12 of the most useful downloadable publications from the US Government

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Advertising & Marketing Review has covered government economic, trade and statistical publications since 1987. Of the hundreds of publications we have reviewed, the selections below are those we think will be most useful to the advertising and marketing community. These are awesome information sources and your tax dollars already paid for them. You might as well use them.

In addition to publications from the Department of Commerce, this selection includes publications from the Departments of Transportation, Energy, Health, Education, Agriculture and Labor. Excel files of the data are available from the homepages of each publication.

FYI, in 1987 when I first reviewed the Statistical Abstract of the U.S. a CD with Excel files of the abstract sold for $1500. You can download the 2008 version from the link below for free.

These publications are just the tip of the iceberg. For literally millions more reports, guides and data sets see our sections State Marketing Data, US Marketing Data, and World Marketing Guides and Data.

	Statistical Abstract of the United States (PDF) Homepage for Excel files, Earlier versions This is the magnum opus of American statistics, and comes in at number one on our list of essential books for advertisers. It has over 1300 tables of statistics on every aspect of life in America.
	Historical Statistics of the United States: Colonial Times to 1970 Part 1 (PDF) Part 2 (PDF) First published by the Bureau of the Census in two large volumes for $175, Historical Statistics is an essential tool for economists, historians, political scientists, sociologists, demographers, teachers policy makers, and business people.
	The County and City Data Book: 2007 (PDF) Homepages with Excel Files 1 and Excel Files 2 The County and City Data Book is the most comprehensive source of information about the individual counties and cities in the United States with a population of 25,000 or more. It covers: age, agriculture, births, business establishments, climate, construction, crime, deaths, earnings, education, elections, employment, finance, government, health, households, housing, income, labor force, manufactures, population, poverty, race and Hispanic origin, social services, and water use.
	State and Metropolitan Area Data Book: 2006 (PDF) Homepages for Excel Files of: State data tables Metropolitan and micropolitan area data tables Ranking tables The State and Metropolitan Area Data Book features more than 1,500 data items for the United States and individual states, counties and metropolitan areas from a variety of sources, covering age, agriculture, births, business establishments, communications, construction, cost of living, deaths, education, employment, energy, finance, health, households, housing, income, manufactures, media, retail sales, science and engineering,tourism and transportation.
	Pocket Guide to Transportation 2008 (PDF) published by the Department of Transportation Homepage America's transportation system continues to change along with the population, work force, and economy. This set of data tables puts those changes in perspective.
	Annual Energy Outlook 2008 (PDF) published by the Department of Energy Homepage The Annual Energy Outlook 2008 (AEO2008) presents projections and analysis of US energy supply, demand, and prices through 2030. The projections are based on results from the Energy Information Administration's National Energy Modeling System. The AEO2008 includes the reference case, additional cases examining energy markets, and complete documentation.
	International Energy Outlook 2008 (PDF) published by the Department of Energy Homepage The International Energy Outlook 2008 (IEO2008) presents an assessment by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) of the outlook for international energy markets through 2030. U.S. projections appearing in IEO2008 are consistent with those published in EIA's Annual Energy Outlook 2008 (AEO2008), which was prepared using the National Energy Modeling System (NEMS).
	Condition of Education 2008 (PDF) published by the Department of Education Homepage The Condition of Education 2008 summarizes important developments and trends in education using the latest available data. The report presents 43 indicators on the status and condition of education.
	Health, United States 2007 (PDF) published by the Department of Health Homepage The report, "Health, United States, 2007," is a compilation of more than 150 health tables prepared by CDC's National Center for Health Statistics. This is an excellent reference source for anyone with marketing for the health care industry.
	Agricultural Statistics 2008 (PDF) published by the Department of Agriculture Homepage Agricultural Statistics is published each year to meet the diverse need on agricultural production, supplies, consumption, facilities, costs, and data cover a wide variety of facts in forms suited to most common use.
	Older Americans 2008 (PDF) published by the Department of Labor Homepage Older Americans 2008: Key Indicators of Well-Being (Older Americans 2008) presents a unifi ed picture of our older population's health and well-being.
	Charting the U.S. Labor Market in 2006 (PDF) published by the Department of Labor Homepage This report, Charting the U.S. Labor Market in 2006, includes graphs and text describing the U.S. labor market in 2006. Highlights include information about educational attainment, race and Hispanic ethnicity, women, and families.
	A Chartbook Of International Labor Comparisons: The Americas, Asia-Pacific, Europe - January 2008 (PDF) published by the Department of Labor Homepage Chartbook of International Labor Comparisons provides a comparative labor market perspective-including employment levels, jobless rates, hours worked, labor costs, and productivity trends.