This is a business/industry research handout I wrote for library training programs on business and marketing research.

1. Industry:
All businesses fall under the umbrella of an industry. It is therefore imperative that you understand the
industry to which your business belongs.
North Industrial Classification System (NAICS) codes and Industry Research
One of the first ways to get started in researching your industry is to find out what NAICS code or codes
are relevant to your business.
A NAICS code is an industry code developed and used by the federal government to classify and keep
track of all business and economic activity in the United States. Along with the Economic Census, which
we will be discussing later, the NAICS code system is revised every five years in years ending in 2 or 7.
So, the next revision will be in 2012. Most NAICS codes are rarely, if ever revised, but occasionally they
are. You will be able to tell by going to the section containing the NAICS codes. There will be a record of
15 years, or 3 revision records, for each NAICS code.
Finding your NAICS code can be done in two (or more) ways: either by means of the Census website or
by the NAICS print directory located at most public libraries. To find your NAICS code on the Census
home page, look under the “Business” tab. Here you will find the code directory.
Each code begins with two digits: 44, 45, etc. Each double digit is accompanied by a text description
explaining the major industry that each code represents. In the case of 44 (Retail) you will find
businesses relevant to retail. As your search gets more specific each double digit code expands, finally
reaching a maximum of 6 digits: the longer the digits, the more specific the designation. Therefore, if
you were looking up “Convenience Stores,” your NAICS code progression would go from 44-45 to 445 to
4451 to 44512 to 445120, which is the final code for “Convenience Stores.” Using the print directory is
similar. You can use the index as a keyword search in the print version.
The importance of NAICS codes are found in the following four main points:
a) Federal, state and, sometimes, local governments use NAICS codes as a means to attract
qualified companies to bid on contract job offerings. In order to be qualified as a government-
certified contractor your business must have the relevant NAICS code or series of codes in order
to qualify to bid on government contracts. In other words, the certification process requires
NAICS codes.
b) In order to secure a business loan from a bank or attract an investor to invest in your business,
you will need to identify the NAICS codes that are relevant to your business and include them in
your business plan. There are two main reasons for this: first, when a banker is reviewing your
business plan he or she will be interested in comparing your financials with those of the national
average. The banker will do this by referring to the RMA (Annual Statement Studies: Financial

2. Ratio Benchmark), published by Risk Management Association, which measures national
financial averages and ratios for each business class. This resource is organized by NAICS code.
Therefore, if you don’t have a NAICS code identified, the banker will be unable to make the
necessary comparisons. And, secondly, remember that the bottom line for a banker is that you
will be able to pay off your business loan; the business plan should be a persuasive document
assuring the lender that you will be able to live up to your financial responsibilities. One way the
banker will be persuaded that you are as prepared as possible to run a successful business is if
you demonstrate a deep knowledge of your business, its industry, and the information pertinent
to both. Knowing your codes is only a small but necessary step in the process.
c) Knowing your NAICS codes early on in your research will allow you to efficiently find information
in both print and online resources. As mentioned above, the RMA is organized by NAICS code.
Many online databases also use the NAICS to allow for efficient search capabilities. It is just a
way to easily wade through the vast amount of information.
d) And finally, the last important factor is that by knowing the description of your NAICS code you
know the definition of your industry. The words used in the definition may be useful as keyword
terms for executing searches in government websites and online Internet searches.
Federal and State Industry Research Resources
The next step in researching your industry is also located on the Census Web page at www.census.gov.
This free website, produced by the federal government, will not only be useful for finding industry
information but also for finding economic and demographic information pertaining to your business.
Look for “Business” under “Topics”
for this page.

3. Two main sections are useful for finding industry information on the Census website: the first is the
Economic Census and second is the County Business Patterns1
page, both accessible via the Census
homepage.
The Economic Census is arranged categorically by NAICS code. This is another example of why already
knowing your NAICS code is going to help you find information. Like the NAICS code, the Economic
Census is done every five years in years ending in 2 or 7. The new Census was completed in the year
(2012), and the information is beginning to be released. 2015 – early-2016 is the year all 2012 Economic
Census information will be released. (By the way, Census information is never released all at once; there
is a schedule on the Census page that shows when each piece of information will be released. SEE
http://www.census.gov/econ/census/schedule/ ).
You can see that after five years the current Census becomes dated. There are ways to take that into
account and buffer the information with more current information. We will get to these resources
shortly.
A Note about the Currency of NAICS Codes:
1
“Annual series that provides subnational economic data by industry. The series is useful for
studying the economic activity of small areas; analyzing economic changes over time; and as a
benchmark for statistical series, surveys, and databases between economic censuses. Businesses
use the data for analyzing market potential, measuring the effectiveness of sales and advertising
programs, setting sales quotas, and developing budgets. Government agencies use the data for
administration and planning.” (Data.gov, County Business Patterns).

