Federal Statistical Data for U.S. Territories: Issues and Resources

Federal Statistical Data for U.S. Territories: Issues and Resources

Federal Statistical Data for U.S. Territories: Issues and Resources

May 2, 2025 (R48522)
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Contents

Introduction

Background on U.S. Territories

Federal Statistical Coverage

Selected Federal Statistical Products That Cover U.S. Territories

Decennial Census (Island Area Censuses)

Puerto Rico Community Survey

Economic Census

Population Estimates Program

Census of Agriculture

International Economic Accounts

Gross Domestic Product

National Vital Statistics System

National Prisoner Statistics

Limitations on Federal Statistical Coverage in the U.S. Territories

Coordination of a Decentralized Federal Statistical System

Statute and Information Collection Activities

Survey Operations and Methodology Challenges

Existing Territory Infrastructures

Cost and Expertise Support from the Office of Insular Affairs

Issues for Congress

Federal Statistical System Capacity

Sample Size and Response Burden

Equitable Treatment of the Territories

Requirement to Include Territories in Federal Statistics

Appendixes

Appendix. Resource Guide for Statistics

Summary

The United States has plenary authority over five major territories: American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI). Among other distinctions from the 50 states and the District of Columbia (DC), the territories have less comprehensive coverage in federal statistics.

Federal statistics provide authoritative information on a wide range of topics and are used by governments, the private sector, and the public. Many federal programs are guided by data published in federal statistical products. While some federal statistics include coverage of the territories, the territories are not covered in the same detail as the 50 states and DC. Most federal statistical products available for the states are not produced for the territories, while others are published less frequently.

Certain factors limit federal agencies' abilities to include U.S. territories in their statistical programs. Factors detailed in this report include limitations in statute and rulemaking for information collection activities in the territories, operational challenges to survey design and conduct, costs to implement statistical products in the territories, and existing territory capacities to carry out statistical surveys.

Some Members of Congress have shown interest in considering the issue of federal statistical coverage of the U.S. territories. For example, during the 118th Congress, the House Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs held a hearing titled Examining GAO's Findings to Address Data Gaps and Improve Data Collection in the Territories. During this hearing, some Members expressed interest in expanding federal statistical activities in the U.S. territories. Congress has also asked the U.S. Census Bureau to study data gaps in Puerto Rico, which is the most populous of the five territories.

Congress might choose to consider several issues when examining the adequacy of federal statistics in the U.S. territories, including the existing capacities of the federal statistical system, the funding levels necessary to maintain or expand these capacities, how to effectively conduct surveys in the territories while considering sample sizes and response burden, and questions of equity raised by differing treatment of citizens and nationals who live in the territories compared with those who live in the 50 states and DC.

This report's Appendix contains a resource guide with information on how to access available statistics for each territory. Surveys and other programs are organized by the territory and agency conducting the statistical activities.

Introduction

In the United States, federal statistics on agriculture, crime, education, the economy, public health, and other topics are generated by a decentralized federal statistical system (FSS) with more than 100 agencies, organizational units, and programs.¹ Thirteen principal statistical agencies (PSAs),² as identified by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), produce a substantial portion of federal statistics.³ The 13 PSAs had a combined $3.965 billion in federal funding in FY2023.⁴

Federal statistics are often the most authoritative source of information on a given topic. The public uses federal statistics to better understand information on education, commuting, health, crime, and other demographic factors. Businesses can benefit from federal statistics by using them to identify growth strategies, serve customer bases, and understand the labor force. Federal, state, and local governments can use federal statistics to make and implement well-informed policy decisions.⁵ Federal statistics are often used to guide federal programs and funding allocations.

The five major U.S. territories—American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands—are home to more than 3.6 million people.⁶ While some federal statistics are available for the territories, their coverage is less comprehensive than the data available for the 50 states and the District of Columbia (DC). This report identifies and discusses various reasons for these differences, which some Members of Congress have expressed interest in considering.

This report provides background on the U.S. territories and the current status of their federal statistical coverage. It begins by identifying the federal statistics that currently cover the territories and discussing the reasons for limited federal statistical coverage. Next, it discusses issues that Congress may choose to consider related to federal statistical coverage in the territories. In its Appendix, this report provides a resource guide for accessing federal statistical data about the U.S. territories.

Background on U.S. Territories

The Constitution grants broad authority to Congress over territories, areas that fall under U.S. sovereignty without being part of a state.⁷ Many federal laws related to the territories are codified in the U.S. Code in Title 48 (Territories and Insular Possessions).

Starting with the admission of the Southwest Territory as Tennessee in 1796, most new states passed through a territorial period before joining the union.⁸ In the early 20th century, following the U.S. acquisition of overseas territories during the Spanish-American War, the Supreme Court distinguished between "incorporated" territories being prepared for statehood and "unincorporated" territories that belong to the United States without being part of the United States.⁹

The five current major unincorporated territories—American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands—are similar to one another in many respects. All are islands or groups of islands located away from the U.S. mainland. All have a degree of self-government, including elected governors and legislatures, and all are represented in the U.S. House by nonvoting Delegates (or, in Puerto Rico's case, a nonvoting Resident Commissioner).¹⁰

Significant differences in population, location, legal status, and history exist among the territories. Puerto Rico is by far the most populous territory. For more information, see CRS In Focus IF11792, Statehood Process and Political Status of U.S. Territories: Brief Policy Background, by R. Sam Garrett.

American Samoa is a group of five islands and two coral atolls in the Pacific Ocean, located between Hawaii and New Zealand. Its population in 2020 was 49,710.

Guam is an island in the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and the Philippines. Its population in 2020 was 153,836.

The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) is a group of 14 islands in the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and the Philippines. Its population in 2020 was 47,329.

Puerto Rico is an island in the Caribbean Sea, east of Hispaniola. Together with surrounding smaller islands, it had a total population of 3,285,874 in 2020.

The U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) includes the Caribbean islands of St. Croix, St. John, and St. Thomas, located east of Puerto Rico. Its population in 2020 was 87,146.

These differences between the territories and the states in terms of size, distance from the U.S. mainland, and legal status may influence policy and administrative decisions related to statistical coverage.

