Data on Local U.S. Markets
As a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, the Bureau of the Census conducts more than 100 surveys each year, including business surveys. For business research, including local markets analysis, the following are especially relevant: Annual Business Survey (ABS), County Business Patterns (CBP), and the Economic Census.
- Census Bureau - Quick FactsProvides easy access to some of the most-used U.S. economic and social statistics. Example data include: Internet use, population characteristics, families & living arrangements, mean travel time to work, etc.
- Census Bureau - Business Dynamics Statistics ExplorerAn intuitive dashboard allowing for the construction of tables and charts to compare and rank measures of business dynamism such as employment, and job creation and loss across a wide range of establishment and firm characteristics. Potential analyses include a longitudinal look at job creation by establishment age across counties, or ranking establishment entry rates of young firms across NAICS industry groups.
- Census Bureau - Small Business BuilderThis tool is designed for small business owners who need key data for their business plan or to better understand their potential market. The builder presents data for a single type of business or a single industry cluster at a time.
- Census Bureau - Building Permits SurveyIncludes construction statistics by place and by county on new privately owned residential housing units authorized by building permits.
Another principal fact-finding agency within the U.S. Federal Statistical System is the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Among their data, some of the most popular include the Consumer Price Index (CPI), the Producer Price Index (PPI), the Consumer Expenditure Survey (CES), and the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS).
- Bureau of Labor Statistics - Economics at a GlanceBLS offers many types of data for regions, states, and local areas. To browse information, click a state. Data series includes employment, benefits, CPI, and consumer spending.
- Bureau of Labor Statistics - Data Tools by SubjectTop BLS data picks broken down by the following subjects: Inflation, Employment & Projections, Unemployment, Pay & Benefits, Spending, Productivity, etc.
Visualization Tools
- Social Explorer This link opens in a new windowOnline tools and data that allow users to visually explore indicators across demography, economy, health, religion, crime and more. Includes download features for visualizations and data tables. Click "Demographic Profiles" and search by Zip code to find socio-economic facts about your community.
- Data-Planet This link opens in a new windowNote: This database has changed names. It is now called Sage Data.
Data-Planet provides access to a repository of standardized and structured statistical data. Through a single platform, users can search and browse 25 billion data points in over 4.3 billion datasets sourced from over 70 authoritative government and private sources.