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Economic Profile System: About

Economic Profile System

About the Economic Profile System

Customize and download socioeconomic reports for U.S. communities, counties, and states.

The Economic Profile System is a free, easy-to-use tool that provides access to 17 socioeconomic reports. Customized reports are available for U.S. communities, counties, and states and can be downloaded as Excel or PDF files.

Economic Profile System reports are based on credible public data sources such as the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Interior, and U.S. Department of Agriculture. Data are updated continuously.

This free tool is nationally available thanks to generous support from the Bureau of Land Management, USDA Forest Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife  Service, the Kresge Foundation, and M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the data sources for EPS Quick Facts?

Population, median household income, household income, and employment are from the most recent five-year rolling survey period of the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey. You can cite the data as follows, where YYYY is the year shown next to the Quick Fact:

U.S. Department of Commerce. YYYY. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office, Washington, D.C., reported by Headwaters Economics’ Economic Profile System, headwaterseconomics.org/eps.

Top industries are from the Bureau of Economic Analysis and are only available by county. You can cite the data as follows, where YYYY is the year shown next to the Quick Fact:

U.S. Department of Commerce. YYYY. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Accounts, Washington, D.C., reported by Headwaters Economics’ Economic Profile System, headwaterseconomics.org/eps.

How should I cite data from EPS reports?

Every page of an EPS report includes a full citation at the bottom. Headwaters Economics recommends that you cite data from EPS reports as follows:

<Citation from the bottom of the relevant EPS page(s)>, as reported in Headwaters Economics’ Economic Profile System (headwaterseconomics.org/eps).

For example:

U.S. Department of Labor. 2019. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Washington, D.C., as reported in Headwaters Economics’ Economic Profile System (headwaterseconomics.org/eps).

How often is EPS updated?

Headwaters Economics processes newly released datasets continuously.  The latest available numbers are reflected in EPS reports within 90 days of publication by each data source.  There are multiple data sources in EPS, each with a different update schedule.  

Why does EPS report data from multiple sources?

Each data source has strengths and gaps. EPS uses the strengths of multiple data sources to build a more complete picture of the socioeconomics for the selected location.

Where possible, EPS displays data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis’ Regional Economic Accounts. These data are available for the longest time span (1969 to latest year), represent the widest segment of workers (part-time, self-employed, etc.), and report income and employment across all major industries, including government.

The most complete data source for average annual wages by industry is the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages program. Most EPS reports display both average annual wages and employment figures from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. This source does not include data for the self-employed or the value of benefits.

Several of the EPS sector reports (Services, Mining, Timber, and Travel & Tourism) rely on data from the Census Bureau’s County Business Patterns. From this data source, Headwaters Economics is able to generate the most complete employment data on sub-categories within industries, such as jobs in saw and paper mills within the timber industry, by estimating data gaps based on data provided on the number of establishments by size. However, County Business Patterns does not include employment in government, agriculture, railroads, or the self-employed, and as a result tends to under-count the size of industry sectors. These data are most useful for showing long-term trends, displaying differences between locations, and showing the relationship between sectors over time.

All EPS data sources are available for the U.S., states, counties, combined statistical areas, and metro/non-metro portions of states. However, only one data source used in EPS provides detail on “sub-county” levels of geography: the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. American Community Survey data is used throughout the Demographics report, and is the only report that can be run for county subdivisions; cities, towns, and census designated places; American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian areas; and congressional districts.

Beyond the four data sources mentioned above, EPS relies on additional reliable, widely recognized sources for data on unemployment, land ownership, land use patterns, and payments from federal lands, to name a few. Every EPS page includes a full citation at the bottom.

Why are there different population numbers?

You may notice slightly different population numbers in various reports and the Quick Facts. The Economic Profile System uses three different sources for population data depending on the purpose. To show population at the sub-county level (census tracts, cities, and towns) we report 5-year estimates from U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. To show population change over time we report population data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. To show the components of population change, including migration, we report the U.S. Census Bureau’s population estimates. Every page of an EPS report includes the data source and full citation at the bottom.

Which data are reported by “place of work” vs. “place of residence”?

Data displayed in EPS are based on surveys that differ in sampling and collection methods.  The surveys ask questions based on “place of work”, which refers to the geographic location of a job, or “place of residence”, which refers to the geographic location of a home.  Especially for communities and industries associated with commuting, it can be important to know whether data represents people currently residing versus working in a place.

Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Accounts
EmploymentPlace of Work
Earnings by Industry & Earnings per JobPlace of Work
Proprietors’ EmploymentPlace of Work
Proprietors’ Income (Farm)Place of Work
Proprietors’ Income (Non-Farm)Place of Residence
Personal Income (incl. Non-Labor & Per Capita Income)Place of Residence
PopulationPlace of Residence
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages
EmploymentPlace of Work
Payroll & WagesPlace of Work
Census Bureau, County Business Patterns
EmploymentPlace of Work
Payroll & WagesPlace of Work
Census Bureau, American Community Survey
EmploymentPlace of Residence
IncomePlace of Residence
PopulationPlace of Residence
Where can I find a map showing Census designated places and county subdivisions?

Maps are available by state at this Census webpage.

Can I produce reports with results for multiple places?

Yes. Reports that show results for multiple places, including an aggregation of selected places, is currently only available in our Legacy Viewer.

