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Freight Facts and Figures 2011

Table 1-1. Economic and Social Characteristics of the United States: 1980-2009

Freight transportation has grown over time with the expansion of population and economic activity within the United States and with the increasing interdependence of economies across the globe. The U.S. population grew by nearly 36 percent between 1980 and 2009 and climbed to 308.7 million in 2010. The U.S. economy, measured by Gross Domestic Product (GDP), more than doubled in real terms, while household income, another indicator of economic growth, rose by eight percent between 1980 and 2009. Foreign trade grew faster than the overall economy, quintupling in real value over the same period, reflecting unprecedented global interconnectivity.

Table in Excel format | Historical data

Empty cell. 1980 1990 2000 2008 2009 Percent change,
1980 to 2009
Resident population (thousands) 226,546 248,791 281,425 304,375 307,007 35.5
Households (thousands) 80,776 93,347 104,705 116,783 117,181 45.1
Median household income (2005 $) 42,067 44,758 47,608 46,707 45,211 7.5
Civilian labor force (thousands) 106,940 125,840 142,583 154,287 154,142 44.1
Employed1 (thousands) 99,303 118,793 136,891 145,362 139,877 40.9
Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting (percent) NA 1.9 1.8 1.5 1.5 NA
Mining NA 0.5 0.3 0.6 0.5 NA
Construction NA 6.9 7.3 7.5 6.9 NA
Manufacturing NA 16.8 14.4 10.9 10.2 NA
Wholesale and retail trade NA 14.7 14.6 14.2 14.1 NA
Transportation and utilities NA 5.1 5.4 5.3 5.2 NA
Information NA 2.9 3.0 2.4 2.3 NA
Financial activities NA 7.1 6.8 7.0 6.9 NA
Professional and business services NA 9.4 10.0 10.7 10.7 NA
Education and health services NA 17.5 19.1 21.6 22.7 NA
Leisure and hospitality NA 8.0 8.2 8.8 9.1 NA
Other services NA 4.3 4.7 4.8 5.0 NA
Public administration NA 4.7 4.5 4.7 4.9 NA
Business establishments (thousands) NA 6,176 7,070 7,601 7,433 NA
Governmental units2 381,831 485,006 587,576 689,527 NA NA
Gross domestic product (millions of 2005 $) (R) 5,834,000 (R) 8,027,100 (R) 11,216,400 (R) 13,161,900 12,703,100 117.7
Foreign trade (millions of 2005 $) 631,335 1,168,168 2,572,000 (R) 3,793,847 3,346,839 440.2
Goods (percent) 74.0 71.6 78.8 (R) 77.5 75.4 1.9
Services (percent) 26.0 28.4 21.2 (R) 22.5 24.6 -5.3

Key: NA = not available; R = revised.

1Based on the 2002 Census Industry Classification system. Data for 1990 do not appear in the source document; they are estimated using the Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalk from the 1990 Census Industry Classification system to the 2002 Census Industry Classification system.

2Data for governmental units come from the Census of Governments, which is collected every five years.

31982

41992

52002

62007

Sources:

Population: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Population Profile of the United States, available at www.census.gov/population/www/pop-profile/profile.html as of August 9, 2011.

Households: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Families and Living Arrangements, table HH-1, available at www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/hh-fam.html as of August 9, 2011.

Civilian Labor Force: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey, available at www.bls.gov/data/ as of August 9, 2011.

Employment: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, available at www.bls.gov/ces as of August 9, 2011.

Median household income: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Historical Income Tables, table H-6, available at www.census.gov/hhes/www/income/data/historical/household/index.html as of August 9, 2011.

Business establishments: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, available at www.census.gov/econ/cbp/ as of August 9, 2011.

Governmental units: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Census of Governments, available at www.census.gov/govs as of August 9, 2011.

Gross domestic product and foreign trade: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, National Income and Product Accounts Tables, tables 1.1.5, 1.1.6, and 4.2.4, available at www.bea.gov/national/FA2004/index.asp as of August 9, 2011.

 


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