The U.S. Census Bureau has released new data products from the Business Trends and Outlook Survey (BTOS) as of July 31, 2025. The BTOS is an ongoing survey that collects information about business conditions and projections across the United States, including data for businesses with multiple locations.
The BTOS gathers data on several economic indicators such as revenues, employment, work hours, and inventories. This survey excludes farms but is otherwise representative of all employer businesses in the country. The Census Bureau uses this survey to provide timely updates on key economic measures every two weeks. By collecting data with detailed geographic and industry breakdowns, the BTOS can track the effects of events like natural disasters or economic downturns and help monitor recovery efforts.
The survey sample includes about 1.2 million businesses, divided into six panels of roughly 200,000 cases each. These panels are asked to report once every 12 weeks over a year-long period. According to the Census Bureau, completing the survey takes an average respondent around nine minutes.
BTOS results will be published biweekly and broken down by sector, state, and for the 25 most populous metropolitan statistical areas in the U.S. The data are intended to support policymakers at all levels of government by providing up-to-date information that informs decisions. Businesses can also use these insights when planning their own strategies.
There is no news release associated with this announcement; it is being distributed as a tip sheet only.