4. Beware that NAICS Codes can change with each new census. An example of this is listed below. One way
to determine if it has changed is to look at the concordance on the NAICS code page of the Census. As
we can see, the code in the right-hand column was the 2007 code for Seafood Canning, which has now
been subsumed into a broader code designation, i.e. 311710 for Seafood Product Preparation and
Packaging.
311710 Seafood Product Preparation and
Packaging
311711 Seafood Canning
The Economic Census provides you with a lot of information; It is something you may want to explore
further, e.g., by looking at the Survey of Manufacturers2
if you a starting a manufacturing business.
However, for the typical needs involved in writing a small business plan, the only information that will
be truly essential to you will be found in the, “Industry Snapshot.” The Industry Snapshot is a great tool
for determining growth projections of each business as well as overall health of the industry.
For example, the information contains stats from the prior Economic Census and the current one,
allowing statistical comparisons in categories like number of establishments, sales, and annual payroll. It
may be the case that for one business, such as Convenience Stores, the number of establishments has
decreased over a five year period, but the total revenue has increased; this may be due to consolidation
of establishments that are at the same time generating more revenue. If this is the case, then it may be
interpreted as the business having growth potential. The “annual payroll3
” is a measure of what role the
business plays in the economy as well as a way of determining the size of a business. When a worker
gets paid, the worker typically spends his or her paycheck, thereby putting the money back into the
economy. This is another way of determining the health and growth potential of a business. Other
indicators on this page are self-explanatory, such as total employment and revenue per establishment.
Navigating the Economic Census:
2
“The Annual Survey of Manufactures (ASM) provides key intercensal measures of manufacturing
activity, products, and location for the public and private sectors. The ASM provides the best current
measure of current U.S. manufacturing industry outputs, inputs, and operating status, and is the
primary basis for updates of the Longitudinal Research Database (LRD). Some of the many uses of
this data by federal, state, and local governments are measuring productivity, updating producer
price indexes, evaluating and forecasting future industrial activity, benchmarking current data on
manufacturing shipments and inventories, economic policymaking and forecasting, and preparing
annual updates of the GNP and GNP weight deflators.” (Data.gov, Survey of Manufacturers)
3
“Payroll includes all forms of compensation, such as salaries, wages, commissions,
dismissal pay, bonuses, vacation allowances, sick-leave pay, and employee contributions, to
qualified pension plans paid during the year to all employees. For corporations, payroll
includes amounts paid to officers and executives; for unincorporated businesses, it does not
include profit or other compensation of proprietors or partners. Payroll is reported before
deductions for social security, income tax, insurance, union dues, etc.” (Census.gov,
Glossary)

5. Navigating the Census page can be daunting, but getting easier with each iteration design the Census
produces. There are usually a number of redundancies on the site to get the researcher to a spot. For
instance, if the researcher is interested in looking at Industry Snapshots he or she can get there by
looking at the left-side menu on the Economic Census homepage; or, on the “Finding Data” tab at the
top the researcher can locate a link to the Industry Snapshot page. The “Finding Data” tab at the top of
the page is probably the best way to find a centralized location to access industry information in the
Census. (As of 5/19/2014)
Industry Snapshots:
Industry Snapshots are a “static” picture of industries taken during an Economic Census year. The
information contained in an industry snapshot is very useful for looking at the state of an industry as
well as making projections and looking for trends. In a trend analysis, the researcher can look at
historical snapshots and look for these trends. Is an industry growing? Is it stagnant? Is it declining?
Looking at Sales, Payroll and Number of Establishments over time can say a lot about the state of an
industry and its future potential.
All industry snapshots are arranged by NAICS code or by type of industry, e.g., Mining. Clicking on any
one of the “Go to” icons will lead to another page providing a more detailed focus to the person’s
research.

6. Once at the final page for the industry in question, the researcher will find information in both table and
graphic form. Information on sales, payroll, number of establishments, total employment and more are
available.
Industries
arranged by
NAICS Code
or type of
industry.
Beta: Bound to change over
time, soon.

