The economic census is the U.S. government's official five-year measure of American business and the economy. It is conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Starting with the 2017 Economic Census, response will be entirely paperless. The economic census will mail out information on how to access the electronic instrument in May 2018 to the nearly 4 million businesses, including large, medium and small companies representing all United States and Island Area locations and industries. Respondents will be asked to provide a range of operational and performance data for their companies.

Response to the economic census is due on June 12, 2018, and is required by law. The data businesses provide are compiled into official statistics that are available for companies to use for planning and decision-making.

5 — Number of years between each Economic Census. The last count was for 2012. The next count after this collection for 2017 will be for 2022.

10 — Number of How-To Videos showing how to answer specific questions about the online reporting instrument.

18 — NAICS sectors (two-digit code) included in the economic census. All sectors, except for sector 11 (Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting) and sector 92 (Public Administration), are covered by the economic census.

269 — Number of Census Bureau employees serving as Account Managers to the largest companies, assisting them with their responses.

1,057 — Number of six-digit NAICS industries covered by the 2017 Economic Census.

1905 — First manufacturing census taken separately from the decennial population census.

2017 — Year being measured by the 2017 Economic Census, which is conducted in the second quarter of 2018.

4,139,919 — The number of business locations covered in the 2017 Economic Census.

7,757,807 — Number of employer establishments in the United States, according to the 2016 County Business Patterns.

126,752,238 — Paid employees in the United States, according to the 2016 County Business Patterns.

$6,435,142,055,000 — Annual payroll in the United States, according to the 2016 County Business Patterns.