The economic census is the major source of facts about the structure and functioning of the Nation's economy. It provides essential information for government, business, industry, and the general public. Title 13 of the United States Code (Sections 131, 191, and 224) directs the Census Bureau to take the economic census every 5 years, covering years ending in “2” and “7“.
The economic census furnishes an important part of the framework for such composite measures as the gross domestic product estimates, input/output measures, production and price indexes, and other statistical series that measure short-term changes in economic conditions. Specific uses of economic census data include the following:
Data from the 2002 Economic Census are published primarily on the 2002 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). NAICS has been adopted in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Most 2002 Economic Census reports cover one or more of the following NAICS sectors:
| 21 | Mining |
| 22 | Utilities |
| 23 | Construction |
| 31-33 | Manufacturing |
| 42 | Wholesale Trade |
| 44-45 | Retail Trade |
| 48-49 | Transportation and Warehousing |
| 51 | Information |
| 52 | Finance and Insurance |
| 53 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing |
| 54 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services |
| 55 | Management of Companies and Enterprises |
| 56 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services |
| 61 | Educational Services |
| 62 | Health Care and Social Assistance |
| 71 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation |
| 72 | Accommodation and Food Services |
| 81 | Other Services (except Public Administration) |
(Not listed above are the Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, and Hunting sector (NAICS 11), partially covered by the census of agriculture conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Public Administration sector (NAICS 92), covered by the census of governments conducted by the Census Bureau.)
The 20 NAICS sectors are subdivided into 100 subsectors (three-digit codes), 317 industry groups (four-digit codes), and, as implemented in the United States, 1179 industries (six-digit codes).
Prior to the 1997 Economic Census, data were published according to the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system. While many of the individual NAICS industries correspond directly to industries as defined under the SIC system, most of the higher level groupings do not. Particular care should be taken in comparing data for retail trade, wholesale trade, and manufacturing, which are sector titles used in both NAICS and SIC, but cover somewhat different groups of industries. The 1997 Economic Census: Bridge Between NAICS and SIC demonstrates the relationships between NAICS and SIC industries. Where changes are significant, it may not be possible to construct time series that include data for points both before and after 1997.
Most industry classifications remained unchanged between 1997 and 2002, but NAICS 2002 includes substantial revisions within the Construction and Wholesale Trade sectors, and a number of revisions for the Retail and Information sectors. These changes are noted in industry definitions and will be demonstrated in the Bridge Between NAICS 2002 and NAICS 1997.
For 2002, data for auxiliary establishments (those functioning primarily to manage, service, or support the activities of their company's operating establishments, such as a central administrative office or warehouse) are included in the industry that reflects their activities (such as warehousing). For 1997, auxiliary establishments were published in separate reports and were not be included in the sector-specific reports.
The economic census is conducted on an establishment basis. A company operating at more than one location is required to file a separate report for each store, factory, shop, or other location. Each establishment is assigned a separate industry classification based on its primary activity and not that of its parent company.
Accurate and complete information on the physical location of each establishment is required to tabulate the census data for states, metropolitan and micropolitan areas, counties, and corporate municipalities (places) including cities, towns, townships, villages, and boroughs. Respondents were required to report their physical location (street address, municipality, county, and state) if it differed from their mailing address. For establishments not surveyed by mail (and those single-establishment companies that did not provide acceptable information on physical location), location information from administrative sources is used as a basis for coding.
All results of the 2002 Economic Census are available on the Census Bureau Internet site (www.census.gov) and on compact discs and digital versatile discs (CD-ROMs and DVD-ROMs) for sale by the Census Bureau. Only selected highlights are published in printed reports. For more information, including a description of electronic and printed reports being issued, see the Internet site, write to the U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, DC 20233-8300, or call Customer Services at 301-763-4636.
Special tabulations of data collected in the 2002 Economic Census may be obtained, depending on availability of time and personnel, in electronic or tabular form. The data will be summaries subject to the same rules prohibiting disclosure of confidential information (including name, address, kind of business, or other data for individual business establishments or companies) that govern the regular publications.
Special tabulations are prepared on a cost basis. A request for a cost estimate, as well as exact specifications on the type and format of the data to be provided, should be directed to the Chief of one of the divisions named below, Bureau of the Census, Washington, DC 20233-8300. To discuss a special tabulation before submitting specifications, call the appropriate division:
The economic census has been taken as an integrated program at 5-year intervals since 1967 and before that for 1954, 1958, and 1963. Prior to that time, individual components of the economic census were taken separately at varying intervals.
The economic census traces its beginnings to the 1810 Decennial Census, when questions on manufacturing were included with those for population. Coverage of economic activities was expanded for the 1840 Decennial Census and subsequent censuses to include mining and some commercial activities. The 1905 Manufactures Census was the first time a census was taken apart from the regular decennial population census. Censuses covering retail and wholesale trade and construction industries were added in 1930, as were some service trades in 1933.
Censuses of construction, manufacturing, and the other business service censuses were suspended during World War II.
The 1954 Economic Census was the first census to be fully integrated, providing comparable census data across economic sectors and using consistent time periods, concepts, definitions, classifications, and reporting units. It was the first census to be taken by mail, using lists of firms provided by the administrative records of other Federal agencies. Since 1963, administrative records also have been used to provide basic statistics for very small firms, reducing or eliminating the need to send them census report forms.
The range of industries covered in the economic censuses expanded between 1967 and 2002. The census of construction industries began on a regular basis in 1967, and the scope of service industries, introduced in 1933, was broadened in 1967, 1977, and 1987. While a few transportation industries were covered as early as 1963, it was not until 1992 that the census broadened to include all of transportation, communications, and utilities. Also new for 1992 was coverage of financial, insurance, and real estate industries. With these additions, the economic census and the separate census of governments and census of agriculture collectively covered roughly 98 percent of all economic activity. New for 2002 is coverage of four industries classified in the Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing sector under the SIC system: landscape agricultural services, landscaping services, veterinary services, and pet care services.
Printed statistical reports from the 1997 and earlier censuses provide historical figures for the study of long-term time series and are available in some large libraries. CD-ROMs issued from the 1987, 1992, and 1997 Economic Censuses contain databases including all or nearly all data published in print, plus additional statistics, such as ZIP Code statistics, published only on CD-ROM.
More information about the scope, coverage, classification system, data items, and publications for each of the economic censuses and related surveys is published in the Guide to the 2002 Economic Census at www.census.gov/epcd/ec02/guide.html. More information on the methodology, procedures, and history of the censuses will be published in the History of the 2002 Economic Census at www.census.gov/econ/www/history.html.