7. On the same page as listed above the researcher can also go further than the Industry Snapshot by
following the Industry Sampler link to the following page:
Survey of Business Owners http://www.census.gov/econ/sbo/

8. Like the Economic Census, the Survey of Business Owners (SB0)4
is done every 5 years. Unlike the Econ
Census, it is only a survey. The 2007 is still the most recent release of data; however, the 2012 data will
be released throughout the 2015 year.
“The Survey of Business Owners provides the only comprehensive, regularly collected source of
information on selected economic and demographic characteristics for businesses and business owners
by gender, ethnicity, race, and veteran status. Title 13 of the United States Code authorizes this survey
and provides for mandatory responses.” (Citation: http://www.census.gov/econ/sbo/about.html)
When using the SBO, the researcher can access historical data. For instance, he or she can find survey
data from 1992 – 2002 in addition to newer data from 2007 and eventually 2012. This allows for
comparisons or trend analysis. Some of the categories measured by the survey are characteristics of
businesses and characteristics of business owners. In other words, both demographic and business
information is available to the researcher. All information is contained in American FactFinder (AF), so
when the researcher clicks on a link he or she will be taken to the American FactFinder’s tables. Of
course, you can also find this information by directly doing searches in AF, but it is much easier to go
through the SBO page.
To access this information, open up the homepage for Business & Industry by clicking on the Business
tab at the top of the Census.gov page. Then open up the following link: (As of 5/19/2014)
4
“Provides the only comprehensive, regularly collected source of information on selected economic
and demographic characteristics for businesses and business owners by gender, ethnicity, race, and
veteran status.” (Data.gov, Survey of Business Owners).

9. Small Business on the Economic Census: http://www.census.gov/econ/smallbus.html
The Economic Census does not specifically track small businesses qua small businesses. In other words,
they do not distinguish a small business from a large one. Instead they simply keep track of businesses
by statistics such as how many employees work for a business, &c. If a patron or researcher is looking
for information on businesses—say, with only between 1 and 4 employees, he or she can find that
information in one of several ways. The easiest to remember if the researcher is specifically interested in
small business research is to go to the business tab at the top of the Census page and look at the drop
down menu for “Small Businesses.” This link takes the researcher to the section of the Economic Census
that shows data by business size. (As of 5/19/2014)
As mentioned before, since there is a waning timeliness component to the Economic Census there are
several ways to obtain current information to allow you to make growth projections. The County
Business Patterns is an annually collected census of businesses in the United States. This census is
staggered for release to the public by two years. Every July a new edition of the Business Patterns is
released. So, if you were researching in the year 2012 during the month of July, you would have access
to the Business Pattern census for the year 2010. This census does not give as much information as the
This page shows national
stats, but you can narrow
it down by state and
industry.

10. Economic Census; basically, all it measures is annual and 1st
quarter payroll5
, number of establishments
and number of employees. However, this can still be used as a means to see economic activity relative
to a specific business and location. One useful feature of this resource is that you can look at the stats by
year to get an idea of what trends the last ten years or so demonstrate.
And;
5
1st
Quarter Payroll measures the time period from January through March. Looking at the 1st
Quarter and Annual
Payroll comparatively is one way economists can determine how the industry is doing.

11. And;
Census Explorer
Here you can choose the
county of interest as well as
choose the year going back as
far as 1998. The years are
released in July of each year
with a two year delay. That is
why 2011 is the most recent.
“D” stands for withholding
information due to chance
of improper disclosure of
private information on a
particular company.
If you are doing a zip code search, the
payroll information will not be
disclosed by NAICS code or
employment size. The only disclosure
of economic information will be the
zip code area as a whole.

12. CE Is a new data visualization tool being offered by the Census Bureau. It allows, at this point, the
researcher to choose from the data that is offered, e.g. information pertaining to county business
patterns and specified demographics and have the data rendered in a graphic way. The two main
sources of information used in the Census Explorer are the, 1990/2000 Decennial Census, American
Community Survey (ACS)6
and the County Business Patterns. (As of 5/19/2014)
6
“The American Community Survey (ACS) is a nationwide survey designed to provide
communities a fresh look at how they are changing. The ACS replaced the decennial
census long form in 2010 and thereafter by collecting long form type information
throughout the decade rather than only once every 10 years.
Questionnaires are mailed to a sample of addresses to obtain information about
households -- that is, about each person and the housing unit itself.
The American Community Survey produces demographic, social, housing and economic
estimates in the form of 1-year, 3-year and 5-year estimates based on population
thresholds. The strength of the ACS is in estimating population and housing
characteristics. It produces estimates for small areas, including census tracts and
population subgroups.
Although the ACS produces population, demographic and housing unit estimates, it is the
Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program that produces and disseminates the
official estimates of the population for the nation, states, counties, cities and towns, and
estimates of housing units for states and counties.
For 2010 and other decennial census years, the Decennial Census provides the official
counts of population and housing units. (Census, Glossary)

