County Business Patterns
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Frequently Asked County Business Patterns (CBP) Questions
1. What is the source of CBP data?
CBP data are extracted from the Business Register, the Census Bureau's file of all known single and multiestablishment companies. The Annual Company Organization Survey and quinquennial Economic Censuses provide individual establishment data for multi-location firms. Data for single-location firms are obtained from various programs conducted by the Census Bureau, such as the Economic Censuses, the Annual Survey of Manufactures, and Current Business Surveys, as well as from administrative records of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Social Security Administration (SSA), and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
2. Why are there differences in industry definitions between 2002 and 2003 CBP data and between 1997 and 1998 CBP data?
The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) replaced the U.S. Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system. NAICS was developed in a joint effort between Canada, Mexico, and the United States; it is an industry classification system that groups establishments into industries based on the activities in which they are primarily engaged. The County Business Patterns program has tabulated on a NAICS basis since 1998. The NAICS codes were updated in 2002; starting with the 2003 County Business Patterns series, the data are tabulated using the 2002 NAICS system.
In the 1998 - 2002 CBP reports, corporate, subsidiary, and regional managing offices were tabulated in NAICS Sector 55. All other auxiliaries were tabulated in NAICS 95. Starting with 2003, corporate, subsidiary, and regional managing offices are still published in NAICS Sector 55, but the other auxiliaries are tabulated in the industry of the service performed. The other auxiliaries are coded into these separate classifications:
- NAICS 484
- NAICS 4931
- NAICS 518210
- NAICS 5411
- NAICS 5412
- NAICS 5417
- NAICS 5418
- NAICS 56161
- NAICS 5617
- NAICS 811
3. Why do the numbers in CBP differ from those I see in other publications?
CBP obtains data from census collections and administrative records for the entire universe. Other surveys and time series covering the same industries may be based on samples drawn from the universe. Sample data could differ somewhat from data produced at the entire universe level. Additionally, industry classifications among programs may differ. Also, employment and establishment counts may have definitional differences and may represent different time intervals. For employment figures, CBP includes full- and part-time employees who are on the payroll in the pay period including March 12.
4. What is excluded from CBP coverage?
Data are excluded for self-employed persons, employees of private households, railroad employees, agricultural production workers, and for most government employees (except for those working in wholesale liquor establishments, retail liquor stores, Federally-chartered savings institutions, Federally-chartered credit unions, and hospitals).
5. Are sales and receipts data provided in CBP?
No. Sales and receipts data are available from other Census Bureau programs. For more information, check out the Census Bureau's economic data.
6. Does CBP provide occupational data?
No. CBP presents the number of employees working in the primary industry of the establishment, regardless of the individual's job within that establishment. Occupational data were collected in Census 2000 and are now annually collected in the American Community Survey. For sources, see the Industry and Occupation page and American FactFinder.
7. CBP excludes government employment and payroll. Where can I get this information?
Employment and payroll for state and local governments are collected in the Governments programs of the Census Bureau. There are no counts of government establishments, since governments data are reported by jurisdiction, not by establishment or physical location.
8. For which years has CBP been published?
CBP has been published every year since 1964, and at irregular intervals since 1946.
9. Why does adding the CBP detail exceed the aggregate total?
You could be counting the same record two or three times since it appears at different summarization levels within the NAICS grouping. For example, an establishment in NAICS 316110 is also a part of NAICS 31611 and 3161, as well as in the manufacturing total. Therefore, summing the data at each NAICS level within this NAICS grouping would make the detail exceed the aggregate total.
10. Why do letters instead of numbers often appear in the columns?
Letters are shown to prevent disclosure of an individual employer. The letters correspond to employment size ranges to provide some measure of cell size.
11. What are statewide establishments?
Establishments without a fixed location or having an unknown county location within a state are included under a "statewide" geography classification.
12. Are CBP publications available in print or in PDF?
CBP data were published in PDF format 1993 to 2004, then discontinued. Printed reports for earlier time periods are available in major depository libraries.
13. Can I get a special tabulation of CBP data?
Resources permitting, the Census Bureau's Company Statistics Division can create special tabulations from County Business Patterns and Statistics of U.S. Businesses data.