The U.S. Census Bureau will mail out instructions for filling out the 2017 Economic Census to businesses nationwide in early May.

The U.S. Census Bureau is preparing to mail out instructions for filling out the 2017 Economic Census to businesses nationwide, and the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC) urges regional businesses to complete them.

Every five years, the Census Bureau collects information about businesses, which serves as the most comprehensive and verifiable federal source of data related to business activity, as well as the foundation for the measurement of U.S. businesses and their economic impact.

LVEDC uses this data extensively to understand the Lehigh Valley economy and how we can best support regional growth. The more businesses that complete the survey, the more useful information is available for LVEDC to use in advancing economic growth in the region.

“The economic census isn’t as well-known as the population census, but it’s equally as important,” said George Lewis, LVEDC Director of Research and Analysis. “In order to grow and market the economic assets of the Lehigh Valley effectively, it’s critical to ‘know thyself’, and this survey gives us important information that helps us, which in turns helps our Lehigh Valley businesses.”

The U.S. Census Bureau will mail out instructions to businesses on filling out the Economic Census in early May. The deadline for response is June 12. The survey is conducted every five years.

After the Economic Census data collection is complete, data releases are expected to begin in September 2019, and all data releases will be complete by December 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Approximately 3.7 million businesses across the United States will receive these instructions via mail. This will include information about how to set up an account to complete their economic census online.

For more information, visit the Economic Census page or the Census Bureau’s Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn pages.