Where do those numbers come from? | U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA)

Most of the nation’s primary economic indicators are produced by one of three federal statistical agencies – the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Census Bureau (both agencies within the Commerce Department) or the Bureau of Labor Statistics, an agency of the Department of Labor.

	Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA)	Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)	Census Bureau
Economic Census A detailed profile on the United States’ national and local economies produced every five years.
Decennial Census Required by the Constitution, the Census Bureau counts all U.S. residents every ten years.
American Community Survey This ongoing replacement to the long-form on the decennial census provides insight into the composition and lifestyle of an area’s population.
Consumer Price Index Monthly data on changes in the prices paid by urban consumers for a representative basket of goods and services.
Balance of Payments Quarterly and annual statistics of transactions with foreigners, including trade in goods and services, receipts and payments of income, transfers, and transactions in financial assets.
Corporate Profits Incomes earned by private enterprises after deducting operating expenses and interest payments.
Employment Projections Projects the Nation’s labor market 10 years into the future.
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) The output of goods and services produced by labor and property located in the United States.
GDP by Industry The distribution of growth in real GDP and inflation by industry.
GDP by State and Metropolitan Area Local area equivalents to GDP for the Nation are available for all states and metropolitan areas.
Input-Output Tables Detailed information on the flows of the goods and services that make up the production processes of industries.
International Investment Position Annual statistics of the value of accumulated stocks of U.S.-owned assets abroad and foreign-owned assets in the United States.
Median Income Divides an area’s income distribution into two equal groups, half above the amount, and half below the amount.
Operations of Multinational Enterprises Inward and outward direct investment statistics, including data on direct investment positions and transactions and on the financial and operating characteristics of the MNE’s involved.
Personal Income and Outlays Personal income is income received by persons from all sources. Outlays are the sum of personal consumption expenditures, personal interest payments, and personal current transfer payments.
Personal Consumption Expenditures The goods and services produced by persons.
Regional Input-Output Modeling System Estimates the impact from changes in final demand on one or more regional industries in terms of output, employment, and labor earnings.
State and Local Personal Income Local area equivalents to personal income for the Nation are available for states, counties, and metropolitan areas.
State and Metropolitan Area Price Comparisons (RPP) Measures the differences in the price levels of goods and services across states and metropolitan areas for a given year.
Population Produces estimates of the population for the United States, its states, counties, cities, and towns, as well as for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and its municipios.
Producer Price Index (PPI) Measures the average change over time in the selling prices received by domestic producers for their output.
Unemployment Rates Provide information about joblessness, including the National, State, and Local Unemployment Rates.
US International Trade in Goods and Services Monthly, quarterly, and annual estimates of trade in goods and services.
US, State and Local Employment National totals of the number of employed people and also provide statistics on subjects such as occupational employment and wages, labor demand and turnover, and the dynamic state of the labor market.