For the 2022 Economic Census, product data will be collected and published based on the North American Product Classification System (NAPCS). NAPCS 2022 is the second vintage, with product data based on the NAPCS first being fully implemented in the 2017 Economic Census. While the NAICS-based product codes used in the 2012 and earlier Economic Censuses are quite different from NAPCS, the structure is quite similar.

NAPCS is a market- or demand-based classification system for products (goods and services), meaning the same NAPCS product or service can be sold across different NAICS industries or even different sectors. For example, a household might purchase pet food (a NAPCS product), from retail establishments classified in different NAICS industries- such as a pet supply retailer, grocery store or supercenter, farm supply retailer, or convenience store. This same product might also be purchased from a veterinarian’s office, which is classified in a different sector (Sector 54, Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services) under NAICS. In contrast, the related North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), is a supply-based, or production-oriented system that classifies industries.

Additional information on the history, development, and structure of NAPCS is available at: https://www.census.gov/naics/napcs/.

• NAPCS-based codes are 10 digits in length.
• NAPCS-based codes consist of two hierarchical levels: 1) Broad line codes are products collected and can/may be published across all sectors; and 2) Detail line codes are more detailed products within broad lines that were only collected and published for specific industries. All broad lines map to only one trilateral product in the official NAPCS structure.
• Codes ending in “0” are Broad Lines. These are higher-level codes that are collected and can/may be published across NAICS sectors at the 2- thru 6-digit NAICS levels.
• Codes ending in “1” thru “9” are Detail Lines. These are more detailed codes that are industry-specific and are published for most 6-digit NAICS industries.
• There are 3,518 broad lines and 3,716 detail lines valid for the 2022 Economic Census.

The first digit of the NAPCS-based product relates to the NAICS sector the product is primarily associated with.

Example:

7003825000: Services Broad Line for “Room or unit accommodation for travelers”

7003825003: Services Detail Line for “Room or unit accommodation for travelers, with maid service”

The geographies published for each NAPCS-based product vary by NAICS sector:

• National and State-level data will be shown for Retail Trade (NAICS 44-45), Educational Services (61), Health Care and Social Assistance (62), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71), Accommodation and Food Services (72), and Other Services (81)
• National data only will be published for all other NAICS sectors

For use in comparison of 2022 and 2017 Economic Census data, the below-listed concordances show the linkages between 2022 and 2017 NAPCS-based collection codes:

• 2022 NAPCS-Based Collection Code to 2017 NAPCS-Based Collection Code
• 2017 NAPCS-Based Collection Code to 2022 NAPCS-Based Collection Code

All 2022 NAPCS-based collection broad lines map to a single trilateral NAPCS product.  Concordances between these product codes are available at:

• 2022 NAPCS-Based Collection Code to NAPCS Trilateral Product Code
• 2022 NAPCS Trilateral Product Code to NAPCS-Based Collection Code

NAPCS concordances from previous Economic Census years are available at Economic Census by Year under 'Guidance for Economic Census Data Users'.