Sage Data: Business & Economics

Below is a listing of some of the many international and US organizations included in Sage Data that collect and disseminate statistical data relevant to business, economics, and marketing research. Note that the searches retrieve top-level views of datasets: there are many more indicators and variables included in each dataset. Add additional keywords to retrieve more precise results, and drill into the datasets and compare statistics across nations in Sage Data.

Subscribers: be sure you logged into Sage Data via your library website in order to access the datasets directly!

International Statistical Sources

China Data Institute          China Data Institute is a nonprofit organization for China data development, applications, consulting and training. One of its primary goals is to promote international partnerships for China data development and applications. Its missions are:to support research in the human and natural components of local, regional and global change; to promote quantitative research on China; to promote collaborative research in spatial studies; and to promote the use and sharing of China data in teaching and research. The institute is partnering with All China Marketing Research Co., Ltd., as well as other organizations in distributing China statistical data and publications internationally. [China Data Institute China Yearly Statistics (National/Subnational) is a premium dataset. China Data Institute China Yearly Statistics (National) is available as part of the Sage Data Core subscription.]

World Bank         Founded in 1944 as a result of the Bretton Woods Conference, the World Bank is an independent specialized agency of the United Nations that provides financial and technical assistance to developing countries in order to foster economic growth and reduce poverty.

International Monetary Fund     Headquartered in Washington, DC, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was conceived at a United Nations conference convened in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, United States, in July 1944. The Fund’s mandate has recently been clarified and updated to cover the full range of macroeconomic and financial sector issues that bear on global stability. The IMF is a specialized agency of the United Nations but has its own charter, governing structure, and finances. Its members are represented through a quota system broadly based on their relative size in the global economy. 

Groningen Growth and Development Centre               The Groningen Growth and Development Centre was founded in 1992 within the Economics Department of the University of Groningen by a group of researchers working on comparative analysis of levels of economic performance and differences in growth rates. The research activities of the Centre are largely based on a range of comprehensive databases on indicators of growth and development that the Centre compiles and maintains on a regular basis. The Centre hosts updates of the Penn World Table, originally produced at the Center for International Comparisons of the University of Pennsylvania, beginning with v8.0.

Statistics Canada     Established as Canada's central statistical office by the Statistics Act of 1985, Statistics Canada is required to "collect, compile, analyze, abstract and publish statistical information relating to the commercial, industrial, financial, social, economic and general activities and conditions of the people of Canada." Its main objectives are to provide statistical information and analysis about Canada’s economic and social structure and to promote sound statistical standards and practices.

World Trade Organization    Established in 1995, the World Trade Organization (WTO) provides a forum for negotiating agreements aimed at reducing obstacles to international trade and ensuring a level playing field for all. The WTO also provides a legal and institutional framework for the implementation and monitoring of these agreements, as well as for settling disputes arising from their interpretation and application. The current body of trade agreements comprising the WTO consists of 16 different multilateral agreements (to which all WTO members are parties) and two different plurilateral agreements (to which only some WTO members are parties). As of 2018, the WTO has 164 members, of which 117 are developing countries or separate customs territories. WTO activities are supported by a Secretariat of some 700 staff, led by the WTO Director-General, located in Geneva, Switzerland. 

Sample International BME Data: Financial Access in Malaysia
 

US Government Agencies That Collect and Disseminate International Statistics

United States Census Bureau     The United States Census Bureau is a bureau of the US Department of Commerce. The major functions of the Census Bureau are authorized by Article 2, Section 2 of the United States Constitution, which provides that a census of population shall be taken every 10 years, and by Title 13 and Title 26 of the United States Code of Federal Regulations.   The Census Bureau is responsible for numerous statistical programs, including census and surveys of households, governments, manufacturing and industries, and for US foreign trade statistics. The first United States census was conducted in 1790 for the purposes of apportioning state representation in the House of Representatives of the United States and for the apportionment of taxes. 

Bureau of Economic Analysis      Along with the Census Bureau and STAT-USA, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) is part of the Department of Commerce Economics and Statistics Administration. BEA produces economic accounts statistics that enable government and business decisionmakers, researchers, and the public to follow and understand the performance of the US economy. BEA economic statistics are key ingredients in critical decisions affecting monetary policy, tax and budget projections, and business investment plans. The cornerstone of BEA's statistics is the national income and product accounts (NIPAs), which feature the estimates of gross domestic product (GDP) and related measures. BEA prepares national, regional, industry, and international accounts that present essential information on such key issues as economic growth, regional economic development, interindustry relationships, and the nation's position in the world economy.