Federal Statistical Coverage

Most of the 13 PSAs conduct some federal statistical activities in the U.S. territories, according to a report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), with the Statistics of Income division within the Internal Revenue Service being the only PSA to have no products in the territories at the time of GAO's publication. The GAO report identified a total of 449 statistical products produced by the PSAs as of fall 2023 and assessed territorial inclusion in each product. Puerto Rico was included in 81 products. The USVI was included in 49 products. Guam was included in 45 products. American Samoa and the CNMI were each included in 41 products.¹¹

The 13 PSAs conduct fewer statistical activities in the U.S. territories than in the 50 states and DC. ¹² As discussed in more detail in following sections, some federal statistical products, such as the Current Population Survey (CPS), do not cover any of the U.S. territories. Others, like the American Community Survey (ACS), cover only Puerto Rico. Notable federal statistical products that fully cover the U.S. territories include the decennial census of population and housing and the twice-each-decade economic and agriculture censuses.

Selected Federal Statistical Products That Cover U.S. Territories

The products detailed below were selected due to their larger presence in the federal statistical system in terms of product size and use of data, as well as the availability of literature on how these surveys are carried out in the U.S. territories. The agencies carrying out these surveys commit additional resources, including labor, statistical expertise, and costs, to operate in the territories. This report's Appendix provides information about how to access these and other available statistics for U.S. territories.

Decennial Census (Island Area Censuses)

Congress has required the Census Bureau to conduct a decennial census in the CNMI, Guam, Puerto Rico, the USVI, "and as may be determined by the Secretary, such other possessions and areas over which the United States exercises jurisdiction, control, or sovereignty."¹³ The Secretary's authority allows for the inclusion of American Samoa in the decennial census.

The Census Bureau conducts the "short-form" decennial census, which collects basic demographic and housing information, for all respondents in the 50 states, DC, and Puerto Rico. In the other four territories, the bureau conducts separate "Island Areas Censuses" using a long-form questionnaire that collects detailed information because these areas are not covered by the American Community Survey (ACS), which collects such information on an annual basis.¹⁴ The 2020 census in island areas was conducted using paper forms, differing from the broader decennial census carried out in the 50 states, DC, and Puerto Rico, which included online response options.¹⁵ Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, responses were also collected over the telephone in the territories. The Census Bureau conducts operations for the Island Areas Censuses in partnership with the territorial governments.¹⁶

Puerto Rico Community Survey

The Census Bureau conducts the ACS in Puerto Rico as the Puerto Rico Community Survey (PRCS).¹⁷ Similar to the ACS, the PRCS provides annual demographic, social, housing, and economic statistics on the Puerto Rican population.¹⁸ The PRCS differs from the ACS in some ways that are customized for Puerto Rican respondents, including the initial questionnaire being provided in Spanish. The ACS is sampled to approximately 3.5 million addresses, while the PRCS is sampled to approximately 36,000 addresses. As of mid-2024, the total U.S. population was approximately 340.1 million and the total Puerto Rico population was approximately 3.2 million.¹⁹ The PRCS includes other question variations from the ACS, such as questions on plumbing facilities, where the ACS asks if respondents have "hot and cold running water" whereas the PRCS asks if respondents have "running water" and "a water heater."²⁰ The ACS and PRCS are conducted on a rolling basis, with data released annually.²¹ Response to the PRCS, like the ACS, is required under Title 13, Section 9 of the U.S. Code.

Economic Census

All five U.S. territories are covered by the Census Bureau's Economic Census of Island Areas.²² This survey is paired with the Census Bureau's Economic Census, the official measure of businesses in the United States. Both programs are conducted every five years (in years ending in 2 and 7).²³

Population Estimates Program

The Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program (PEP) uses data on births, deaths, and migration since the most recent decennial census to calculate annual population estimates. These estimates are produced at the state, county, city, and town levels. Puerto Rico is included in this program. Other territories are not. PEP estimates are used in several ways, including for federal funding allocations, survey controls, and indicators of recent demographic changes.²⁴

Census of Agriculture

The Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistical Service (NASS) conducts a Census of Agriculture that covers the 50 states, DC, and Puerto Rico. NASS also conducts a Census of Agriculture for Outlying Areas in American Samoa, the CNMI, Guam, and the USVI.²⁵

Due to varying scale, each census has different criteria. In the 50 states, DC, and Puerto Rico, the Census of Agriculture collects data on plots of land that would normally sell at least $1,000 worth of agriculture products.²⁶ In Guam and the CNMI, the census collects data on all farms that would normally sell $1,000 or more of agricultural products; in the USVI, it collects data on farms that would sell $500 or more; and in American Samoa, it collects data on all households that produce agricultural products for sale or family consumption.

The Census of Agriculture for Outlying Areas is conducted every five years (in years ending in 3 and 8). The local government of each territory provides assistance through a memorandum of understanding with NASS.²⁷

International Economic Accounts

The Bureau of Economic Analysis's (BEA's) International Economic Accounts incorporate financial and trade statistics for the U.S. territories. Data from both states and territories are aggregated in national totals because the territories "have a closer degree of economic association with the United States than with any other country and because the United States is the predominant center of economic interest for these territories and possessions."²⁸

Gross Domestic Product

Gross domestic product (GDP), as reported quarterly by the BEA, measures economic output in the 50 states and DC.²⁹ GDP for each territory has been reported annually and separately.³⁰ The BEA's National Income and Product Accounts (NIPAs), which include GDP, encompass the 50 states, DC, and U.S. military installations, embassies, and consulates abroad, but not U.S. territories.³¹

National Vital Statistics System

The National Vital Statistics System (NVSS), administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), collects birth and death data in the United States and U.S. territories. Although the NVSS covers the five U.S. territories, it does not include their data in U.S. totals.³² In addition, American Samoa has not been included in published data since 2022 due to a delay in adopting the most recent standard certificates for births, deaths, and fetal death reports.³³

National Prisoner Statistics

The Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics administers the National Prisoner Statistics (NPS) program, which collects annual data from state departments of corrections and the federal Bureau of Prisons on the number of persons imprisoned in state and federal prison facilities.³⁴ Data on persons imprisoned in the territories are collected separately from state and federal NPS data. Territorial data are not included in national NPS totals. Some of the territories have lapses in NPS data submission. According to the BJS Prisoners in 2021 Statistical Tables, American Samoa has not submitted NPS data since 2011 and the USVI has not submitted data since 2013. Guam did not send NPS data for 2021. Puerto Rico submitted NPS data in 2021 but did not send prison capacity counts.³⁵

Limitations on Federal Statistical Coverage in the U.S. Territories

Various factors limit the federal statistical coverage in the U.S. territories compared to the 50 states and DC. These factors include the decentralized nature of the federal statistical system; unclear legal and regulatory guidance; operational challenges to conducting surveys in the distant territories; limited capacities from the territories themselves; and limited support from the Office of Insular Affairs.

