The Economic Census of Island Areas is the major source of facts about the structure and functioning of the economy of American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. It provides essential information for government, business, industry, and the general public.

Congress has authorized the economic censuses to be taken at 5-year intervals covering years ending in "2" and "7." The Economic Census has been taken at 5-year intervals for the following areas, except where noted below:

• American Samoa — Since 2002
• Guam — Since 1958
• Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands — Since 1982
• U.S. Virgin Islands — Since 1958
• Puerto Rico — Economic censuses were conducted beginning with a census of manufactures for 1909 and continuing at 10-year intervals through 1949, excepting 1929. Wholesale and retail trades and services industries were included as part of the economic censuses for 1939. Starting with 1949 through 2002, the censuses of wholesale and retail trades and service industries have been conducted concurrently with the census of manufactures. The census of construction industries has been included since 1967.

The Economic Census collects data from businesses with paid employees in nearly every industry in the private, non-farm economy, and every geographic area of the United States. The Economic Census of Island Areas is part of the Economic Census and collects the same kind of data, but from American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.

For additional information see the Economic Census General FAQs.

With the changes outlined below, the 2022 Economic Census of Island Areas will be a more standard collection across industries and islands. Some items were consolidated or eliminated to reduce respondent burden, while other items were added to better meet the needs of key data users. These changes should lead to an improved and more relevant collection, processing, and dissemination of data for 2022.

Sales from Exports (Item 5):

A question was added to the Sales, Shipments, Receipts, or Revenue item of all questionnaires asking for the percent of sales from exports. Prior to 2022, this question was only on wholesale and retail questionnaires.

Value of Inventories (Item 9):

The Value of Inventories item was added to all questionnaires. Prior to 2022, this item was only on questionnaires covering the manufacturing, wholesale, and retail industries.

Legal Form of Organization (Puerto Rico questionnaires) (Item 12):

A question was added to this inquiry on Puerto Rico questionnaires to differentiate between domestic U.S. corporations, domestic Puerto Rico corporations, and nondomestic corporations.

Capital Expenditures (Item 13):

This item on Puerto Rico construction questionnaires was updated to collect new automobiles within the category for new machinery, equipment, and vehicles. Puerto Rico manufacturing questionnaires were expanded to collect depreciable assets at the beginning of the year, depreciable assets sold, depreciable assets at the end of the year, and depreciation charges, broken out for both buildings and machinery. All other questionnaires will only collect a breakout of capital expenditures between buildings and machinery.

Selected Expenses (Item 16):

Several expense categories were removed or condensed, depending on the industry-specific questionnaire type, due to a lack of relevance to the affected industry.

Class of Customer (Item 20):

For 2022, this inquiry was standardized across all questionnaires. Previously, slight differences existed in the classes of customer and their descriptions, depending on the industry- and island-specific questionnaires. Similar wording for the same classes were standardized, while a few classes were added or removed due to a relevance or lack thereof to any industry or island.

Detail of Sales, Shipments, Receipts, or Revenue (Item 22):

Due to the small number of establishments in several industries, collection, processing, and dissemination of the Detail of Sales, Shipments, Receipts, or Revenue item is not practical. Therefore, this item was removed from several questionnaires.

Type of Construction (Item 28, line C1 and C2):

A question was added to construction questionnaires to collect a breakout of new construction, additions, and maintenance for both buildings and other types of construction.

Value of Products Shipped and Contract Work Performed by Customer Location, and Distribution of Products Shipped and Contract Work Performed for Customers in Puerto Rico by Class of Customer (Puerto Rico manufacturing questionnaires) (Item 28):

These two Special Items on the questionnaire for the manufacturing industry in Puerto Rico were updated to cover local governments and the accommodation and food services sector. In addition, wording was updated to match the wording used in the Class of Customer inquiry, as well as to differentiate between the U.S. Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.