Energy Information Administration          The Energy Information Administration (EIA), created by Congress in 1977, is an independent statistical and analytical agency within the US Department of Energy. Its mission is to provide policy-independent data, forecasts, and analyses to promote sound policy making, efficient markets, and public understanding regarding energy and its interaction with the economy and the environment.

Sample US Agency International Statistics: Import-Export Indexes

The DataSheets linked below are just a sampling to give you an idea of the granularity of the available data. 

From International Monetary Fund datasets:

Outward Direct Investment Positions - In which nations do Singaporeans make direct investments?

External Debt - Compares total external debt of four Middle Eastern nations

Unemployment rate - Compares South Korea to Japan

Currency composition of foreign exchange reserves - Which currencies rank highest in the world's foreign exchange reserves?

Value of the Trade Balance - With which nations does China have the highest trade balance?

From the World Bank:

Value of Industrial Production - Compares four Euro area nations with respect to the value of industrial production

Educational Attainment of the Labor Force - Considering moving production of your product to a particular nation? You might be interested comparing nations on this metric.

Fixed Broadband Subscriptions per 100 Persons - Infrastructure is an important factor to understand when considering new markets.

Food, Beverages, and Tobacco as % of Value Added in Manufacturing - Compare nations on industry performance.

Taxes on Goods and Services as % of Government Revenues - How does the tax situation of different countries compare?

Stocks and Commodities:

Bombay Stock Exchange - Compares trends in stock performance of several power systems providers in India

Singapore Stock Exchange - Track performance of large public companies in Singapore

Follow historic trends of major global stock indexes in Data Planet, with data from the Barchart Global Price Indexes dataset.

Penn World Tables

Clink on the links below to view sample DataSheets created in Sage Data that provide statistical abstracts complete with infographics of indicators included in the Penn World Table datasets. From the infographic, you can also enter Sage Data o further manipulate the data and explore relationships between these metrics and other indicators in the vast Data Planet repository.

These datasets are just a sampling from Penn World Table 10.01 to give you an idea of the granularity of the available data. Statistics provide evidence of cross-national patterns of social and economic development. 

Expenditure-Side Real GDP at Chained PPPs -  Shows expenditure-based real gross domestic product (GDP) in millions of 2017 U.S. dollars at chained purchasing power parity (PPP) rates for Argentina, Brazil, and Chile. Expenditure-side real GDP allows comparison of relative living standards across countries and over time.

Output-Side Real GDP at Chained PPPs - Reports expenditure-based real gross domestic product (GDP) in millions of 2017 U.S. dollars at chained purchasing power parity (PPP) rates. Output-side real GDP allows comparison of productive capacity across countries and over time.

Population - Reports population data by country from the World Bank and United Nations sources. Real GDP variables in the Penn World Tables are presented in (millions) of U.S. dollars. The population variable can be used to convert GDP into per-capita terms when relevant.

Number of Persons Engaged - Person engaged is defined in the Penn World Table (PWT) to include all persons aged 15 years and over, who performed work during the reference week, even just for one hour a week, or were not at work but had a job or business from which they were temporarily absent. The chart shows the trend in counts of persons engaged in five European nations

Average Annual Hours Worked by Persons Engaged - Reports average annual hours worked by persons engaged for the same five European nations. 

Expenditure-Side Real GDP at Current PPPs - Reports expenditure-based real gross domestic product (GDP) at current purchasing power parity (PPP) rates in terms of the prices in that period (ie, current prices). Expenditure-side real GDP allows comparison of relative living standards across countries and over time.

Output-Side Real GDP at Current PPPs - Reports output-based real gross domestic product (GDP) at current purchasing power parity (PPP) rates in terms of the prices in that period (ie, current prices). Output-side real GDP allows comparison of productive capacity across countries and over time.

Capital Stock at Current PPPs - Reports capital stock levels in terms of the prices in that period (ie, current prices).

Capital Stock at Constant 2017 National Prices - Compares capital stock levels in terms of constant (2017) prices for 10 nations in 2019.

