The Office of Advocacy disseminates small business economic data and statistics to highlight their economic contributions and importance to policymakers. Below are links to the main public datasets for assessing the small business economy. For additional economic datasets on small businesses, see Small Business Data Resources. For federal agencies conducting RFA analyses, see RFA Data Resources for Federal Agencies.

Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB)

SUSB provides annual data on the number of employer businesses, employment, and payroll by business size, industry, and geographic area. The Office of Advocacy partially funds the SUSB data series.

Census Bureau Nonemployer Statistics (NES)

NES provides annual data on the number of businesses that have no paid employees and total receipts by industry and geographic area.

Census Bureau Nonemployer Statistics by Demographics (NES-D)

NES-D provides annual data on the number of business owners of nonemployer businesses by sex, ethnicity, race, and veteran status by industry and geographic area. The Office of Advocacy partially funds the NES-D data series.

Census Bureau Annual Business Survey (ABS)

ABS provides annual data on the number of business owners of employer businesses by sex, ethnicity, race, and veteran status by industry and geographic area.

Census Bureau Business Dynamics Statistics (BDS)

BDS provides annual data on business startups and exits by size and age of business.

Census Bureau Small Business Pulse Survey (SBPS)

SBPS provides weekly data on the effects of the pandemic on small businesses by industry and geographic area, such as overall impacts, changes in operations, challenges and needs, finances, and expectations.

Bureau of Labor Statistics Business Employment Dynamics (BED)

BED provides quarterly data on job gains and job losses by business size.