Coordination of a Decentralized Federal Statistical System

Statistical coverage by the 13 PSAs in the U.S. territories varies from agency to agency. The role of coordinating the decentralized federal statistical system is statutorily the responsibility of OMB as delegated to the administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA).³⁶ The administrator of OIRA appoints a chief statistician of the United States to broadly coordinate the federal statistical system.³⁷ Within OIRA, the chief statistician heads the Statistical and Science Policy Office, which employed 12 people as of July 2024, along with other short-term details from PSAs.³⁸ Though the federal statistical system is decentralized, OMB has prioritized improving the system's general cohesion, among other goals.³⁹

Statute and Information Collection Activities

The Paperwork Reduction Act requires federal agencies to publish notices in the Federal Register before collecting information from the public.⁴⁰ Some of these information collection activity notices, such as the notice for the Economic Census, note statutory authorization to cover the U.S. territories.⁴¹ In other cases, such as the National Prisoners Statistics Program, territorial coverage is incorporated into the Federal Register notice in the absence of a specific statutory authorization.⁴² However, some Federal Register notices for information collection activities do not mention the territories. Without clear guidance for coverage, territories may be left out of federal statistical activities by default.

Survey Operations and Methodology Challenges

Adapting federal statistical surveys for use in the U.S. territories requires methodological and operational differences compared to surveys in the 50 states and DC.

Lack of Standardized Household Addresses

Multiple PSAs rely on standardized address systems to sample households for inclusion in their surveys. However, the U.S. territories generally do not have a standardized address system. For example, in Puerto Rico, multiple places may share the same street name, house number, and ZIP code, and some rural dwellings have no formal address.⁴³

The Census Bureau maintains a Master Address File (MAF) that is intended to contain an updated inventory of all known living quarters in the United States and Puerto Rico, and is used to support the bureau's many statistical products.⁴⁴ The MAF includes location details such as mailing addresses, ZIP codes, geographic information, and sometimes location descriptions for non-city-style addresses.⁴⁵ Additionally, the Census Bureau is statutorily required to implement the Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA) program in collaboration with state, local, and tribal governments prior to a decennial census.⁴⁶ This section of the U.S. Code defines the term state as including

the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, the Virgin Islands, and any other territory or possession of the United States.⁴⁷

Modifications determined in the LUCA program update the MAF.⁴⁸ The MAF also is updated twice per year using the U.S. Postal Service's Delivery Sequence File.⁴⁹

Without a MAF for most of the U.S. territories, the Census Bureau and other PSAs lack the basic information infrastructure needed to deliver survey forms, manage field visits, and conduct any other data collection operations.⁵⁰

Small Sample Sizes

Conducting statistical surveys across smaller populations poses problems related to sample sizes and response burden.⁵¹ Excluding Puerto Rico, in 2020 the territories had a smaller population (338,021) than the least populous state, Wyoming (576,851). When surveying a smaller population, a larger sample size is needed to achieve a similar margin of error. In addition to the greater cost required to survey more respondents, a smaller population produces a higher likelihood of survey overlap for respondents, which can lead to greater response burden (i.e., territorial residents being required to fill out multiple surveys).⁵²

Costs of Fieldwork Capacities

Some federal statistical surveys require door-to-door enumeration conducted by agency personnel. Generally, agencies aim to take other measures, such as sending surveys online or through the mail to avoid the costs of conducting fieldwork enumerations.⁵³ Additionally, regional or local field offices provide more localized support.⁵⁴

A feasibility report produced by the Census Bureau for the House Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies in 2018 expressed logistical concerns related to extending statistical products into the U.S. territories. In this report, the Census Bureau noted that it lacks permanent offices, systems, staff, and other infrastructure in four of the U.S. territories (Puerto Rico is covered by the Census Bureau's New York Regional Office).⁵⁵

The lack of sufficient personnel operating out of the territories makes ground operations more difficult to conduct in the territories than in the 50 states and DC.

Existing Territory Infrastructures

Physical distance from the continental United States poses logistical challenges to the PSAs' conduct of federal statistical activities in the U.S. territories, including high travel costs for PSA personnel to support operations.⁵⁶

In addition to physical infrastructure challenges, territories do not have the same governance infrastructures as the 50 states and DC. Several PSAs often rely on administrative data provided by certain government programs that may not be available in some of the territories. For example, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) relies on data provided by unemployment programs to produce certain employment statistics, but American Samoa, the CNMI, and Guam lack permanent unemployment insurance programs. Similarly, the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) vital statistics reporting requires standard certificates for births, deaths, and fetal death reports. American Samoa has not yet adopted the most recent standards, so the territory has been excluded from NCHS vital statistics reporting since 2022.⁵⁷

A report by National Partnership for Action to End Health Disparities, an initiative launched by the Department of Health and Human Services, identified other data infrastructure gaps, particularly in the USVI. These gaps include minimal or no data reporting from certain federal health data search engines; low funding for the local department of health; and lack of participation in some provisions of the Affordable Care Act, including access to premium subsidies that could be used to purchase health insurance on the program's exchange (this issue also affects the other territories).⁵⁸

The lack of certain administrative records means that attempts to conduct statistical activities in the territories must rely more heavily on data gathered during surveys than similar activities in the 50 states and DC, which poses a challenge for response burden.

Puerto Rico Federal Statistical Research Data Center

Federal Statistical Research Data Centers (FSRDCs) provide researchers with access to certain restricted-use data produced by PSAs.⁵⁹ Restricted-use data are confidential microdata collected from federal statistical surveys that contain personally identifying information. In some cases, public access data are not sufficient to conduct evidence-building activities, leaving a demand for restricted-use data. To gain access to restricted-use data, researchers must complete a standard application process which includes meeting rigorous confidentiality standards.⁶⁰

In September 2024, the first FSRDC in a U.S. territory opened in Puerto Rico. The Puerto Rico Federal Statistical Research Data Center (PRFSRDC) is located at the University of Puerto Rico and supported by a 2023 memorandum of understanding between the Census Bureau and the University of Puerto Rico.⁶¹