TFP Level at Current PPPs (US=1) Tracks total factor productivity (TFP) levels at constant purchasing power parity (PPP) rates for Bahrain, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, relative to the US in terms of the prices in that period (ie, current prices). TFP is the portion of output not explained by the amount of inputs used in production.

TFP at Constant National Prices (2017=1) - Reports total factor productivity (TFP) levels at constant prices against the reference year, 2011.  TFP is the portion of output not explained by the amount of inputs used in production.

Real GDP at Constant 2017 National Prices - Reports real gross domestic product (GDP) at constant (2011) national prices for South Africa and Nigeria. Real GDP in the Penn World Table means GDP converted to international dollars using purchasing power parity (PPP) rates.

Share of Labour Compensation in GDP at Current National Prices - Compares the share represented by labor income in gross domestic product in terms of the prices in that period (ie, current prices) for Belarus, Lithuania, and Latvia.

Price Level of CDGPo (PPP/XR), Price Level of US GDPo in 2017=1 - Shows the price level of output-based real gross domestic product per capita (CGDPo) at current purchasing power parity (PPP) rates for Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines, defined relative to the US in 2017. Expenditure-side real GDP Output-side real GDP allows comparison of productive capacity across countries and over time.

Correlation between Expenditure Shares of the Country and the US - Shows the correlation between expenditure shares in each country and the US for all benchmark observations.

Statistical Capacity Indicator - Provides an index of the statistical capacity of nation based on a scale of 0-100, with 0=weak statistical capacity and 100=high statistical capacity. Statistical capacity is the ability of countries to meet user needs for good quality statistics, typically those statistics that are consider to be “official” (ie, those statistics produced by governments as a public good). The measure is sourced from the World Bank.

Share of Household Consumption at Current PPPs - Compares the share of output-based real gross domestic product (GDP) per capita that is represented by household consumption across five Caribbean nations. GDP is converted using current purchasing power parities (PPPs). Output-side real GDP allows comparison of productive capacity across countries and over time.

Share of Gross Capital Formation at Current PPPs - Compares the share of output-based real gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in Brazzavillle vs Kinshasa that is represented by capital formation (investment), at current purchasing power parities (PPPs). Output-side real GDP allows comparison of productive capacity across countries and over time.

Share of Government Consumption at Current PPPs - Compares the share of output-based real gross domestic product (GDP) per capita that is represented by government consumption, at current purchasing power parities (PPPs), for the United States, Russia, and China. Output-side real GDP allows comparison of productive capacity across countries and over time.

Share of Merchandise Exports at Current PPPs - Reports the share of output-based real gross domestic product (GDP) per capita that is represented by merchandise exports, at current purchasing power parities (PPPs), for India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Output-side real GDP allows comparison of productive capacity across countries and over time.

Share of Merchandise Imports at Current PPPs - Reports the share of output-based real gross domestic product (GDP) per capita that is represented by residuals and statistical discrepancies, at current purchasing power parities (PPPs), for India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Output-side real GDP allows comparison of productive capacity across countries and over time. Residuals include trade, eg, trade in services. Statistical discrepancy is included to ensure that expenditure-side accounting adds up to GDP in the national accounts data.

Price Level of Government vs Household Consumption, Price Level of US GDPO in 2017=1 - Shows the price level of the share of output-based gross domestic product (GDP) that is represented by government vs household consumption in Vietnam, relative to the price level of output-based GDP in the US, where 2011=1. Output-side real GDP allows comparison of productive capacity across countries and over time.

Price Level of Exports vs Imports, Price Level of US GDPO in 2017=1 - Shows the price level of the share of output-based gross domestic product (GDP) that is represented by exports vs Imports in Thailand, relative to the price level of output-based GDP in the US, where 2011=1. Output-side real GDP allows comparison of productive capacity across countries and over time.

Below is a listing of some of the many US agencies included in Sage Data that collect and disseminate statistical data relevant to business, economics, and marketing research. The available data ranges across a wide array of subject areas: demography, industry, commerce, banking, finance, housing, agriculture, and more - the best source for your research will depend on the research question under investigation.

