Business Dynamics Statistics

U.S. Department of Commerce

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Contact Information

For more information, e-mail the BDS Team.

Business Dynamics Statistics (BDS)

About the BDS

The Business Dynamics Statistics (BDS) annual data series describes establishment–level business dynamics along dimensions absent from similar databases including firm age and firm size. BDS are created from the Longitudinal Business Database (LBD), a confidential database available to qualified researchers through secure Census Bureau Research Data Centers. A unique feature of the BDS is its longitudinal source data that permit tracking establishments and firms over time.

BDS data tables show key economic data:

Employment – job creation and destruction
Job expansions and contractions
Number of establishments
Establishment openings and closings
Number of startups and firm shutdowns New!

The BDS series provides:

Annual statistics for 1976–2011
- Age and size of firms and establishments
- State
- Metro/Non-metro and MSA New!
- Standard Industrial Classification sectors
Coverage of the entire U.S. economy

Learn More

2011 BDS Released

Business Dynamics Statistics (BDS) data are now available through 2011. The latest release of the BDS includes tables for Metropolitan Statistical Areas, metro area within state, and three additional variables for firm death. Please refer to the BDS 2011 Codebook (35.5 KB) for information about the new variables.

>> 2011 BDS Data

BDS Partners

The Center for Economic Studies development of the BDS was partially funded by:

Kauffman Foundation
Small Business Administration

What is the SynLBD?

The Synthetic Longitudinal Business Database (SynLBD) is a beta version of a public–use synthetic longitudinal business microdata product that provides researchers a way to explore relationships in the microdata while protecting the confidentiality of establishments' information.

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