Title 13, United States Code, Section 131, mandates the Secretary of Commerce to take, compile, and publish censuses of manufacturers, of mineral industries, and of other businesses every fifth year.
Good public policy depends on accurate information. The Economic Census provides official measures of output for industries and geographic areas, and serves as the cornerstone of the nation's economic statistics, providing key source data for the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and other indicators of economic performance.
The economic census is also used to update the Census Bureau’s master list of businesses. Without the Economic Census, the Census Bureau would miss vital information about changes in the ownership and organizational structure of American businesses and industries.