Bureau of Economic Analysis  Along with the Census Bureau and STAT-USA, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) is part of the Department of Commerce Economics and Statistics Administration. BEA produces economic accounts statistics that enable government and business decisionmakers, researchers, and the public to follow and understand the performance of the United States economy. BEA economic statistics are key ingredients in critical decisions affecting monetary policy, tax and budget projections, and business investment plans. The cornerstone of BEA's statistics is the national income and product accounts (NIPAs), which feature the estimates of gross domestic product (GDP) and related measures. BEA prepares many other national, regional, industry, and international accounts that present essential information on such key issues as economic growth, regional economic development, interindustry relationships, and the nation's position in the world economy. 

Bureau of Labor Statistics  The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) of the United States Department of Labor is the principal fact-finding agency for the federal government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics. The BLS is an independent national statistical agency that collects, processes, analyzes, and disseminates essential statistical data to the American public, the US Congress, other federal agencies, state and local governments, business, and labor. The BLS also serves as a statistical resource to the Department of Labor.

Bureau of Transportation Statistics The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) was established as a statistical agency in 1992. The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of 1991 created BTS to administer data collection, analysis, and reporting and to ensure the most cost-effective use of transportation-monitoring resources. BTS brings a greater degree of coordination, comparability, and quality standards to transportation data, and facilitates in the closing of important data gaps.

Claritas  A leading provider of intelligent marketing information and target marketing, Claritas pioneered a technique for geo-demographic segmentation in the 1970s, Claritas provides information about people, households, and businesses within any geographic area in the United States. Today, Claritas offers over 60 marketing databases, consumer segmentation systems, consulting services and software applications for site analysis, advertising sales, and customer targeting services. [Note: This is a premium dataset and may not be available at your institution.]

Easy Analytic Software Inc. (EASI) is a New-York based software engineering and statistical modeling firm that specializes in consumer demographics. Using input data from the Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Mediamark, EASI develops model-based indicators of the demographic characteristics, consumer spending, and behavior patterns for a wide range of geographic areas—State, counties, census tracts, and block groups. Mediamark is a market research firm that annually publishes The Survey of the American Consumer, based on detailed interviews of 26,000 households. [Note: This is a premium dataset and may not be available at your institution.]

Energy Information Administration The Energy Information Administration (EIA), created by Congress in 1977, is an independent statistical and analytical agency within the United States Department of Energy. Its mission is to provide policy-independent data, forecasts, and analyses to promote sound policy making, efficient markets, and public understanding regarding energy and its interaction with the economy and the environment.

Sharadar: An independent research and analytics firm founded in 2013, Sharadar specializes in extraction, standardization, and organization of financial data from company filings. Sharadar Core US Fundamentals, available in Sage Data via license from Quandl, provides company financials for over 14,000 US public companies.

Data Axle Reference Solutions Historical US Business  - Formerly named Infogroup Business USA, this dataset provides establishment-level information on businesses in the United States, at national, state, county, and ZIP code levels. Census tract level data are provided for Industry Detailed and Industry Summary indicators. Data on businesses in US territories are also included. Data are collected from multiple sources, including direct calls to businesses. The resource is a comprehensive source of information on small- and medium-sized businesses. Statistics are presented on company counts, employee counts, and sales by industry, company, and company location. [Note: This is a premium dataset and may not be available at your institution.]

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau is a bureau of the United States Department of Commerce. The major functions of the Census Bureau are authorized by Article 2, Section 2 of the United States Constitution, which provides that a census of population shall be taken every 10 years, and by Title 13 and Title 26 of the United States Code of Federal Regulations. The Census Bureau is responsible for numerous statistical programs, including census and surveys of households, governments, manufacturing and industries, and for United States foreign trade statistics. The first United States census was conducted in 1790 for the purposes of apportioning state representation in the House of Representatives of the United States and for the apportionment of taxes. 

United States Department of the Treasury    This federal agency is responsible for promoting economic prosperity and ensuring the financial security of the United States. As part of the executive branch of the US government, the Treasury Department is responsible for advising the President on economic and financial issues, encouraging sustainable economic growth, and fostering improved governance in financial institutions. The Department operates and maintains systems that are critical to the nation's financial infrastructure, including the production of coin and currency, the disbursement of payments to the American public, revenue collection, and the borrowing of funds necessary to run the federal government. 