Cost and Expertise Support from the Office of Insular Affairs

The Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) provides services to U.S. territories other than Puerto Rico. OIA's support includes policy coordination and financial assistance.⁶² It is the general responsibility of OIA to understand the nuances of the federal government's relationship with each of the different insular areas.⁶³ OIA administers discretionary funding to support federal statistical activities in the U.S. territories through its Technical Assistance Program (TAP). According to OIA, TAP grants are "intended for short-term, non-capital projects and are not meant to supplant local funding of routine operating expenses of an insular area government." Congress appropriates TAP funding annually.⁶⁴

The TAP includes the Statistical Improvement Program, which was established in 2008.⁶⁵ The Statistical Improvement Program has been used to support federal data products, including the territorial Consumer Price Index (CPI), GDP, household income and expenditure surveys, visitor surveys, and prevailing wage surveys.⁶⁶

In December 2008, OIA completed a memorandum of understanding with BEA to develop GDP figures in the four territories it helps administer. In the initial agreement, OIA paid BEA $1.6 million over an 18-month period to develop GDP figures for these territories. OIA was paying $786,000 annually to BEA to produce GDP figures for American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.⁶⁷ However, as of early 2025, OIA "has paused funding of this work to conduct an exploratory assessment of territorial source data with the goal of informing how to strategically invest in and support these four territories' economic statistics into the future."⁶⁸

During a 2024 hearing held by the House Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs, an OIA economist stated that the technical assistance provided by OIA is not sufficient to address current gaps in data. This reliance, according to the testimony, puts the burden of solving data gaps on the territories themselves despite their finite resources.⁶⁹

Issues for Congress

Federal statistics are generally of interest to Congress for many reasons, including their use in determining federal program funding. Some Members of Congress have expressed interest in federal statistics in the U.S. territories, as demonstrated by introduced legislation and a committee hearing on the topic during the 118th Congress.⁷⁰ In previous years, Congress directed agencies to submit reports on statistical gaps in Puerto Rico and other territories.⁷¹ In addition, a 2016 law—the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA)⁷²—required that the Census Bureau conduct a study to determine the feasibility of expanding coverage of the Current Population Survey (CPS) into Puerto Rico and the other U.S. territories.⁷³

Currently, the differences in federal data collection can sometimes result in federal programs relying on decennial census data for the territories, rather than the more frequent and detailed statistics generated by surveys or administrative data collection for the 50 states and DC.⁷⁴

The extent of federal statistical coverage for the U.S. territories may affect the federal government's decisionmaking ability, effectiveness in evaluating federal programs, and capacity to target resources, among other things. Data coverage may also impact the private sector's ability to participate in territorial economies.⁷⁵ Congress may choose to take no further action related to territories and the federal statistical system, or it may consider a number of potential issues including those discussed in the following paragraphs.

Federal Statistical System Capacity

Some Members who have engaged with this issue have expressed support for expanding federal statistics into the U.S. territories. Any effective expansion of statistical activities in the territories would depend on the federal statistical system's capacity to carry out such activities.

As described earlier in this report, there are differences among the territories, as well as differences between the territories and the 50 states and DC. These include differences in infrastructure, governance, and preexisting statistical products. PSAs may face challenges in adapting their existing statistical products to local contexts in the territories, or in creating new but similar products. The ability to carry out these efforts within existing resources may also be a challenge.

A study by the American Statistical Association (ASA) in partnership with George Mason University found that the spending power of most PSAs has decreased over the past 15 years.⁷⁶ Members of Congress may consider examining budget requests from PSAs or their parent agencies and providing direction through appropriations report language on how federal statistical products in the territories should be carried out. Likewise, appropriations report language may include language for OMB to consider how federal statistical products in the territories may be carried out.

Sample Size and Response Burden

Congress may weigh the balance between accurate and complete statistics and respondent burden in considering the extent of statistical coverage of the territories. Conducting surveys with adequate sample sizes to ensure accuracy may pose a challenge with response burden when measuring a relatively small population, such as residents of the smaller territories. Survey respondents may experience survey overlap, with multiple agencies asking them for responses. The effort by respondents to complete these overlapping surveys creates this response burden (the effort required by a respondent to complete a survey), which may lead to reduced response rates.⁷⁷ Many observers consider the broader decline in responses to federal surveys to be a risk for overall data quality.⁷⁸

In the 50 states and DC, response rates across federal statistical surveys are trending downward. This is evident in ACS response rates for housing units and group quarters, where the overall response rates have steadily declined since 2010, with a large dip in 2020.⁷⁹ To help address nonresponse in the ACS, the Census Bureau has drawn on administrative data from the Internal Revenue Service and other agencies.⁸⁰ This method may face limits in many of the territories because of a lack of administrative data. For example, there is no permanent unemployment insurance program in American Samoa, the CNMI, or Guam that would produce administrative data on employment and earnings.⁸¹

Equitable Treatment of the Territories

Some policymakers interested in this issue have raised the matter of equitable treatment of those residing in the territories. Residents of the territories are U.S. citizens or nationals.⁸² Limited statistical coverage for the territories results in limited access to information that may be helpful for policymakers to understand the needs of these populations.⁸³ Policymakers may also be interested in how disparate treatment of the territories in the sphere of federal statistics may in turn affect various social, economic, health, and other outcomes experienced by territorial residents compared with residents of the 50 states and DC.

Requirement to Include Territories in Federal Statistics

Congress required the Census Bureau to include the territories in the decennial census in P.L. 85-207. This law allows the Secretary of Commerce to "utilize or adopt census data collected by the governor or highest ranking Federal official, when such data are obtained in accordance with plans prescribed or approved by the Secretary." Furthermore, this law allows reporting to include "data obtained from other Federal agencies or Government sources" when a decennial census is not conducted in the territories described.⁸⁴

Congress could look to this precedent when considering whether to require the inclusion of the territories in some or all other federal statistical activities. If Congress chooses to implement such a requirement, Members might consider several factors addressed in the "Limitations on Federal Statistical Coverage in the U.S. Territories" section of this report, such as cost, personnel, resources, time, and the varying capacities of the PSAs. In considering such a requirement, Congress might also consider issues related to coordination from OMB through the chief statistician's office.

Two bills that aimed to expand federal statistics in the U.S. territories were introduced during the 118th Congress: the Puerto Rico Data Collection Equality Act (H.R. 258) and the Territories Statistics Collection Equity Act (H.R. 1400). These bills would have required OMB to coordinate the expansion of federal statistics into Puerto Rico or all five territories, respectively, with the goal of collecting and publishing statistics "in the same manner" as the 50 states and DC. OMB would have coordinated this expansion through the Interagency Council on Statistical Policy (ICSP), which is chaired by the chief statistician and comprises statistical officials across executive agencies. The ICSP aims to improve communication among heads of the PSAs and also advises the chief statistician.⁸⁵ If Congress chooses to take this approach, Members may consider what measures would be necessary to implement such a plan.

