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
 |
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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