United States Department of Agriculture   The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) was created by the Agricultural Act of May 15, 1862, signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln. Key activities include: expanding markets for agricultural products and support international economic development; further developing alternative markets for agricultural products and activities; providing financing needed to help expand job opportunities and improve housing, utilities, and infrastructure in rural America; enhancing food safety by taking steps to reduce the prevalence of food-borne hazards;  improving nutrition and health by providing food assistance and nutrition education and promotion; and managing and protecting America's public and private lands working cooperatively with other levels of government and the private sector. Major data statistical programs of USDA include the Economic Research Service, the Foreign Agricultural Service, the National Agricultural Statistics Service, and the World Agricultural Outlook Board.    

There are literally millions of statistics in Sage Data that are relevant to business, economics and marketing. A description of a small sampling of the available datasets is provided below. Click on the links to view data visualizations and descriptions of the underlying data. Log into Sage Data  through your library's website to explore further!

Consumer Price Index  Several datasets include the Consumer Price Index for the US. Linked here is CPI as produced by Bureau of Labor Statistics, considered the official source of this index.

House Price Index  This index, produced by the Federal Housing Finance Agency, assesses housing prices for states against a base period of 1980=100.

US Trade Statistics   This dataset, also known as the FT900 data release, provides the official import and export statistics of the United States.

Local Areas Personal Income and Employment  This dataset presents annual estimates of personal income and employment for states and counties in the United States. These estimates are developed as part of the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Economic Accounts program. 

Consumer Expenditures This Bureau of Labor Statistics dataset provides data on  the sociodemographic characteristics and annual income and expenditures of the entire population of consumer units surveyed as part of the Consumer Expenditure Survey. These data can be analyzed in subsets of the population classified according to income, age, consumer unit size, etc.

Consumer Credit The G.19 Statistical Release, "Consumer Credit," reports outstanding credit extended to individuals for household, family, and other personal expenditures, excluding loans secured by real estate. The report is issued by the Federal Reserve Board.

Sharadar Core US Fundamentals This database provides financials for over 14,000 US public companies. Data points include earnings and dividends, ratios, revenues, assets and liabilities, and more. Note that not all metrics are available for all stocks.

Agricultural Census and Agricultural Surveys  In addition to the Census of Agriculture conducted every five years, the National Agricultural Statistics Service of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) conducts hundreds of surveys during each calendar year of farm operations in the US. Included are statistics related to animal and livestock and crop production, farm economics, and use of chemicals by farm operations. 

Money Stock Measures  The Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.6, which is published weekly, provides measures of the monetary aggregates (M1 and M2) and their components. M1 and M2 are progressively more inclusive measures of money: M1 is included in M2. M1, the more narrowly defined measure, consists of the most liquid forms of money, namely currency and checkable deposits. The non-M1 components of M2 are primarily household holdings of savings deposits, small time deposits, and retail money market mutual funds.

Energy Metrics   The United States Energy Information Administration (EIA) publishes granular data on energy metrics important to US business and industry. Track consumption, production, price, and expenditures by fuel source. 

Import-Export Indexes The International Price Program (IPP) of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) produces Import/Export Price Indexes (MXP), which measure the change over time in the prices of goods or services purchased from abroad by US residents (imports) or sold to foreign buyers by US residents (exports). The Import/Export Price Indexes, along with the Consumer Price Index and Producer Price Index, form the basis of three major BLS programs measuring the change in the prices of goods and services in the US economy. Each of the three has been designated as a Principal Federal Economic Indicator.

Business performance and opportunity are influenced by trends in the broader social, political, legal, and economic environment. In this guide, we will explore macroeconomic indicators that you will find in Data Planet that might be factored in when forecasting or predicting how a given industry or business will perform. Statistics you find may be easily exported for analysis in other statistical programs. Reseachers at Data Planet subscribing institutions are encouraged to contact their library for information on accessing bulk exports.

Key Macroeconomic Indicators

Consider what trends in the wider environment impact an industry of interest. For example, the breakfast foods industry relies on production of grains, such as wheat. Use Data Planet to rank US states by total wheat production using US Department of Agriculture data, which can be located by using Search and filtering results or by Browse by Source and selecting USDA, as in the chart below:

A purchasing agent might examine how the quality of the harvest varies between top producers. To do this, change the chart type to trend, and select North Dakota and Montana.

