NEPA’s Research & Information Center is an affiliate of the Pennsylvania State Data Center, which serves as an intermediary between the Census Bureau and users. Data from the Census Bureau and other sources are used as background information for submitting applications for project funding assistance. NEPA can provide statistical information in either tabular or chart form and can also provide data that are based on a radius.
Agriculture
Statistics from the National Agricultural Statistics Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture are primarily gathered in years that end in either a “2” or a “7”.
Commuting
The U.S. Census Bureau provides estimates of people who travel to and from work. These data are either based on residence or workplace.
Demographic Data
The U.S. Census Bureau is the primary source of demographic data. For a summary of data, QuickFacts are available for all states and counties. The American Community Survey provides between census estimates for 1-year and 5-year periods, which are based on the population of a geographical entity. As Pennsylvania’s liaison to the U.S. Census Bureau and the state’s official source of population and economic statistics, the Pennsylvania State Data Center (PaSDC) is another resource of information from the Census Bureau.
Economic Census
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Economic Census provides a detailed portrait of economies from the national to the local level every five years.
Education Data
The Pennsylvania Department of Education has enrollment and graduation data for school districts and colleges and universities.
Employment by Industry
The U.S. Census Bureau has available through “County Business Patterns” employment by industry. The classification of these firms is the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) and the industries are classified up to the six digit level.
Employment by Occupation
This information, which is based on 2006-2010 5-Year American Community Survey estimates, is available through the U.S. Census Bureau Equal Employment Opportunity Tabulation
Income Data
The U.S. Census Bureau has available, through its American Community Survey, estimates for Per Capita Income, Median Household Income and Median Family Income. These estimates are available at the 1- and 5-year levels depending on the population of the geographic region.
Largest Employers
The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry Center for Workforce Information & Analysis has lists of the top 50 employers by county. Due to confidentiality, these lists do not include information from sales or number of employees.
Minority-Owned and Women-Owned Businesses
Information about minority-owned and women-owned businesses is obtained by the U.S. Census Bureau through surveys, which are conducted in years ending in either a “2” or a “7”. Information, from 2007 and other years, is from the U.S. Census Bureau Survey of Business Owners (SBO).
Number of Businesses
The U.S. Census Bureau has available through “County Business Patterns” the number of businesses by industry. The classification of these firms is the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) and the industries are classified up to the six digit level. The number of businesses is based on ranges in the number of employees. The number of businesses by zip code is also available.
Occupational Wages
The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry Center for Workforce Information & Analysis has occupational wage data available by county and other geographic areas.
Population
The U.S. Census Bureau has the population counts from surveys which were taken on April 1 of the years that end in a “0”. It also conducts estimates of the population that are taken on July 1 in the same year as the decennial census and each year after through the year that ends in a “9”.
Population Projections
The Pennsylvania State Data Center provides population projections at the county level, which are based on the 2000 Census.
Poverty Rates
The Economic Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture has maps, which illustrate the percent of total population in poverty in 2015. The Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates Program of the U.S. Census Bureau also has poverty rate information.
Traffic Counts
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has available traffic count maps by county.
Unemployment Rates
The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry Center for Workforce Information & Analysis has unemployment rate data available by county and other geographic areas.
Wage and Salary Data
The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry Center for Workforce Information & Analysis has wage and salary data available by county and other geographic areas.
Additional Resources
The U.S. Census Bureau is the main source for demographic statistics at the national, state and local levels.
County Level Population Estimates and Municipal Level Population Estimates are provided by the U.S. Census Bureau between censuses, which occur on April 1 of years that end in a “0”. Population estimates are first available after a decennial census the following July 1 and continue each year on that same date until the year that ends in a “9”.
The Pennsylvania State Data Center, which is located at Penn State Harrisburg, is the state’s liaison with the U.S. Census Bureau. It provides, under its dashboards page, census data along with graphical illustrations of income, education and aging from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey. It has some 1990, 2000 and 2010 Census data for the commonwealth, its counties, its municipalities and its congressional districts.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides information on Inflation & Prices, Employment, Unemployment, Pay & Benefits and Labor Productivity, along with additional topics.
Bureau of Labor Statistics Economic Summaries for Selected Areas includes the Scranton – Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area (Lackawanna, Luzerne and Wyoming counties) and the Allentown – Bethlehem – Easton, Pennsylvania – New Jersey Metropolitan Statistical Area (Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties in Pennsylvania and Warren County in New Jersey). Among the information in these summaries are unemployment rates and average weekly wages for all industries.
This is the Bureau of Labor Statistics Economy at a Glance for the Scranton – Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The Inflation or Consumer Price Index (CPI) Calculator is provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to track the historical value of a dollar.
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis has Gross Domestic Product (GDP), State and Local Personal Income and International Trade information.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service provides information at the national, state and local levels regarding the number of farms, acreage in farms, market value of agricultural products sold and other agricultural statistics. The source of this information is the Agricultural Census which is taken in years that end in either a “2” or a “7”.
USA.gov is an introductory or gateway page to federal statistical sources.
Stats America is used in determining whether a geographic area is distressed and meets certain criteria for federal government assistance in regards to unemployment rates and per capita income.
The Appalachian Regional Commission is a federal-state partnership that works for sustainable community and economic development in Appalachia. Funding assistance for projects is available, based on whether the project is located within a distressed area among other factors.
PA WorkStats is information from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry Center for Workforce Information & Analysis. It is the source for unemployment rates at the national, state, county, metropolitan statistical area and workforce investment area levels. It also provides information regarding what are the 50 largest employers in each Pennsylvania county and Occupational Wages for Pennsylvania Counties and Other Geographies.
The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development provides funding opportunities to help businesses, communities and municipalities in Pennsylvania. On its Local Government Services page, DCED has available Tax Information and Municipal Statistics.
PA SiteSearch is a search tool that is used in the business site selection process. Pennsylvania communities can be compared to others across the nation by clicking here. Demographic information can be accessed by clicking here. Their business database can be used to identify industry clusters and locate customers, competitors and suppliers by clicking here.
Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences and Cooperative Extension Economic and Community Development provides publications in land use planning, leadership, strategic planning and local taxes and communities. It also provides courses and workshops on Building Strong Communities, Creating Vibrant Economies and Land Use and Local Decision Making.
Pennsylvania Department of Education Statistical Reports are a resource for statistics from the public school districts and post-secondary educational institutions.
Pennsylvania Department of Health Division of Health Informatics (formerly Pennsylvania Department of Health Bureau of Health Statistics and Research) is a resource for vital statistics, diseases, health facilities, school health and other health-related statistics.
The Penn State Center for Economic & Community Development provides publications on Marcellus Shale Drilling and its Impact, Poverty and Market Trends. Under Market Trends, a series “Using Employment Data to Better Understand Your Local Economy” is available. This series provides a description of location quotient and shift-share analyses.
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Traffic Volume Maps provide the Annual Average Daily Traffic Volume over a numbered route.
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Maps in PDF is a list of maps that provide information about tourism and traffic volume. There are also maps at the state, county and municipal levels.