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Freight Facts and Figures 2009

Table 1-1. Economic and Social Characteristics of the United States: 1980-2007

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 33 percent between 1980 and 2007 while the economy, measured by Gross Domestic Product (GDP), more than doubled in real terms. Household income, another indicator of economic growth, also has risen by 18 percent. Foreign trade grew faster than the overall economy, quadrupling in real value between 1980 and 2007, reflecting unprecedented global interconnectivity.

Table in Excel format | Historical data

Empty cell. 1980 1990 2000 2006 2007 Percent change,
1980 to 2007
Resident population (thousands) 226,546 248,791 281,425 (R) 298,362 301,290 33.0
Households (thousands) 80,776 93,347 104,705 114,384 116,011 43.6
Median household income (2000 $) 35,057 38,257 41,990 41,168 41,454 18.2
Civilian labor force (thousands) 106,940 125,840 142,583 152,677 153,836 0.0
Employed1 (thousands) 99,303 118,793 136,891 144,427 146,047 47.1
Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting (percent) NA 1.9 1.8 1.5 1.4 NA
Mining NA 0.5 0.3 0.5 0.5 NA
Construction NA 6.9 7.3 8.1 8.1 NA
Manufacturing NA 16.8 14.4 11.3 11.2 NA
Wholesale and retail trade NA 14.7 14.6 14.8 14.3 NA
Transportation and utilities NA 5.1 5.4 5.2 5.2 NA
Information NA 2.9 3.0 2.5 2.4 NA
Financial activities NA 7.1 6.8 7.3 7.2 NA
Professional and business services NA 9.4 10.0 10.3 10.7 NA
Education and health services NA 17.5 19.1 20.7 21.0 NA
Leisure and hospitality NA 8.0 8.2 8.4 8.5 NA
Other services NA 4.3 4.7 4.9 4.8 NA
Public administration NA 4.7 4.5 4.5 4.6 NA
Business establishments (thousands) NA 6,176 7,070 7,601 7,705 NA
Governments2 3381,831 4485,006 5587,576 NA 89,527 NA
Gross domestic product (millions of 2000 $) 5,161,700 7,112,500 9,817,000 (R) 11,294,800 11,523,900 123.3
Foreign trade (millions of 2000 $) 631,335 1,168,168 2,572,000 (R) 3,246,608 3,399,774 438.5
Goods (percent) 74.0 71.6 78.8 79.2 78.7 6.3
Services (percent) 26.0 28.4 21.2 20.8 21.3 -18.1

Key: NA = not available; R = revised.

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

2Data for governments 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 September 17, 2009.

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 17, 2009.

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 17, 2009.

Employment: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, available at www.bls.gov/ces as of September 17, 2009.

Median household income: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Historical Income Tables, table H-6, available at www.census.gov/hhes/www/income/histinc/inchhtoc.html as of July 30, 2009.

Business establishments: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, available at www.census.gov/econ/cbp/index.html as of August 5, 2009.

Governments: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Census of Governments, available at www.census.gov/govs as of September 17, 2009.

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 July 30, 2009.

 

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