U.S. Census Bureau app includes inflation and employment data

The U.S. Census Bureau has added three key economic indicators to America’s Economy, the Census Bureau‘s widely downloaded mobile app that provides constantly updated statistics on the U.S. economy, including monthly economic indicators and trends, along with a schedule of upcoming releases.The move was made in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)

These indicators join 16 others that were already available on America’s Economy and means that the top four BLS data sets are now included in the app. The number of people accessing the Census Bureau’s economic indicators has quintupled since the app’s launch in August 2012.

“I’m extremely pleased that the Census Bureau continues to iterate and expand upon its highly successful mobile app,” said Steven VanRoekel, chief information officer of the United States. “America’s Economy embodies the goals of the Digital Government Strategy, which seeks to build a government that is efficient, effective and focused on improving the delivery of information and services to the American people.”

The producer price index (PPI), consumer price index (CPI) and nonfarm payroll employment indicators each come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The CPI program measures change in prices paid by urban consumers for a representative mix of goods and services. The PPI measures change over time in the selling prices received by U.S. producers. Nonfarm payroll employment represents the number of jobs in the economy.

“We are pleased that our colleagues at the Census Bureau have added nonfarm payroll employment, the PPI and the CPI to America’s Economy. This mobile app now has the four most widely referenced BLS economic indicators, with the unemployment rate being the other,” said Erica Groshen, The Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner.

America’s Economy is the first mobile app from the Census Bureau and provides smartphone and tablet users with the real-time government statistics that drive business hiring, sales and production decisions and assists economists, researchers, planners and policymakers. In addition to BLS, the app combines statistics from the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The economic indicators track monthly and quarterly trends in industries, such as employment, housing construction, international trade, personal income, retail sales and manufacturing.

The America’s Economy app was developed as part of the Census Bureau’s Digital Transformation Project to provide the general public and government workforce with access to information anywhere, anytime, on any device.

“The creation of this app is consistent with the Census Bureau’s longtime mission of providing accurate statistics about the nation’s growing, changing economy. We’re using 21st century technology to make that information available more quickly and easily,” said William G. Bostic Jr., the Census Bureau’s associate director for economic programs.

The 19 indicators on the app are:

Census Bureau:

Advance Monthly Retail Sales
New Residential Construction
New Residential Sales
Construction Spending
International Trade
Advance Report Durable Goods
Business Inventories
Manufacturers’ Goods
Monthly Wholesale
Homeownership Rate
Quarterly Services Survey
Quarterly Financial Report – Retail Trade
Quarterly Financial Report – Manufacturing

Bureau of Economic Analysis:

Gross Domestic Product
Personal Income and Outlays

Bureau of Labor Statistics:

Unemployment Rate
Producer Price Index – New
Consumer Price Index – New
Nonfarm Payroll Employment – New

Users may set alerts to receive notifications when economic indicators are updated. They can also add statistical release schedules to their personal calendars. When each indicator is released, users can also share the news on both Facebook and Twitter.

The America’s Economy app is available now for Android and Apple smartphone and tablet users.