13. One very useful way of looking at data in the Census Explorer is to do an address search first. This will
bring up a map that delineates geographic locations by census tract, state, or county. Using the census
tract feature will allow you to locate the address and then choose which data set to overlay over the
tract.
E-Commerce
The e-Commerce industry is tracked by the Annual Survey of Manufacturers, Service Annual Survey7
,
Annual Wholesale Trade Survey8
, and Annual Retail Trade Survey9
. What this means is that when
looking at e-Commerce reports on the Census page the researcher will find statistics for all four sectors
of the economy. Below is a screenshot of the e-stats page showing access to the overall e-Commerce
report as well as the four different spreadsheets from each aspect of e-commerce measurements. e-
Commerce data is becoming more and more integral to a business owner’s interest. It’s interesting,
however, to notice in the March 13, 2014 report on e-Commerce that it is manufacturing, not service or
7
“Provides estimates of revenue and other measures for most traditional service industries.
Collected data include operating revenue for both taxable and tax-exempt firms and
organizations; sources of revenue and expenses by type for selected industries; operating
expenses for tax-exempt firms; and selected industry-specific items.” (Census, Glossary)
8
Provides data on sales, inventory, and operating expenses for merchant wholesalers and
manufacturers.
9
“Provides national estimates of total annual sales, e-commerce sales, end-of-year
inventories, inventory-to-sales ratios, purchases, total operating expenses, inventories held
outside the United States, gross margins, end-of-year accounts receivable for retail
businesses, total operating expenses, and e-commerce sales for accommodation and food
service firms located in the United States.” (Census, Glossary)
Data tab from the Census homepage.
Dropdown then Data Tools and Apps.
Look for Census Explorer.

14. retail that makes up the lion’s share of e-Commerce activity with wholesale coming in second.
Nonetheless, retailers are relying on e-Commerce as part of their business model. The report above
demonstrates this with a 16.4% increase in e-Commerce sales from 2010 to 2011.
Another measure of e-Commerce can be found in American FactFinder, which is also navigable via the
Survey of Business Owners page at http://www.census.gov/econ/sbo/

15. Using American FactFinder to get Economic Census and Selected Economic Survey Information:
Since American FactFinder culls all information from the Economic Census and selected Surveys, it may
be useful and less daunting to use it to find information. However, if the researcher knows exactly what
information is needed, it may be more useful simply to go straight to the Economic Census or Survey to
get the information. Where AF comes in handy is when the researcher is not sure exactly what he or she
needs. AF allows for a better “browsing” experience. The following is a search of industry information
using AF. (As of 5/19/2014)
Searching for general industry information according to industry and geography:

16. After selecting “Industries” from the Economic Series option. Select Geographic criteria. And the results
are:
A search on industry and region only
brought up information on the
northeast region and only that
relating to the construction industry
for the 2007 EC. This is a good
example of the fact that there is a lot
of seemingly incomplete info on the
EC.
The Economic Series can be used to
find Industry info. The geographic
criteria will allow you to locate the
area, whether it’s an MSA, region,
state, or countrywide search.

17. Finally, a way to supplement the aging nature of the information in the Economic Census, the Bureau of
Economic Analysis (BEA)10
offers current industry analysis press releases describing in broad terms the
fluctuations of the economy, e.g., contributions of the manufacturing of durable goods, professional and
scientific industries and others to the GDP.
The State of Maryland: Department of Business and Economic Development: ChooseMaryland
www.choosemaryland.org has a website devoted to economic development in the state. While most of
the information contained on this website is about demographics, you can find some basic statistics on
industry. You will find this under the “Stats and Facts” tab. The industry information is contained in the
section on Economy. Some of the categories available include which industries are the largest in
Maryland. You can also find which industries are adding the greatest amount to the state’s GDP as well
as which are adding the most jobs to Maryland. You can also access Maryland Data Explorer &
Maryland Industry Snapshots from this homepage.
10
“A bureau within the U.S. Department of Commerce that produces economic accounts
statistics that enable government and business decision-makers, researchers, and the
American public to follow and understand the performance of the Nation's economy. The
BEA provides Balance of Payments adjustments to the international trade in goods data and
data on international trade in services.” (Census, Glossary)
These are the two primary
locations for business
information, e.g. loans,
“grants,” business incentives,
industry, demographics, &c.