Appendix. Resource Guide for Statistics

This section provides lists of selected statistical data sources for each U.S. territory. It is intended to assist Members and congressional staffers with identifying, locating, and accessing authoritative statistical data that currently exists for the territories.

Programs and resources for each territory are grouped into four categories based on the source:

1. Principal Statistical Agencies,

2. Other Federal Agencies,

3. Territorial Government, and

4. Other Sources.

Entities within these categories are sorted alphabetically.

Please note that this is not a comprehensive inventory of all U.S. government or other statistical programs that include coverage of one or more U.S. territories. Resources are generally included only if they provide data broken out for that territory.

American Samoa

Principal Statistical Agencies

Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA)

Gross Domestic Product (GDP), annual (program currently paused).⁸⁶

Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS)

National Prisoner Statistics, annual.⁸⁷

Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS)

State Transportation Statistics: Part 139 Airports, U.S. Airline Traffic by Airport (Pago Pago International Airport listed under U.S. Pacific Trust Territories).⁸⁸

Census Bureau

Profiles: data.census.gov⁸⁹ and State Facts for Students.⁹⁰

County Business Patterns, annual.⁹¹

Economic Census, every five years.⁹²

Island Areas Census, decennial.⁹³

Economic Research Service (ERS)

Rural-Urban Continuum Codes, decennial.⁹⁴

Energy Information Administration (EIA)

State Energy Data System.⁹⁵

Electric Power Annual, annual.⁹⁶

National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)

Census of Agriculture, every five years.⁹⁷

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)

Common Core of Data (public elementary and secondary schools), annual.⁹⁸

Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), annual.⁹⁹

National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)

National Vital Statistics System.¹⁰⁰

National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES)

Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) Survey, annual.¹⁰¹

Survey of Federal Funds for Research and Development, annual.¹⁰²

Survey of Federal Science and Engineering Support to Universities, Colleges, and Nonprofit Institutions, annual.¹⁰³

Office of Research, Evaluation, and Statistics (ORES, Social Security Administration)

Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Program, annual.¹⁰⁴

Annual Statistical Supplement, annual.¹⁰⁵

Congressional Statistics, annual.¹⁰⁶

Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) Beneficiaries by State and County, annual.¹⁰⁷

OASDI Beneficiaries by State and ZIP Code, annual.¹⁰⁸

Other Federal Agencies

"American Samoa" in Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), The World Factbook.¹⁰⁹

"American Samoa" on the Department of the Treasury's USASpending.gov.¹¹⁰

Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Exempt Organizations Business Master File Extract (EO BMF): International table includes tax-exempt organizations in American Samoa.¹¹¹

Territorial Government

"Data & Statistics" at American Samoa Government, Department of Commerce.¹¹²

Other Sources

"American Samoa" in United Nations Statistics Division, UNdata.¹¹³

"American Samoa" in World Bank Group, World Bank Open Data.¹¹⁴

Guam

Principal Statistical Agencies

Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA)

Gross Domestic Product (GDP), annual (program currently paused).¹¹⁵

Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS)

National Prisoner Statistics, annual.¹¹⁶

Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, annual.¹¹⁷

Occupational Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities, annual.¹¹⁸

Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS)

State Transportation Statistics: Bridge Condition, Part 139 Airports, State Transportation Infrastructure, U.S. Airline Traffic by Airport (Andersen Air Force Base and Guam International Airport listed under U.S. Pacific Trust Territories).¹¹⁹

Census Bureau

Profiles: data.census.gov¹²⁰ and State Facts for Students.¹²¹

County Business Patterns, annual.¹²²

Economic Census, every five years.¹²³

Island Areas Census, decennial.¹²⁴

Economic Research Service (ERS)

Rural-Urban Continuum Codes, decennial.¹²⁵

Energy Information Administration (EIA)

State Energy Data System.¹²⁶

Electric Power Annual, annual.¹²⁷

National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)

Census of Agriculture, every five years.¹²⁸

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)

Common Core of Data (public elementary and secondary schools), annual.¹²⁹

Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), annual.¹³⁰

School Pulse Panel, monthly during school year.¹³¹

National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)

National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System.¹³²

National Vital Statistics System.¹³³

National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES)

Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) Survey, annual.¹³⁴

Survey of Federal Funds for Research and Development, annual.¹³⁵

Survey of Federal Science and Engineering Support to Universities, Colleges, and Nonprofit Institutions, annual.¹³⁶

Survey of Science and Engineering Research Facilities, biennial.¹³⁷

Office of Research, Evaluation, and Statistics (ORES, Social Security Administration)

Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Program, annual.¹³⁸

Annual Statistical Supplement, annual.¹³⁹

Congressional Statistics, annual.¹⁴⁰

Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) Beneficiaries by State and County, annual.¹⁴¹

OASDI Beneficiaries by State and ZIP Code, annual.¹⁴²

Other Federal Agencies

"Guam" in Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), The World Factbook.¹⁴³

"Guam" on the Department of the Treasury's USASpending.gov.¹⁴⁴

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Crime Data Explorer.¹⁴⁵

Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Exempt Organizations Business Master File Extract (EO BMF): International table includes tax-exempt organizations in Guam.¹⁴⁶

Territorial Government

Government of Guam, Bureau of Statistics and Plans.¹⁴⁷

Other Sources

"Guam" in United Nations Statistics Division, UNdata.¹⁴⁸

"Guam" in World Bank Group, World Bank Open Data.¹⁴⁹

Northern Mariana Islands

Principal Statistical Agencies

Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA)

Gross Domestic Product (GDP), annual (program currently paused).¹⁵⁰

Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS)

National Prisoner Statistics, annual.¹⁵¹

Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS)

State Transportation Statistics: Part 139 Airports, U.S. Airline Traffic by Airport (Rota International Airport, Saipan International Airport, and West Tinian Airport listed under U.S. Pacific Trust Territories).¹⁵²

Census Bureau

Profiles: data.census.gov¹⁵³ and State Facts for Students.¹⁵⁴

County Business Patterns, annual.¹⁵⁵

Economic Census, every five years.¹⁵⁶

Island Areas Census, decennial.¹⁵⁷

Economic Research Service (ERS)

