The Economic Census is the U.S. government's official 5-year measure of employer businesses in the United States. It provides the most comprehensive business and economic data available at the national, state, and local levels, and serves as the benchmark for current economic measures such as GDP and the Producer Price Index. Conducted every 5 years (years ending in 2 and 7), the most recent Economic Census covers reference year 2022.

What Data Is in the Economic Census?

Key variables: Revenue/sales, number of establishments, number of employees, payroll, value added, and capital expenditures — disaggregated by industry (NAICS codes), geography (national, state, county, metro area), and legal form of organization.

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The Economic Census uses NAICS codes (North American Industry Classification System) to classify industries. Industry categories go from 2-digit (broad sectors, e.g., Manufacturing) to 6-digit (detailed industries). Understanding NAICS structure is essential for navigating and comparing Economic Census data.

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Key Data Products

• Economic Survey of the United States: The core product — establishments, employment, payroll, and sales for all industries, from national down to local levels.
• Annual Business Survey (ABS): Annual update between census years; includes characteristics of business owners by race, ethnicity, gender, and veteran status. Useful for studying entrepreneurship and equity.
• County Business Patterns (CBP): Annual establishment and employment counts by county and NAICS. The best source for tracking industry trends between census years.
• Nonemployer Statistics: Counts and receipts for businesses with no paid employees — important for the gig economy and self-employment research.

How to Access the Data

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Main access point: https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/economic-census.html

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• Explore Census Data: The primary browser interface. Go to data.census.gov, search for a table, and filter by "Economic Census" surveys.
• Bulk data downloads: Download complete files by sector at https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/economic-census/data.html.
• Census API: Programmatic access for large-scale downloads. Documentation at https://www.census.gov/data/developers/data-sets/economic-census.html & https://www.census.gov/data/academy/courses/intro-to-the-census-bureau-data-api.html.
• Economic Census Index of Tables, Datasets, covered NAICS, etc: (scroll to bottom for updated Excel table): https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/economic-census/data.html

Key Use Cases for Economic Policy Research

• Market concentration: Calculate concentration ratios or the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) using revenue data by industry and geography — the key input for analyzing monopoly power and market structure.
• Industry structure over time: Track shifts between large and small firms by comparing 5-year census vintages (2002, 2007, 2012, 2017, 2022).
• Geographic analysis: Identify industry clusters and regional economic specialization.