Library Tutorials

What is the Statistical Abstract of the United States?

Published annually by the Federal Government since 1878, the Statistical Abstract of the United States is the best-known statistical reference publication in the country, and perhaps, the world. You’ll find it behind nearly every reference desk in U.S. libraries as the authoritative go-to source. Librarians value the Statistical Abstract as both an answer book ("How much corn is grown in Iowa?") and a guide to statistical sources ("What organization has the most authoritative data on foreclosures?"). As a comprehensive collection of statistics on the social, political, and economic conditions of the United States, it is a snapshot of America and its people.

In the spring of 2011, the Census Bureau announced that the edition that year would be the last one produced at government expense. Despite protests from librarians and journalists and despite petitions to Congress, the Census Bureau unit that published the Statistical Abstract was eliminated in November. Its elimination resulted not from a decline in popularity or perceived value, but from the need to reduce agency spending while supporting new and existing data collection efforts.

ProQuest has now taken on responsibility for updating and releasing this publication, the most used statistical reference tool in U.S. libraries.

• Database Provider: ProQuest LLC
• Database Tutorial: ProQuest LibGuide

• Update Frequency: Monthly

ProQuest Statistical Abstract of the United States LibGuide

Statistical Abstract of the United States Infographic