The U.S. Census Bureau has released new data from the Business Trends and Outlook Survey (BTOS), which tracks ongoing business conditions and future projections across the country. The survey is designed to complement existing economic surveys by collecting information on revenues, employees, hours worked, and inventories.
BTOS covers all employer businesses in the United States except farms. It provides continuous and timely updates on key economic indicators every two weeks, offering detailed data by geography and industry subsector. This allows for tracking the effects of events such as natural disasters or economic crises, as well as monitoring recovery efforts.
The survey samples about 1.2 million businesses through biweekly collections. Businesses are divided into six panels of around 200,000 each; each panel is asked to report once every 12 weeks over a year-long period. According to the Census Bureau, it takes an average of nine minutes for respondents to complete the survey, including reviewing instructions.
Data from BTOS will be published every two weeks with breakdowns available by sector, state, and for the 25 largest metropolitan areas in the U.S. New questions regarding artificial intelligence were introduced in November 2025, with results expected in Spring 2026. The survey’s findings provide real-time data that can assist policymakers at all levels of government and help businesses make informed decisions.
There is no news release associated with this announcement; only a tip sheet has been provided.
