The U.S. Census Bureau has released new data from the Business Trends and Outlook Survey (BTOS), a program designed to provide continuous updates on business conditions and projections across the United States. The BTOS, which now includes information for multiunit and multilocation businesses, complements existing economic surveys by collecting key indicators such as revenue, employment, hours worked, and inventories.
According to the Census Bureau, the survey represents all employer businesses in the country except for farms. Data are collected every two weeks from about 1.2 million businesses, divided into six panels of approximately 200,000 each. Each panel is surveyed every 12 weeks over the course of a year. The average time required for respondents to complete the survey is estimated at nine minutes.
The BTOS releases data biweekly with breakdowns available by sector, state, and among the 25 largest metropolitan statistical areas. As of November 17, 2025, new questions concerning artificial intelligence have been added; results related to these topics will be made available in 2026.
Continuous collection and dissemination of this data allow officials at various levels of government to access timely insights needed for policy decisions. Businesses can also use this real-time information when making their own economic choices. The survey’s design enables it to capture impacts from events such as natural disasters or economic crises and supports monitoring recovery efforts.
No separate news release was issued alongside this announcement; only a tip sheet was provided.
