The U.S. Census Bureau released new data products from the Business Trends and Outlook Survey (BTOS) on April 9, offering updated information about business conditions and projections across the United States.
The BTOS is designed to provide continuous, timely data on key economic measures such as revenues, employees, hours, and inventories. The survey aims to give policymakers at all levels of government as well as businesses real-time insights into the state of the economy.
According to the Census Bureau, BTOS data represent all employer businesses in the U.S. economy except farms. The survey collects information every two weeks from a sample of approximately 1.2 million businesses nationwide. These businesses are divided into six panels, with each panel reporting every twelve weeks over a yearlong period.
Data from BTOS will be released biweekly and broken down by sector, state, and the twenty-five most populous metropolitan statistical areas. The average respondent spends about nine minutes completing the survey, which includes time spent reviewing instructions and answers.
New questions regarding artificial intelligence were added to BTOS in November 2025; results from these questions are expected to be available in spring 2026. According to the Census Bureau’s announcement, “Survey results give local, state and federal officials essential, real-time data to aid in policymaking and decision-making.” The bureau also notes that this information helps businesses make informed economic decisions.
