed statistics on goods and estimates of services shipped from the U.S. to foreign countries. The export statistics consist of goods valued at more than $2,500 per commodity shipped by individuals and organizations (including exporters, freight forwarders, and carriers).
The major publication is FT900. The full report is on the main page and listed as "The U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services Deficit Increased in XX" where you can see the report as a pdf, but there are Advance reports often seen as "The Advance International Trade in Goods..."
Global Market Finder
This is an Interactive Tool for U.S. Exporters. Can search on Commodity Codes and Countries and data can be seen as a map, a time series chart, method of transportation, and unit price.

IPUMS External

IPUMS provides census and survey data from around the world integrated across time and space. IPUMS integration and documentation makes it easy to study change, conduct comparative research, merge information across data types, and analyze individuals within family and community contexts. Data and services available free of charge. This gateway provides access to IPUMS USA; IPUMS CPS; IPUMS International; IPUMS Global Health; IPUMS NHGIS; IPUMS IHGIS; IPUMS Time Use; IPUMS Health Surveys; IPUMS Higher Ed; IPUMS USA

Doing Industry Research: A Resource Guide

Census Bureau