US Economic Data Links

Nearly all governmental measures of U.S. economic activity are available online. Here are some key U.S. economic statistics and where to find them.

Gross Domestic Product
The GDP measures goods and services produced by labor and property located in the U.S., regardless of the citizenship of the persons supplying the labor and property. In 1991, the U.S. Dept. of Commerce Bureau of Economic Analysis shifted emphasis from the Gross National Product to the Gross Domestic Product as the principal measure of U.S. production. GDP is the measuring unit most often used by other countries.

Consumer Price Index [graph]
The U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics issues the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The CPI is the primary system for measuring price inflation. It is the source of data for converting "current dollars" into "constant dollars".

Producer Price Index [graph]
The Producer Price Index (PPI) measures the average change in selling prices received by domestic producers for their output. There are several special Producer Price Indexes arranged by commodity, industry, or aggregate group.

Economic Indicators
Economic indicators are measurements of business cycles that are used to predict changes in the national economy. They are reported in individual series measuring specific activity such as initial unemployment claims, new housing, and manufacturers' orders; and as composite indexes of leading, coincident, and lagging indicators. Economic indicators are published by the U.S. Department of Commerce in the periodical Survey of Current Business, available in the Library.

Labor Force and Unemployment Rate [graph]
Employment rates are generally seen as the single most important indicator of a nation's economic health. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports employment rates by age, sex, race, geographic region, and other categories.

Personal Income
Personal income is another significant economic indicator, although it is not included in composite indexes. It includes all income received by individuals from any source, including wages, interest, and transfer payments.

Total Public Debt
The Bureau of the Public Debt mainains this site which gives information on monthly and yearly calculations of the public debt since 1791. Also included is a very helpful FAQ which explains important terminology and gives a good overview of the topic.

International Trade
The Bureau of the Census reports on U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, including the balance of trade or trade deficit between the U.S. and foreign trading partners.