Also of interest would be the CPI of breakfast products, which can be tracked using Bureau of Labor Statistics data:

Following a peak in February 2020, the US entered a recession in March 2020, largely due to the economic upheaval caused by COVID-19. Analyze how Kellogg's stock performed during prior recessions using stock data, which can be found in Browse by Subject → Banking, Finance, and Insurance. Zoom in on the chart by clicking on a point on the trend line and dragging your cursor to the right.

Many datasets included in Sage Data include statistics on current topics in business:

• Examine stock price trends.
• Explore trade statistics for both US and international markets.
• Analyze employment and unemployment trends.
• Review the behavior of financial indicators during periods of recession.

....and much, much more.

Key Economic Indicators

Sage Data provides data on key economic indicators that are commonly referenced by business press and industry analysts. The examples below are a small sample of what you'll find when you're logged into Sage Data!

Total National Debt - Daily - The total national debt is often quoted in news sources - in Sage Data, you can find both data for a specific day and also analyze historical trends.

Total National Debt Held by the Public vs Intragovernmental Holdings. The "Compare Datasets" feature in Sage Data makes it easy to compare different indicators. Learn more about this feature here.

Initial Unemployment Claims -  This metric reports the number of first claims for unemployment each week. You'll find many other indicators of employment and unemployment, parsed by race, ethnicity, gender, age group, and more in Sage Data.

Heating Oil Prices - Heating oil prices are a "hot" topic every winter and influence consumer behavior. The US Energy Information Administration collects and disseminates this data from October through March, which is considered the "heating year" in the United States.

Mortgage Rates - Using data published by Freddie Mac, this DataSheet compares historical trends in 30-year vs 15-year mortgage rates.

Industrial Production (G.17) - The Federal Reserve's monthly index of industrial production and capacity utilization is a key macroeconomic indicator tracked by business decisionmakers. This DataSheet charts trends in production of computer, video, and audio equipment vs appliances, furniture, and carpeting.

Compare and Contrast Statistics Relevant to Business News

Housing starts are an indicator of the nation's economic health. Below, starts are viewed against the trend in the federal funds rate, ie, the rate charged by a depository institution on an overnight loan of federal funds to another depository institution.

To find statistics of interest, use the browse features of the Sage Data interface. Review Featured Datasets included "In the News" and "Key Economic Indicators" listings. Peruse the subject categories for datasets in your area of interest or open the Browse by Source listing to identify known data publishers or agency that are likely to collect data on your topics:

Many opportunities for comparison of indicators are available. For example, the chart below selects multiple items in the Industry selection list, which creates a comparison of the value added to GDP of four industries:

Sage Data offers a wealth of statistics to help you consider business opportunities in an area of interest. As an example, here we will have a look at a specific scenario:

We’ll assess Las Vegas as a prospective area to relocate our software development company.

• Our core customer base is the hospitality segment.
• We will need to relocate 15 managers & other staff.
• We plan to hire 150 people over 18 months, and 300 over 36 months.

Let's take a look at metrics related to business environment and livability of the region.

Las Vegas and Clark County Local and Business Statistics

Log into Sage Data through your library's website. Dive in for a preliminary look at the available data by searching on location names in the Quick Search box in the upper right of the Sage Data interface: (("Las Vegas" OR 'Clark County") AND nevada). Note that the search results display includes an option to Show all results or Group by similar results. Also notice that you are able to filter the search results by Database, Source provider of the dataset, and geographic level of detail of the data.

Clicking on a result link will return you to the exact spot in  Data Planet where you can view the data visualization and analyze underlying data further. For example in the chart below, we compare average amount per return for total income vs salaries and wage income for Clark County tax filers.

Another way to assess where to find metrics of relevance is to explore the Browse by Subject and Browse by Source areas on the left-hand side of the interface: 

The size of the leisure and hospitality industry would be highly relevant to the opportunity. In the chart below, we've used data from the Census Bureau County Business Patterns database to show annual payroll of casino hotels vs other hotels and motels in Clark County: 

Other metrics of interest might relate to the following topics.

