EconData.Net What's New Page

What's New — September 2000

1. New Links Added
2. Poverty and Median Income Estimates for 1999
3. County Business Patterns, 1998
4. 1999 Population Estimates from Census
5. Learn how the national accounts work

1. NEW LINKS ADDED
We've recently added a number of new links to the site, including:

-The Internet Geography Project--estimates of Internet Domain Names by State, including thematic maps, from Matt Zook at Berkeley; http://socrates.berkeley.edu/~zook/domain_names/Domains/us.html

-Traffic Congestion Rankings and data for 68 U.S. metropolitan areas from the Texas Transportation Institute
http://mobility.tamu.edu/

-Industrial Who's Who Directory, searchable by firm name, state, SIC code and NAICS code. Provides address and webside information for individual companies. http://www.industrialwhoswho.com/index.asp

2. CENSUS RELEASES LATEST POVERTY AND INCOME DATA.
Nationally, poverty rates declined to 11.8 percent in 1999, the lowest level in 20 years. Find out how your state performed on this important benchmark measure by visting the census website.
http://www.census.gov/hhes/poverty/poverty99/pv99state.html

At the same time, the Census released its 1999 estimates of median household income, which nationally reached $40,816, an historic high. State level data are reported at:
http://www.census.gov/hhes/income/income99/99tabled.html

3. COUNTY BUSINESS PATTERNS -- 1998
1998 County Business Patterns: The latest installment of the venerable County Business Patterns publication is now available on line and features data tabulated according to the new North American Industry Classification System. You can find 51 pdf publications, one for each state plus the District of Columbia at:
http://tier2.census.gov/cbp_naics/index.html

4. POPULATION ESTIMATES FOR STATES AND COUNTIES THROUGH 1999. The 2000 Census totals won't be available until next year, but you can get the latest census estimates for States and counties at their website. You'll find two sets of tables, one for states and another for counties, with estimates of population by age, sex, race and Hispanic origin for the years 1990 to 1999. The place to start is:
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2000/cb00-126.html.

5. FEEDING THE NATIONAL ACCOUNTS
Ever wonder where that data comes from and what it really measures. You'll find an excellent explanation of the underlying concepts and data sources for the national income and product accounts by reading the St. Louis Fed's recent article on good article "Feeding the National Accounts." See how diverse sources of data from tax records, unemployment insurance, census information and surveys are pulled together to construct a statistical picture of the economy. This informative story is posted at:
http://www.stls.frb.org/docs/research/wp/99-011.pdf

Stat-Scan: Latest Data News—Metro Definitions, 2000 Census and Economic Census

Metro Definitions – In our last issue, we reported that the Office of Management and Budget was due to issue final standards on the definition of metropolitan areas on April 1, 2000. However, the proposed standards appear to have stirred up some controversy, so OMB is adding another round of proposal and comment. The next proposal is due to be issued for comment in July.

Census 2000 Publications – The Census Bureau has issued the planned released schedule for its Census 2000 Data Products. Highlights:

Planned Release   Data Product                   Lowest Level                                                        Geography
Jun-Sep 2001      Population totals and
                  selected characteristics      Places
Jun-Sep 2001      Population count by race       Blocks
Oct-Dec 2001      Population count by race       Census tracts
Jan-Nov 2002      Census 2000 Summary
                  Population and Housing        Places
                  Characteristics
April-Dec 2002    Public Use Microdata
                  Samples (PUMS)                Public                    use microdata areas
2003              Census 2000 Summary Social,
                  Economic, and Housing         Places
                  Characteristics

Economic Census Geographic Detail & NAICS Debut – The wait is over; all the geographic area detail for the 1997 Economic Census is now available. Download the geographic area report for your state at: http://www.census.gov/epcd/www/ec97stat.htm. In this pdf report, you'll find tabulations for metro areas, counties and larger cities. The Economic Census is significant because it is the first nationwide data series to be reported using the new North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). NAICS replaces the old Standard Industrial Classification system and will be phased in for all the economic data series produced by the federal government over the next few years. Learn more about the new NAICS system by visiting: http://www.census.gov/epcd/www/naics.html

Get ready for a totally new and almost always longer set of industry codes. NAICS has 19 "two-digit" sectors, that roughly replace the old "one-digit" industry divisions of the NAICS. Welcome changes include a new Information sector (NAICS 51) and a separate accommodation and food service sector (NAICS 72). The Economic Census has 17 reports for each state (one for each of these two-digit sectors, except corporate headquarters and government).

To find out how familiar old SIC codes translate into the new NAICS categories, visit the Census website http://www.census.gov/epcd/naics/nsic2ndx.htm. Here you'll find a concordance linking the two classification systems. To help ease the transition between the two systems, Census is publishing a "bridge" report, showing the Economic Census data tabulated according to both systems. Scheduled to come out June 29, you can find this valuable reference at: http://www.census.gov/epcd/www/g97pbrdg.htm

To get a snapshot of how the economy looks through the NAICS lens, visit: http://www.census.gov/epcd/ec97/ustotals.htm This site has national data for 1997 for every NAICS category. You can drill down into the subsectors and industry groups and the new 5-digit and 6-digit (!) industries, and view national totals for shipments, payroll and employees.

As we've said before, NAICS will be the mother of all series breaks, the price we pay for fixing many of the inadequacies of the old SIC code. Now is the time to start learning this new system. But don't get too comfortable, Census and the other statistical agencies are already at work to revise NAICS (much less sweeping), to address emerging industries like e-commerce.