The U.S. Census Bureau has released new data from the Business Trends and Outlook Survey (BTOS), which tracks business conditions and forecasts on a regular basis. The survey now includes information from multiunit and multilocation businesses.
BTOS is designed to provide ongoing, timely data about key economic indicators, such as revenues, employment levels, work hours, and inventories. The survey gathers responses from approximately 1.2 million businesses every two weeks, excluding farms. These businesses are divided into six panels of about 200,000 each; each panel is surveyed every 12 weeks throughout the year. According to the Census Bureau, it takes most respondents about nine minutes to complete the survey.
The results are published biweekly and can be analyzed by industry sector, state, and in the 25 largest metropolitan areas. The BTOS offers insights that help local, state, and federal officials make informed decisions during events like natural disasters or economic downturns. It also provides valuable information for businesses planning their operations.
A new set of questions focused on artificial intelligence was introduced on November 17 and will be reported in 2026.
“BTOS provides insight into the state of the economy by providing continuous, timely data for key economic measures every two weeks. By providing continuous data with geographic and subsector detail, BTOS captures the impact of events like natural disasters and economic crises and assists in monitoring recovery efforts.”
“Survey results give local, state and federal officials essential, real-time data to aid in policymaking and decision-making. In addition, the information aids businesses in making economic decisions.”
There is no formal news release accompanying this announcement; it was issued as a tip sheet only.
