Pennsylvania State Data Center

Veteran-owned businesses in Pennsylvania totaled 96,066 in 2007, according to a recently-released U.S. Census Bureau report, 2007 Survey of Business Owners: Veteran-owned Firms. The Commonwealth’s Veteran-owned firms accounted for 9.8 percent of all Pennsylvania firms in 2007.

Black-owned businesses in Pennsylvania increased over 80 percent between 2002 and 2007, according to a recently-released U.S. Census Bureau report, 2007 Survey of Business Owners: Black-Owned Firms. The growth rate of the Commonwealth’s Black owned firms was almost seven times the state average for all businesses (12.4 percent) (see Figure 1). Nearly 20,000 Black-owned firms have been added since 2002, increasing the Commonwealth’s total to 44,717.

The Pennsylvania State Data Center at Penn State Harrisburg reports that Pennsylvania businesses have until February 12, 2003, to complete and return their 2002 Economic Census form. Every 5 years the Economic Census develops a comprehensive portrait of the American Economy from the national to local level. In December, forms were mailed to 210,000 businesses in Pennsylvania. Federal law requires businesses to respond to the form.

This December the U.S. Census Bureau will send questionnaires to more than 210,000 businesses in Pennsylvania, launching the 2002 Economic Census. The Economic Census, taken every five years in years ending in a two or seven, has been called “indispensable to understanding America’s economy” by Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan and “ensures the accuracy of the statistics we rely on for sound economic policy and for successful business planning.”

The Pennsylvania State Data Center at Penn State Harrisburg reports that Pennsylvania’s mining industry declined from 1992 to 1997 in all four major categories based on data from the 1997 Economic Census. Pennsylvania’s mining industry declined 20.0 percent in the number of establishments, 5.4 percent in the value of shipments, 20.5 percent in the number of paid employees, and 8.4 percent in annual payroll

America loves books, periodicals and greeting cards. According to the 1997 Economic Census, there were over 97,000 such establishments, with sales of over $70 billion and over three quarters of a million employees.

Shoppers in Pennsylvania should have no trouble finding holiday gifts or places to buy gifts this year. The Pennsylvania State Data Center at Penn State Harrisburg reports that according to the 1997 Economic Census, there were 50,208 retail trade establishments in Pennsylvania in 1997 with 650,144 paid employees and generating nearly $110 billion in sales.

A statistical comparative analysis between the 1992 and 1997 Economic Censuses indicates the strength of Pennsylvania's industries. This comparative analysis, 1997 Economic Census: Comparative Statistics 1987 SIC Basis, conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, shows that Pennsylvania ranked first in the nation in revenue percent increase in the Transportation, Communications and Utilities industries category. Major industry groups that comprise the Transportation, Communications and Utilities category include water transportation, transportation services, communications and electric, gas and sanitary services. It does not include railroad transportation or the U.S. Postal Service.

The Pennsylvania State Data Center reports that Pennsylvania's women-owned businesses ranked seventh in the nation in number of firms for 1997. This information, released by the U.S. Census Bureau on April 4th, is from the 1997 Economic Census Report. The report also states that womenowned businesses in the commonwealth generated more than $34 billion in sales and receipts. The report also stated that the 5.4 million women-owned businesses in the United States in 1997 employed more than 7.1 million persons and generated almost $820 billion in receipts.

The Pennsylvania State Data Center reports that Pennsylvania ranks 6th in the nation with 27,046 establishments in the construction industry. This, according to the 1997 Economic Census, is a 3.1 percent increase over the 1992 Economic Census. The total number of construction establishments in the United States was reported at 639,482, an 11.6 percent increase since 1992. The U.S. Census Bureau defines an establishment as a single physical location at which business is conducted or services are provided. It is not necessarily identical to a company or enterprise that may consist of one or more establishments. In order to provide comparative numbers between the 1997 and 1992 Economic Censuses, the Standard Industrial Classification System was used to determine the number of establishments at 27,046. The North American Industrial Classification Systems lists the number of establishments in Pennsylvania as 27,536 for 1997.

Marriage & Divorce: With February 14th fast approaching, the Pennsylvania State Data Center at Penn State Harrisburg reports that marriages and divorces are down but candy and flower sales are flourishing, This is according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, marriage and divorce rates and the 1997 Economic Census.

Finance and insurance is one of the new industries created by the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) and used in the 1997 Economic Census.

Pennsylvania’s manufacturing industry produced goods valued at nearly double its cost of materials in 1997.

The U.S. Census Bureau’s 1997 Economic Census introduced data for a number of newly defined sectors, including the educational services sector.

The 31,512 establishments which comprised the new health care and social assistance industry sector in 1997 brought the Commonwealth $45.3 billion, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s recently released Economic Census.

Guide to the twice-per-decade Economic Census, for data users.