18. Demographics
Demographics are an important next step in researching information to include in the business or
marketing plan. There are two types of target markets typically relevant to potential business owners:
individuals and business-to-business, otherwise known as B2B. Conducting research to determine a
target market for businesses that cater to individual consumers you should access the Census page; in
this case, American FactFinder, Quick Facts (about states), and American Community Survey are the
most relevant censuses and surveys for your purpose.
Federal and State Resources for Demographic Research
The American FactFinder combines information from the following federal statistical providers:
Decennial Census (DC), American Community Survey (ACS), Puerto Rico Community Survey, Economic
Census (EC), and Population Estimate Program. The questions on the Decennial Census, as of 2010, have
been greatly truncated to cover only the basic demographic makeup of the country, leaving the more
detailed analysis of the country to the ACS. The ACS is a survey rather than a census so its
measurements are only statistically approximate. It is conducted every year nationwide. The ACS,
because of its timeliness, gives businesses and policymakers the ability to make decisions based on
current information.
Surveys and Data on American FactFinder:
1) American Community Survey (ACS)
a. Yearly survey with approximately 3.5 million households survey per year.
Select Maryland Industry Snapshots
located at bottom of homepage.

19. b. 1 Year Estimates with a geographic population of 65,000 or more.
c. 3 Year Estimates with a geographic population of 20,000 or more.
d. 5 Year Estimates are the results of small geographic areas collected during the year span
of 2005 – 2009.
e. Puerto Rico Community Survey is the PR version of the ACS.
2) American Housing Survey (AHS)
a. Conducted biennially in odd-numbered years.
b. Collects information of a wide range of housing characteristics, such as vacancies,
condition of homes, occupancies, &c.
3) Annual Economic Surveys
a. There are over 100 different surveys occurring throughout the year at the Census
Bureau. The American FactFinder culls information from three of those surveys.
i. Annual Survey of Manufacturers.
ii. County Business Patterns/Zip Code Business Patterns.
iii. Non-employer Statistics.
4) Commodity Flow Survey
a. Measures flow of goods originating in the United States and information shipped from
the United States.
5) 2010 Decennial Census
a. If you are looking for information from the 1990 through 2000 Census, try the Census
Explorer function.
6) Economic Census
a. Conducted every five years in years ending with a 2 or 7.
b. Also contained in this function is the Economic Census of Island Areas, and;
c. Survey of Business Owners (SBO)
7) Equal Employment Opportunity Tabulation (EEO)
a. A tabulation based on information from the 5 Year ACS designed to analyze compliance
with EEO laws.
8) Population Estimates Program
a. Estimates population for the United States (towns, cities, counties and states) along
with Puerto Rico and its municipios.
9) For a comprehensive list of surveys conducted by the Census: SEE
http://www.census.gov/aboutus/surveys.html
Most demographic searches are structured the same. American FactFinder has a criteria menu on the
left side of the page. It is here that you will be able to access all of the Census and Survey stats that were
listed above. One of the more important things to keep in mind is the distinctions between ACS, 1, 3,
and 5 Year stats. Remember that the 1 Year is for estimates exclusive to cities with a population over
65,000 or over; the 3 Year is for estimates with cities/towns with a population of 20,000 or over; and,
the 5 Year includes all areas, even those below 20,000 in population. Below is an example of a typical
demographic search. (As of 5/19/2014)

20. And,
And;
Notice that there is an option to
narrow down the search to census
tract. You can even narrow it down by
zip code. Also notice that when
choosing county Baltimore will bring
up both Baltimore County and
Baltimore City.

