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Freight Facts and Figures 2010

Table 1-1. Economic and Social Characteristics of the United States: 1980-2008

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 34 percent between 1980 and 2008 while the economy, measured by Gross Domestic Product (GDP), more than doubled in real terms. Household income, another indicator of economic growth, also rose by 15 percent. Foreign trade grew faster than the overall economy, quintupling in real value between 1980 and 2008, reflecting unprecedented global interconnectivity.

Table in Excel format | Historical data

Empty cell. 1980 1990 2000 2007 2008 Percent change,
1980 to 2008
Resident population (thousands) 226,546 248,791 281,425 (R) 301,580 304,375 34.4
Households (thousands) 80,776 93,347 104,705 116,011 116,783 44.6
Median household income (2000 $) 35,057 38,257 41,990 41,454 40,233 14.8
Civilian labor force (thousands) 106,940 125,840 142,583 153,836 154,287 44.3
Employed1 (thousands) 99,303 118,793 136,891 146,047 145,362 46.4
Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting (percent) NA 1.9 1.8 1.4 1.5 NA
Mining NA 0.5 0.3 0.5 0.6 NA
Construction NA 6.9 7.3 8.1 7.5 NA
Manufacturing NA 16.8 14.4 11.2 10.9 NA
Wholesale and retail trade NA 14.7 14.6 14.3 14.2 NA
Transportation and utilities NA 5.1 5.4 5.2 5.3 NA
Information NA 2.9 3.0 2.4 2.4 NA
Financial activities NA 7.1 6.8 7.2 7.0 NA
Professional and business services NA 9.4 10.0 10.7 10.7 NA
Education and health services NA 17.5 19.1 21.0 21.6 NA
Leisure and hospitality NA 8.0 8.2 8.5 8.8 NA
Other services NA 4.3 4.7 4.8 4.8 NA
Public administration NA 4.7 4.5 4.6 4.7 NA
Business establishments (thousands) NA 6,176 7,070 7,705 7,601 NA
Governmental units2 381,831 485,006 587,576 89,527 NA NA
Gross domestic product (millions of 2000 $) (R) 5,839,000 (R) 8,033,900 (R) 11,226,000 (R) 13,254,100 13,312,200 128.0
Foreign trade (millions of 2000 $) 631,335 1,168,168 2,572,000 3,399,774 3,776,712 522.5
Goods (percent) 74.0 71.6 78.8 78.7 77.0 4.0
Services (percent) 26.0 28.4 21.2 21.3 23.0 -11.4

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

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, 2010.

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, 2010.

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, 2010.

Employment: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, available at www.bls.gov/ces as of August 9, 2010.

Median household income: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Historical Income Tables, table H-6, available at www.census.gov/hhes/income/histinc/h06ar.html as of August 9, 2010.

Business establishments: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, available at www.census.gov/epcd/cbp/view/cbpview.html as of August 9, 2010.

Governmental units: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Census of Governments, available at www.census.gov/govs as of August 9, 2010.

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, 2010.

 


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