Rural-Urban Continuum Codes, decennial.¹⁵⁸

Energy Information Administration (EIA)

State Energy Data System.¹⁵⁹

Electric Power Annual, annual.¹⁶⁰

National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)

Census of Agriculture, every five years.¹⁶¹

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)

Common Core of Data (public elementary and secondary schools), annual.¹⁶²

Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), annual.¹⁶³

National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)

National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System.¹⁶⁴

National Vital Statistics System.¹⁶⁵

National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES)

Survey of Federal Funds for Research and Development, annual.¹⁶⁶

Office of Research, Evaluation, and Statistics (ORES, Social Security Administration)

Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Program, annual.¹⁶⁷

Annual Statistical Supplement, annual.¹⁶⁸

Congressional Statistics, annual.¹⁶⁹

Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) Beneficiaries by State and County, annual.¹⁷⁰

OASDI Beneficiaries by State and ZIP Code, annual.¹⁷¹

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Annual Statistical Report, annual.¹⁷²

SSI Monthly Statistics, monthly.¹⁷³

SSI Recipients by State and County, annual.¹⁷⁴

Other Federal Agencies

"Northern Mariana Islands" in Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), The World Factbook.¹⁷⁵

"Northern Mariana Islands" on the Department of the Treasury's USASpending.gov.¹⁷⁶

Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Exempt Organizations Business Master File Extract (EO BMF): International table includes tax-exempt organizations in CNMI.¹⁷⁷

Territorial Government

CNMI, Department of Commerce, Central Statistics Division.¹⁷⁸

Other Sources

"Northern Mariana Islands" in United Nations Statistics Division, UNdata.¹⁷⁹

"Northern Mariana Islands" in World Bank Group, World Bank Open Data.¹⁸⁰

Puerto Rico

Principal Statistical Agencies

Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA)

Gross Domestic Product (GDP), annual.¹⁸¹

Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS)

National Prisoner Statistics, annual.¹⁸²

Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)

Business Employment Dynamics, quarterly.¹⁸³

Census of Employment and Wages, quarterly.¹⁸⁴

Economic Summary profiles for Aguadilla,¹⁸⁵ Ponce,¹⁸⁶ and San Juan.¹⁸⁷

Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment, monthly.¹⁸⁸

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, annual.¹⁸⁹

Occupational Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities, annual.¹⁹⁰

State Employment and Unemployment, monthly.¹⁹¹

Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS)

State Transportation Statistics: Bridge Condition, Commute Mode, Metropolitan Planning Organizations, Part 139 Airports, Principal Ports, Road Condition, State Highway Travel, State Transportation Infrastructure, Transportation Economics, Transportation Safety, U.S. Airline Traffic by Airport.¹⁹²

Census Bureau

Profiles: data.census.gov¹⁹³ and State Facts for Students.¹⁹⁴

American Community Survey (ACS), annual.¹⁹⁵

Building Permits Survey, annual.¹⁹⁶

Business Formation Statistics, monthly.¹⁹⁷

Business Trends and Outlook Survey, every two weeks.¹⁹⁸

Community Resilience Estimates, annual.¹⁹⁹

County Business Patterns, annual.²⁰⁰

Decennial Census of Population and Housing, decennial.²⁰¹

Economic Census, every five years.²⁰²

Foreign Trade (exports and imports), monthly.²⁰³

Population and Housing Unit Estimates, annual.²⁰⁴

Puerto Rico Business Applications, monthly.²⁰⁵

Quarterly Workforce Indicators, quarterly.²⁰⁶

Economic Research Service (ERS)

State Fact Sheet.²⁰⁷

Rural-Urban Continuum Codes, decennial.²⁰⁸

Energy Information Administration (EIA)

State Energy Data System.²⁰⁹

Electric Power Annual, annual.²¹⁰

Electric Power Monthly, monthly.²¹¹

National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)

Census of Agriculture, every five years.²¹²

Puerto Rico Field Office.²¹³

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)

National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).²¹⁴

Common Core of Data (public elementary and secondary schools), annual.²¹⁵

Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), annual.²¹⁶

National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)

National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System.²¹⁷

National Vital Statistics System.²¹⁸

National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES)

Science and Engineering State Indicators.²¹⁹

Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) Survey, annual.²²⁰

Survey of Earned Doctorates, annual.²²¹

Survey of Federal Funds for Research and Development, annual.²²²

Survey of Federal Science and Engineering Support to Universities, Colleges, and Nonprofit Institutions, annual.²²³

Survey of Science and Engineering Research Facilities, biennial.²²⁴

Survey of State Government Research and Development, annual.²²⁵

Office of Research, Evaluation, and Statistics (ORES, Social Security Administration)

Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Program, annual.²²⁶

Annual Statistical Supplement, annual.²²⁷

Congressional Statistics, annual.²²⁸

Earnings and Employment Data for Workers Covered Under Social Security and Medicare, by State and County, annual.²²⁹

Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) Beneficiaries by State and County, annual.²³⁰

OASDI Beneficiaries by State and ZIP Code, annual.²³¹

Statistics of Income (SOI, Internal Revenue Service)

Returns Filed, Taxes Collected, and Refunds by State, annual.²³²

Other Federal Agencies

"Puerto Rico" in Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), The World Factbook.²³³

"Puerto Rico" on the Department of the Treasury's USASpending.gov.²³⁴

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Crime Data Explorer.²³⁵

Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Exempt Organizations Business Master File Extract (EO BMF): Table of tax-exempt organizations in Puerto Rico listed under Region 4.²³⁶

Territorial Government

Government of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics (El Instituto de Estadísticas de Puerto Rico).²³⁷

Puerto Rico Planning Board (Junta de Planificación), Economic and Social Planning Program (Programa de Planificación Económica y Social).²³⁸

Other Sources

"Puerto Rico" in Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Local Area Conditions.²³⁹

"Puerto Rico" in United Nations Statistics Division, UNdata.²⁴⁰

"Puerto Rico" in World Bank Group, World Bank Open Data.²⁴¹

"Data Hub" at Hunter College, Center for Puerto Rican Studies.²⁴²

U.S. Virgin Islands

Principal Statistical Agencies

Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA)

Gross Domestic Product (GDP), annual (program currently paused).²⁴³

Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS)

National Prisoner Statistics, annual.²⁴⁴

Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)

Business Employment Dynamics, quarterly.²⁴⁵

Census of Employment and Wages, quarterly.²⁴⁶

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, annual.²⁴⁷

Occupational Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities, annual.²⁴⁸