• Banking and Finance - Perhaps you prefer to bank with a smaller or community bank - this chart ranks Clark county banks by Total Assets.
• Demographics - A diverse staff is important to your company vision. What's the racial makeup of the population?
• Casinos - How many casinos and gambling businesses are there in Las Vegas?
• Housing Market - Las Vegas
• Personal Income - Las Vegas
• Crime Rate - Clark County
• Educational Attainment - Clark County
• Taxation - There's no personal or corporate income tax in Nevada. What are other sources of tax revenue for the state?

Explore Sage Data to find and analyze statistics that help you assess whether your business idea makes sense!

Use Data Planet Statistical Datasets to compare and contrast financial data on companies of interest. For example, the chart below compares the average equity of two large insurers, AIG and Allstate. Click on the arrow next to the Source name below the chart to learn more about the dataset:

The chart below compares the earnings growth of two large health insurers:

You might also wish to analyze trends in different indicators for an individual company.  For example, the chart below tracks the sources of net cash flow for Starbucks, Inc.: 

Clink on the links below to view DataSheets comprising statistical abstracts complete with infographics illustrating financial data on actively traded companies on major US exchanges. Log in to Sage Data to explore the data at even more granularity - as well as relationships between these statistics and other indicators in the vast Data Planet repository. 

Trend in book value per share vs earnings per share of Blue Buffalo Pet Food Products

Trend in price to earnings vs price to sales ratios of FitBit 

Return on sales of Big 5 Sporting Goods vs Dick's Sporting Goods

Tracks tax assets vs liabilities for Ferrari 

Compares the market capitalization of Apple and Microsoft

Compares the debt-equity ratio of META Platforms (Facebook) and Twitter (delisted as of 09/2022)

Trend in operating income vs expenses of Time Warner

Compares total sales (revenue) of Ford vs GM

Shows the trend in tangible assets book value per share vs book value per share for Walt Disney

Tracks net cash flow from operations of Lyft vs Uber

Gross margin vs gross profit of the Maui Land and Pineapple Company

R&D expense of Pfizer vs Johnson & Johnson

Working capital of Halliburton, Devon Energy, and ConocoPhillips

Entrepreneurship Research Datasets

American Community Survey - Provides granular information about communities, including transportation, housing, and much more.

Consumer Price Index  Several datasets include the Consumer Price Index for the US. Linked here is CPI as produced by Bureau of Labor Statistics, considered the official source of this index.

Housing Price Index  This index is produced by the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Also see Zillow for more housing related statistics.

Local Areas Personal Income and Employment  This dataset presents annual estimates of personal income and employment for states and counties in the Untied States. These estimates are developed as part of the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Economic Accounts program. 

Consumer/Market Research Datasets

The Data Planet repository contains many statistical indicators of consumer behavior and demographic characteristics that influence spending patterns at national, state, county, city, census tract, zip code, MSA, etc, levels. 

Frame your question and identify industry, product line, geographic area of interest and begin exploring such datasets as:

American Community Survey 5-year survey - provides data on how many people in the US take the bus to work, how many cars they drive, what kind of cooking fuel they use, and more. 

Personal Consumption Expenditures - Compare spending by state for items such as food and beverages, gasoline, and more.

State Quarterly Personal Income - Examine state-level differences in wage and salary disbursements, compensation, and income.

Local Areas Personal Income and Employment - Explore income and employment characteristics to the county and MSA level.

Business Development Datasets

Below is a listing of some of the many US agencies included in the Data Planet repository that collect and disseminate statistical data relevant to creating a business plan. This data ranges across a wide array of subject areas: demography, industry, commerce, banking, finance, housing, agriculture, and more - the best source for your research will depend on the services or products you are interested in bringing to market.

The links surface samples of their data included in the Data Planet repository. Note that the searches retrieve top-level views of datasets in the Data Planet Statistical Ready Reference interface: there are many more indicators and variables included in each dataset. Add additional keywords to retrieve more precise results, and drill into the datasets and compare statistics across nations in Data Planet Statistical Datasets.

Bureau of Economic Analysis  Along with the Census Bureau and STAT-USA, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) is part of the Department of Commerce Economics and Statistics Administration. BEA produces economic accounts statistics that enable government and business decisionmakers, researchers, and the public to follow and understand the performance of the United States economy. BEA economic statistics are key ingredients in critical decisions affecting monetary policy, tax and budget projections, and business investment plans. The cornerstone of BEA's statistics is the national income and product accounts (NIPAs), which feature the estimates of gross domestic product (GDP) and related measures. BEA prepares national, regional, industry, and international accounts that present essential information on such key issues as economic growth, regional economic development, interindustry relationships, and the nation's position in the world economy.

