Statistical Abstract of the United States

The Statistical Abstract of the United States was a publication of the United States Census Bureau, an agency of the United States Department of Commerce. Published annually from 1878 to 2011, the statistics described social, political and economic conditions in the United States.

The Census Bureau ceased publication with the 2012 edition, released in August 2011; the Bureau stopped compiling the data for the Statistical Compendia program, including the Abstract and supplemental publications, on October 1, 2011.[1]

In preparation for the Fiscal Year 2012 (FY 2012) budget, the Census Bureau did a comprehensive review of a number of programs and had to make difficult proposals to terminate and reduce a number of existing programs in order to acquire funds for higher priority programs. The decision to propose the elimination of this program was not made lightly. To access the most current data, please refer to the organizations cited in the source notes for each table of the Statistical Abstract.[2]

A Washington Post columnist, Robert J. Samuelson, wrote "This is a mighty big loss for a mighty small saving." The agency’s 2012 budget would eliminate the Statistical Compendia Branch, which compiles the Statistical Abstract and other publications (such as the “County and City Data Book”). This would save $2.9 million and cut 24 jobs. Both the book and online versions of the Statistical Abstract would vanish. The American Library Association, representing about 16,700 public libraries and more than 100,000 academic and school libraries, is arguing to keep the Statistical Abstract. Alesia McManus, library director at Howard Community College in Columbia, started a Facebook page and launched a petition dedicated to reversing the decision, wrote Samuelson. He quoted one librarian as writing “If the library were on fire, this would be the reference book I would try and save first”, and another as saying “[The] Statistical Abstract has for years been one of the top five reference books used by students and faculty at South Dakota State University.” Samuelson said he didn't think the librarians' protest would have much effect.[3]

Joseph Dionne[4] and Paul Krugman[5] published columns agreeing with Samuelson.

ProQuest continued the series, in co-operation with Bernan Press.[6] The list price of the 2012 Department of Commerce edition was $20 (paperback), free online.[7] The list price of the Proquest edition is $199.[8]

In 1975, a Bicentennial Edition, Historical Statistics of the United States, Colonial Times to 1970, in two volumes, was published.

The 2010 (129th Edition) Statistical Abstract of the United States has 30 sections, 926 pages, and more than 1,300 tables, covering more than 200 topics, including income and wealth, imports and exports, agriculture, energy production and consumption, natural resources, and some international comparisons. All information is downloadable in PDF and Excel spreadsheet formats. The statistical abstract is the standard summary of statistics on the social, political, and economic organization of the United States. It is also designed to serve as a guide to other statistical publications and sources.