The U.S. Census Bureau has published the main set of data from the 2023 Annual Integrated Economic Survey (AIES), marking the first time a single, comprehensive annual dataset for U.S. employer businesses is available. The release offers detailed information on business revenue, expenses, payroll, and employment at national, regional, and divisional levels. For some sectors, state-level estimates are also included.
Lisa Donaldson, assistant director for Economic Programs at the Census Bureau, stated: “This release of data represents a significant step forward in the Census Bureau’s efforts to adapt to our ever-changing economy and transform our business statistics. By combining breadth of coverage with new geographic detail, the AIES provides insights that will shape decisions across the public and private sectors.”
The AIES replaces earlier preliminary “First Look” data released in July 2025 with final estimates. The survey covers domestic private sector nonfarm employer businesses that operated during any part of 2023 within one of the fifty states or Washington D.C., employing paid workers and classified under nineteen sectors defined by the 2017 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). The sample includes about 385,000 businesses selected based on location and industry.
Among key findings:
– Automobile Dealers generated an estimated $278.2 billion in revenue and employed about 281,789 people.
– Drugs and Druggists’ Sundries Merchant Wholesalers recorded $298.6 billion in sales.
– Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing had an estimated workforce of 78,565 with an annual payroll of $8.8 billion.
– Hospitals earned $300.6 billion in revenue while employing roughly 1.34 million people.
– Grocery Stores brought in $337.5 billion in revenue with a payroll totaling $32.1 billion.
– Electric Power Generation employed approximately 202,720 workers with a total payroll of $24.4 billion.
– Telecommunications reported revenues of $155.9 billion alongside an annual payroll of $19.6 billion.
– Data Processing Services employed around 258,344 people with a combined annual payroll of $30.4 billion.
The figures provided are not adjusted for price changes and may be affected by sampling variability or other sources of error.
For further details on methodology—including coverage criteria, confidentiality protection measures, and error sources—readers can visit the official 2023 AIES Methodology page.
The Census Bureau confirmed it has reviewed all released products to ensure proper access controls as well as disclosure avoidance protections for confidential source data.
