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Freight Facts and Figures 2013

Table 1-1. Economic and Social Characteristics of the United States: 1990, 2000, and 2009-2011

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 25 percent between 1990 and 2011, climbing to 311.6 million in 2011. The U.S. economy, measured by gross domestic product (GDP), increased by 68 percent in real terms (inflation adjusted), while household income, another indicator of economic growth, remained the same between 1990 and 2011. Foreign trade grew faster than the overall economy, doubling in real value over the same period, reflecting unprecedented global interconnectivity.

Table in Excel format | Historical data

Empty cell. 1990 2000 2009 2010 2011 Percent change,
1990 to 2011
Resident population (thousands) 248,791 282,172 307,007 (R) 309,326 311,588 25.2
Households (thousands) 93,347 104,705 117,181 117,538 118,682 27.1
Median household income (2005 $) (R) 44,637 (R) 52,3014 (R) 49,777 (R) 48,476 47,732 0.2
Civilian labor force (thousands) 125,840 142,583 (R) 153,120 (R) 153,649 153,945 22.3
Employed1 (thousands) 118,793 136,891 (R) 138,025 (R) 139,295 140,896 18.6
Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting (percent) 1.9 1.8 1.5 1.6 1.6 -15.5
Mining 0.5 0.3 0.5 0.5 0.6 7.7
Construction 6.9 7.3 6.9 6.5 6.5 -5.9
Manufacturing 16.8 14.4 10.2 10.1 10.2 -39.0
Wholesale and retail trade 14.7 14.6 14.1 14.2 14.1 -4.1
Transportation and utilities 5.1 5.4 5.2 5.1 5.1 0.0
Information 2.9 3.0 2.3 2.3 2.3 -22.7
Financial activities 7.1 6.8 6.9 6.7 6.7 -5.7
Professional and business services 9.4 10.0 10.7 11.0 11.3 20.0
Education and health services 17.5 19.1 22.7 23.1 22.8 30.0
Leisure and hospitality 8.0 8.2 9.1 9.0 9.1 12.8
Other services 4.3 4.7 5.0 4.9 4.8 11.7
Public administration 4.7 4.5 4.9 5.0 4.9 3.3
Business establishments (thousands) 6,176 7,070 7,433 7,397 7,354 19.1
Governmental units2 385,006 487,576 NA NA 589,004 53.0
Gross domestic product (millions of 2005 $) (R) 8,027,100 (R) 11,216,400 (R) 12,757,900 13,063,000 15,052,400 68.3
Foreign trade (millions of 2005 $) (R) 1,973,122 (R) 3,251,266 (R) 3,621,545 4,200,500 4,226,900 209.9
Goods (percent) NA (R) 78.2 (R) 75.3 77.1 76.4 NA
Services (percent) NA (R) 21.8 (R) 24.7 22.9 23.6 NA

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.

31992

42002

52012

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 September 20, 2013.

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 September 20, 2013.

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 September 20, 2013.

Employment: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, available at www.bls.gov/ces as of September 20, 2013.

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 September 20, 2013.

Business establishments: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, available at www.census.gov/econ/cbp/ as of September 20, 2013.

Governmental units: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Census of Governments, available at www.census.gov/govs as of September 20, 2013.

Gross domestic product and foreign trade: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, National Income and Product Accounts Tables, table 1.1.5, available at www.bea.gov/national/FA2004/index.asp as of September 20, 2013.

 


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