State Employment and Unemployment, monthly.²⁴⁹

Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS)

State Transportation Statistics: Bridge Condition, Part 139 Airports, State Transportation Infrastructure, Transportation Safety, U.S. Airline Traffic by Airport.²⁵⁰

Census Bureau

Profiles: data.census.gov²⁵¹ and State Facts for Students.²⁵²

Building Permits Survey, annual.²⁵³

County Business Patterns, annual.²⁵⁴

Economic Census, every five years.²⁵⁵

Foreign Trade (exports and imports), monthly.²⁵⁶

Island Areas Census, decennial.²⁵⁷

Economic Research Service (ERS)

Rural-Urban Continuum Codes, decennial.²⁵⁸

Energy Information Administration (EIA)

State Energy Data System.²⁵⁹

Electric Power Annual, annual.²⁶⁰

National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)

Census of Agriculture, every five years.²⁶¹

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)

Common Core of Data (public elementary and secondary schools), annual.²⁶²

Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), annual.²⁶³

National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)

National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System.²⁶⁴

National Vital Statistics System.²⁶⁵

National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES)

Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) Survey, annual.²⁶⁶

Survey of Federal Funds for Research and Development, annual.²⁶⁷

Survey of Federal Science and Engineering Support to Universities, Colleges, and Nonprofit Institutions, annual.²⁶⁸

Survey of Science and Engineering Research Facilities, biennial.²⁶⁹

Office of Research, Evaluation, and Statistics (ORES, Social Security Administration)

Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Program, annual.²⁷⁰

Annual Statistical Supplement, annual.²⁷¹

Congressional Statistics, annual.²⁷²

Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) Beneficiaries by State and County, annual.²⁷³

OASDI Beneficiaries by State and ZIP Code, annual.²⁷⁴

Other Federal Agencies

"Virgin Islands" in Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), The World Factbook.²⁷⁵

"U.S. Virgin Islands" on the Department of the Treasury's USASpending.gov.²⁷⁶

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Crime Data Explorer.²⁷⁷

Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Exempt Organizations Business Master File Extract (EO BMF): International table includes tax-exempt organizations in USVI.²⁷⁸

Territorial Government

USVI Bureau of Economic Research.²⁷⁹

University of the Virgin Islands, Eastern Caribbean Center, Social Research Institute.²⁸⁰

Other Sources

"U.S. Virgin Islands" in Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Local Area Conditions.²⁸¹

"United States Virgin Islands" in United Nations Statistics Division, UNdata.²⁸²

"Virgin Islands (U.S.)" in World Bank Group, World Bank Open Data.²⁸³

Footnotes

1.

Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Statistical Programs of the United States Government: Fiscal Years 2021/2022, p. 5, https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/statistical-programs-20212022.pdf. The definition for statistical activities can be found in 44 U.S.C. §3561(10).

2.

Also referred to as recognized statistical agencies and units (RSAUs) by OMB. OMB, "Fundamental Responsibilities of Recognized Statistical Agencies and Units," 89 Federal Register 82453, October 11, 2024, https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-10-11/pdf/2024-23536.pdf.

3.

StatsPolicy.gov, "About Us," https://www.statspolicy.gov/about/#fss.

4.

OMB, "Leveraging Federal Statistics to Strengthen Evidence-Based Decision-Making FY2014-FY2025," in Analytical Perspectives: Budget of the U.S. Government Fiscal Year 2025.

5.

Letter from Shalanda Young, director of OMB, to Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House of Representatives, February 2, 2024, https://www.bidenwhitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/statistical-programs-20212022.pdf.

6.

The terms U.S. territories and territories in this product refer to American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI). Population figures are as of 2020.

7.

Article IV, Section 3, Clause 2. See also Stanley K. Laughlin, "Territories and Possessions" in The Oxford Companion to American Law, ed. Kermit L. Hall (Oxford University Press, 2002), pp. 797-798.

8.

For more information, see CRS Report R47747, Admission of States to the Union: A Historical Reference Guide, by Ben Leubsdorf, Kathleen E. Marchsteiner, and Carol Wilson.

9.

Christina Duffy Burnett and Burke Marshall, "Between the Foreign and the Domestic: The Doctrine of Territorial Incorporation, Invented and Reinvented," in Foreign in a Domestic Sense: Puerto Rico, American Expansion, and the Constitution, eds. Burnett and Marshall (Duke University Press, 2001), pp. 1-36.

10.

For more information, see CRS Report R48063, Delegates and the Resident Commissioner: Parliamentary Rights and Practice, 113th-117th Congresses, by Jane A. Hudiburg.

11.

U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), U.S. Territories: Coordinated Federal Approach Needed to Better Address Data Gaps, GAO-24-106574, May 9, 2024, p. 16, https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-106574.

12.

This report will focus on federal statistical activities conducted by the 13 principal statistical agencies.

13.

13 U.S.C. §191.

14.

Census Bureau, "2020 Island Areas Censuses Data Products," https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade/2020/planning-management/count/island-areas.html.

15.

Census Bureau, "2020 Census: Conducting and Motivating the Count: Counting the Island Areas," https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade/2020/planning-management/count/island-areas.html.

16.

Census Bureau, "2020 Island Areas Censuses Frequently Asked Questions," https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade/2020/planning-management/release/island-area-data-products-faqs.html.

17.

Linda A. Jacobson et al., Understanding and Using Puerto Rico Community Survey Data: What Data Users Need to Know, Census Bureau, p. 2, https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2020/acs/acs_prcs_handbook_2020.pdf.

18.

Census Bureau, "About the Puerto Rico Community Survey," https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/about/puerto-rico-community-survey.html.

19.

Census Bureau, Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for the United States, Regions, States, District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2024, https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-national-total.html.

20.

Census Bureau, American Community Survey: A Comparison of the American Community Survey and the Puerto Rico Community Survey, https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/programs-surveys/acs/Library/OutreachMaterials/ACSFlyers/A%20Comparison%20of%20the%20ACS%20and%20the%20PRCS.pdf.

21.

CRS Insight IN12303, The American Community Survey, by Taylor R. Knoedl; Census Bureau, "About the Puerto Rico Community Survey," https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/about/puerto-rico-community-survey.html.

22.

Census Bureau, "2022 Island Areas," https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/economic-census/island-areas/2022.html.

23.

Census Bureau, "Economic Census," https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/economic-census.html.