Bureau of Labor Statistics  The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) of the United States Department of Labor is the principal fact-finding agency for the federal government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics. The BLS is an independent national statistical agency that collects, processes, analyzes, and disseminates essential statistical data to the American public, the US Congress, other federal agencies, state and local governments, business, and labor. The BLS also serves as a statistical resource to the Department of Labor.

EASI Analytics Easy Analytic Software Inc. (EASI) is a New-York based software engineering and statistical modeling firm that specializes in consumer demographics. Using input data from the Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Mediamark, EASI develops model-based indicators of the demographic characteristics, consumer spending, and behavior patterns for a wide range of geographic areas—State, counties, census tracts, and block groups. Mediamark is a market research firm that annually publishes The Survey of the American Consumer, based on detailed interviews of 26,000 households. [Note: This is a premium dataset and may not be available at your institution.]

Energy Information Administration The Energy Information Administration (EIA), created by Congress in 1977, is an independent statistical and analytical agency within the United States Department of Energy. Its mission is to provide policy-independent data, forecasts, and analyses to promote sound policy making, efficient markets, and public understanding regarding energy and its interaction with the economy and the environment.

Internal Revenue Service The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is a bureau of the United States Department of the Treasury. Its mission is to help US taxpayers understand and meet their tax responsibilities and enforce the law with integrity and fairness. The Revenue Act of 1916 mandated the annual publication of statistics related to “the operations of the internal revenue laws” as they affect individuals, businesses, estates, nonprofit organizations, trusts, investments abroad and foreign investments in the US. The Statistics of Income Division (http://www.irs.gov/taxstats/) fulfills this function by collecting and processing data and sharing data with other government agencies and the general public.  

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau is a bureau of the United States Department of Commerce. The major functions of the Census Bureau are authorized by Article 2, Section 2 of the United States Constitution, which provides that a census of population shall be taken every 10 years, and by Title 13 and Title 26 of the United States Code of Federal Regulations.   The Census Bureau is responsible for numerous statistical programs, including census and surveys of households, governments, manufacturing and industries, and for United States foreign trade statistics. The first United States census was conducted in 1790 for the purposes of apportioning state representation in the House of Representatives of the United States and for the apportionment of taxes. 

United States Department of Agriculture   The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) was created by the Agricultural Act of May 15, 1862, signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln. Key activities include: expanding markets for agricultural products and support international economic development; further developing alternative markets for agricultural products and activities; providing financing needed to help expand job opportunities and improve housing, utilities, and infrastructure in rural America; enhancing food safety by taking steps to reduce the prevalence of food-borne hazards;  improving nutrition and health by providing food assistance and nutrition education and promotion; and managing and protecting America's public and private lands working cooperatively with other levels of government and the private sector. Major data statistical programs of USDA include the Economic Research Service, the Foreign Agricultural Service, the National Agricultural Statistics Service, and the World Agricultural Outlook Board.

Below are sample charts  created in Data Planet Statistical Datasets showing comparisons of various demographic characteristics among different geographic units. For example, are you interested in demographic information comparing Dallas, Harris, and Travis counties (home to Dallas, Houston, and Austin, respectively), in Texas? The charts below provide some basic overview characteristics of the three communities.

Which county has the most children enrolled in preschools? The chart below, created using data from the American Community Survey 5-year file, illustrates the answer.

In creating your business plan, you need to answer a number of questions relevant to business climate. For example, what's the local business climate in the area where I want to sell my product? What's the local employment picture in the area where I will produce my product? Are companies engaged in my industry doing well?

Stock market data can help you understand how well other companies in your industry are doing. The trend below tracks stock performance for companies in the solar industry:

You're interested in providing elder care services in Florida or Pennsylvania - states that your market research has shown are attractive to seniors. How does the tax environment compare - see the chart  below:

You're determined to launch a skateboard manufacturing company in the Phoenix metropolitan area. What's the average wages of production workers in the area - see the trend below:

Define your business idea and then use statistics to explore the viability of its success!