21. The ACS and DC are likely going to be the most useful resources for researching the business
demographics provided by the Census Bureau. As we’ve already covered concerning the Economic
Census, keep in mind that you can use AF to acquire EC stats as well. The government provides very
detailed demographic information that can be parsed by Topic, Geography, Race/Ethnicity, and Industry
Code (if you are doing industry research). For help in learning how to use American FactFinder, go to
their tutorial Web page at http://factfinder2.census.gov/legacy/topic_search.html. Following the
specific steps in the process will ensure that you receive the desired results.
Quick Facts is simply a useful way to get quick demographic sketches of places in the United States. It is
self-explanatory and easy to use. It can be accessed from the Census home page.
Bureau of Labor Statistics: Consumer Expenditures and Time Use
The Bureau of Labor Statistics has a section on their website outlining demographic information, such
as American Time Use Survey11
, Geographic Profile of Employment and Unemployment, Consumer
Expenditure Survey12
, and an interesting study called Longitudinal Studies: National Longitudinal
11
“The American Time Use Survey (ATUS) measures the amount of time people spend doing
various activities, such as paid work, childcare, volunteering, and socializing.” (Data.gov, American
Time Use Survey).
12
“The Consumer Expenditure Survey (CE) program consists of two surveys, the quarterly Interview
Survey and the Diary Survey, that provide information on the buying habits of American consumers,
including data on their expenditures, income, and consumer unit (families and single consumers)
In this search there were 127
different tables. The best way to look
for specifics is to use the “Refine”
your search field. Each table is
labeled according to subject and
dataset, i.e. ACS, EC, &c source.

22. Surveys, which tracks a group of men and women in the market at different points in their lives in order
to measure change in market behavior over time. Below is a graphic representation of how to access
these datasets: http://www.bls.gov/home.htm (As of 4-22-2014)
"The Consumer Expenditure Survey (CE) program consists of two surveys, the Quarterly Interview
Survey and the Diary Survey, that provide information on the buying habits of American consumers,
including data on their expenditures, income, and consumer unit (families and single consumers)
characteristics. The survey data are collected for the Bureau of Labor Statistics by the U.S. Census
Bureau.
The CE is important because it is the only Federal survey to provide information on the complete range
of consumers' expenditures and incomes, as well as the characteristics of those consumers. It is used by
economic policymakers examining the impact of policy changes on economic groups, by businesses and
academic researchers studying consumers' spending habits and trends, by other Federal agencies, and,
perhaps most importantly, to regularly revise the Consumer Price Index market basket of goods and
services and their relative importance." (Citation: http://www.bls.gov/cex/ )
At the bottom of the page is the newest Consumer Expenditure report. In this case, as of this writing
5/19/2014, it is the year 2012 report.
characteristics. The survey data are collected for the Bureau of Labor Statistics by the U.S. Census
Bureau. The CE collects information on all spending components including food, housing, apparel
and services, transportation, entertainment, and out-of-pocket health care costs including insurance
premiums.” (Data.gov, Consumer Expenditure Survey).
Click the Subjects dropdown to access
both the Consumer Expenditures and
How Americans Spend Time datasets.

23. "The American Time Use Survey (ATUS) measures the amount of time people spend doing various
activities, such as paid work, childcare, volunteering, and socializing." (Citation:
http://www.bls.gov/tus/)

24. The following report was released on June 30, 2013. Notice the stats on reading times for young adults
compared to elderly people! How would this help an entrepreneur? How could this kind of information
be used to aid business owners in making decisions?
Other activities measured are how much time do Americans spend working, shopping, in leisure,
reading, traveling back and forth to work, and much more.
Time spent reading for
personal interest and
playing games or using a
computer for leisure varied
greatly by age. Individuals
age 75 and over averaged 1.0
hour of reading per weekend
day and 20 minutes playing
games or using a computer
for leisure. Conversely,
individuals ages 15 to 19
read for an average of 7
minutes per weekend day
while spending 1.0 hour
playing games or using a
computer for leisure. (See
table 11.)

25. Maryland’s Business and Economic page, www.choosemaryland.org on demographics.
The State of Maryland’s ChooseMaryland (see page 16 for more detail) www.choosemaryland.org has
a Web site devoted to economic development in the state. Under the heading “Facts and Stats” you will
find a variety of choices. The section on demographics offers basic demographic profiles of cities in
Maryland as well as the state. The information is very basic, but once on the demographics page you can
access information concerning populations and population projections based on the Decennial Census
all the way through the year 2020. Interestingly, Baltimore city is projected to grow by 2.2% even though
this Decennial Census shows a decline in population since the last Census in 2000. Apparently, nearly 90
percent of Maryland's 5.8 million residents live in the densely populated corridor between Baltimore
and Washington, D.C. If you are looking to locate a business based on demographic density, this area is
the obvious choice.
For those engaged in a B2B business, Choose Maryland has a section entitled, “largest employers in
Maryland” and you can search these by county. If you are looking to target large employers or those
who play a major role in Maryland’s economy then this statistical page is useful.