What happened to the reports called Summary, Socioeconomic Measures, and Public Land Amenities?

In the fall of 2020, Headwaters Economics implemented a new interface for the Economic Profile System and renamed some reports.

  • The report called Summary is now called Socioeconomic Trends.
  • The report called Socioeconomic Measures is now called Key Indicators.
  • The report called Public Land Amenities is now called Living Near Public Lands.
Use EPS

See all data tools

Update Schedule

Headwaters Economics processes newly released datasets continuously.  For data sources referred to in the table below as having monthly, annual, or five‐year update frequencies, Headwaters Economics processes newly released datasets within a maximum of 90 days post publication by each individual data source. Therefore, EPS reports always show the latest available numbers to within 90 days of each data source release date.

Data Source Update Frequency Last Update Time Period Covered EPS Reports
U.S. Department of Commerce. Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics, Washington, D.C. Annually September-2020 1998-2018 Mining, Oil, & Gas, Timber
U.S. Department of Commerce. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, Washington, D.C. Annually September-2020 1998-2018 Living Near Public Lands, Mining, Oil, & Gas, Services, Key Indicators, Timber, Tourism
U.S. Department of Labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Washington, D.C. Annually August-2020 1990-2019 Agriculture, Government, Mining, Oil, & Gas, Socioeconomic Trends, Services, Timber, Tourism
U.S. Department of Commerce. Census Bureau, Governments Division, Washington, D.C. Every Five Years May-2020 1987-2017 Fedpayments, Key Indicators
U.S. Department of Interior. Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT), Washington, D.C. Annually May-2020 1986-2019 Fedpayments, Key Indicators
U.S. Department of Agriculture. Forest Service, Washington, D.C. Annually May-2020 1986-2019 Fedpayments, Key Indicators
U.S. Department of Interior. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, D.C. When Available May-2020 1986-2019 Fedpayments, Key Indicators
U.S. Department of Interior. Office of Natural Resources Revenue, Washington, D.C. Annually May-2020 1986-2019 Fedpayments, Key Indicators
U.S. Department of Labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Washington, D.C. Monthly April-2020 1976-2019 Key Indicators, Socioeconomic Trends, Tourism
U.S. Department of Commerce. Census Bureau, Population Division, Washington, D.C. Annually April-2020 2000-2019 Living Near Public Lands, Socioeconomic Trends
U.S. Department of Commerce. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office, Washington, D.C. Annually March-2020 2010-2018 Demographics, Living Near Public Lands, Tourism
U.S. Department of Commerce. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Accounts, Washington, D.C. Annually November-2019 1970-2018 Agriculture, Government, Key Indicators, Living Near Public Lands, Nonlabor, Socioeconomic Trends
U.S. Department of Agriculture. National Agricultural Statistics Service, Census of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. Every Five Years September-2019 2017 Agriculture
U.S. Department of Interior. U.S. Geological Survey, Gap Analysis Program. Protected Areas Database of the United States (PADUS) version 1.4, Moscow, ID Unscheduled May-2019 2018 Key Indicators, Landuse, Living Near Public Lands
U.S. Department of Interior. Bureau of Land Management, Washington, D.C. Annually December-2018 1986-2017 Fedpayments, Key Indicators
National Bureau of Economic Research. Cambridge, MA Unscheduled October-2013 1969-2012 Socioeconomic Trends
U.S. Department of Interior. U.S. Geological Survey, NASA MODIS Land Cover Type Yearly L3 Global 1km MOD12Q1, Sioux Falls, SD Unscheduled May-2013 2006 Landuse, Key Indicators
Theobald, DM. 2013. Land use classes for ICLUS/SERGoM v2013. Unpublished report, Colorado State University Unscheduled May-2013 2000-2010 Living Near Public Lands, Landuse, Key Indicators
Gude, P.H., Rasker, R., and van den Noort, J. 2008. Potential for Future Development on Fire-Prone Lands. Journal of Forestry 106(4):198-205; U.S. Department of Commerce. 2011. TIGER/Line 2010 Census Blocks and 2010 Summary File 1, Washington, D.C. Unscheduled May-2013 2010 Key Indicators, WUI
Rasker, R. 2006. "An Exploration Into the Economic Impact of Industrial Development Versus Conservation on Western Public Lands." Society and Natural Resources. 19(3): 191-207 Unscheduled na 0000 Key Indicators, Landuse, Living Near Public Lands
U.S. Department of Agriculture. Forest Service, Land Areas Report, Washington, D.C. Unscheduled na 2009 Landuse
U.S. Department of Commerce. Census Bureau, 2000 Decennial Census, Washington, D.C. Decennially na 2000 Demographics

Methods and Technical Specifications

The following documents provide detailed methods and technical specifications for components of the Economic Profile System.

  • Filling Data Gaps in Regional Economic Information System (REIS, Bureau of Economic Analysis)
  • Filling Data Gaps in County Business Patterns (CBP, Census Bureau)
  • Sources and Methods for Federal County Payments
  • Income Reporting: Place of Work or Place of Residence?

The Economic Profile System is nationally available thanks to generous support from the Bureau of Land Management, USDA Forest Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife  Service, the Kresge Foundation, and M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust. (Terms of Use.)

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