24.

Census Bureau, "Population and Housing Unit Estimates," https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest.html.

25.

Puerto Rico is included in the regular Census of Agriculture by state. See Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), "2022 Census by State—Puerto Rico,", https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2022/Full_Report/Census_by_State/Puerto_Rico/index.php.

26.

NASS, "Census of Agriculture," https://www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus/.

27.

NASS, "Census of Agriculture for Outlying Areas," https://www.nass.usda.gov/Surveys/Guide_to_NASS_Surveys/Census_for_Outlying_Areas/index.php.

28.

Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), U.S. International Economic Accounts: Concepts and Methods, June 2024, p. 34, https://www.bea.gov/resources/methodologies/international/pdf/iea-concepts-methods.pdf.

29.

BEA, "Gross Domestic Product," https://www.bea.gov/data/gdp/gross-domestic-product.

30.

BEA, "GDP for the U.S. Territories," https://www.bea.gov/taxonomy/term/471.

31.

BEA, "Are Puerto Rico and the U.S. Territories included in the estimates of U.S. GDP?," https://www.bea.gov/help/faq/1188.

32.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), "National Vital Statistics System (NVSS)," https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/hus/sources-definitions/nvss.htm.

33.

GAO, U.S. Territories: Coordinated Federal Approach Needed to Better Address Data Gaps, p. 7.

34.

Ann Carson, Prisoners in 2021—Statistical Tables, Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), December 2022, https://bjs.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh236/files/media/document/p21st.pdf.

35.

Carson, Prisoners in 2021, p.46.

36.

44 U.S.C. §§3503-3504.

37.

42 U.S.C. §3504(e)(7).

38.

American Statistical Association (ASA) and George Mason University (GMU), The Nation's Data at Risk: Meeting America's Information Needs for the 21st Century, July 9, 2024, https://www.amstat.org/policy-and-advocacy/the-nation's-data-at-risk-meeting-american's-information-needs-for-the-21st-century, p. 29.

39.

OMB, "Fundamental Responsibilities of Recognized Statistical Agencies and Units," 89 Federal Register 82453, October 11, 2024, http://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-10-11/pdf/2024-23536.pdf.

40.

For more information, see CRS In Focus IF11837, The Paperwork Reduction Act and Federal Collections of Information: A Brief Overview, by Maeve P. Carey and Natalie R. Ortiz.

41.

Census Bureau, "Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; 2022 Economic Census," 87 Federal Register 11687, March 2, 2022, https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2022-03-02/pdf/2022-04352.pdf.

42.

34 U.S.C. §10132; BJS, "Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed eCollection eComments Requested; Extension of a Currently Approved Collection: National Prisoner Statistics Program," 87 Federal Register 57221, September 19, 2022, https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2022-09-19/pdf/2022-20159.pdf.

43.

Census Bureau, "Street Addresses Are Simple, Right? Not in Puerto Rico," https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2020/01/street-addresses-are-simple-not-in-puerto-rico.html.

44.

Census Bureau, "Master Address File (MAF)," https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/research/guidance/nlms/maf-description.pdf.

45.

Census Bureau, 2020 Census Local Update of Census Addresses Operation (LUCA) Respondent Guide, p. 1, https://www2.census.gov/geo/pdfs/partnerships/luca/D-2032.pdf.

46.

13 U.S.C. §16.

47.

13 U.S.C. §16 (c)(2).

48.

GAO, 2020 Census: Actions Needed to Improve Census Bureau's Process for Working with Governments to Build Address List, GAO-20-17, October 23, 2019, https://www.gao.gov/assets/d2017.pdf.

49.

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, "Master Address File," chap. 5 in Assessing the 2020 Census: Final Report (The National Academies Press, 2023), https://doi.org/10.17226/27150.

50.

Census Bureau, Report to the Appropriations Committee on Commerce, Justice, and Science on the Feasibility of Expanding all Decennial Census Surveys to Puerto Rico and U.S. Territories, September 2018, p. 3.

51.

Response burden is the effort required by a respondent to complete a survey.

52.

GAO, U.S. Territories: Coordinated Federal Approach Needed to Better Address Data Gaps, p. 5.

53.

Census Bureau, "How We Conduct Our Surveys," https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/surveyhelp/we-conduct-surveys.html; GAO, 2020 Census: Additional Steps Needed to Finalize Readiness for Peak Field Operations, GAO-19-140, December 2018, p. 1.

54.

Census Bureau, "Regional Offices," https://www.census.gov/about/regions.html.

55.

Census Bureau, Report to the Appropriations Committee on Commerce, Justice, and Science on the Feasibility of Expanding all Decennial Census Surveys to Puerto Rico and U.S. Territories, September 25, 2018; Census Bureau, "Regional Offices," https://www.census.gov/about/regions.html.

56.

GAO, U.S. Territories: Coordinated Federal Approach Needed to Better Address Data Gaps, p. 2.

57.

GAO, U.S. Territories: Coordinated Federal Approach Needed to Better Address Data Gaps, p. 7; CDC, "Revisions of the U.S. Standard Certificates and Reports," https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/revisions-of-the-us-standard-certificates-and-reports.htm.

58.

National Partnership for Action to End Health Disparities, Improving Health Data Infrastructure for the U.S. Virgin Islands: Progress Report, September 2016, https://doh.vi.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/USVI-Data-Infrastructure-Prog-Rpt_111016-FINAL.pdf.

59.

Census Bureau, "Restricted-Use Data," https://www.census.gov/topics/research/guidance/restricted-use-microdata.html.

60.

OMB, Establishment of Standard Application Process Requirements on Recognized Statistical Agencies and Units, M-23-04, https://www.bidenwhitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/M-23-04.pdf.

61.

Census Bureau, "A Milestone for Research in Puerto Rico: Opening of a Federal Statistical Research Data Center," https://www.census.gov/newsroom/blogs/deputy-director/2024/09/puerto-rico-federal-statistical-research-data-center.html.

62.

U.S. Department of Interior (DOI), "Islands We Serve," https://www.doi.gov/oia/islands.

63.

DOI, Budget Justifications and Performance Information Fiscal Year 2024: Office of Insular Affairs, p. 1, https://edit.doi.gov/sites/default/files/fy2024-oia-greenbook.pdf-508.pdf.

64.

OIA, "OIA Discretionary Grant Programs," https://www.doi.gov/oia/oia-discretionary-grant-program.

65.

DOI, Budget Justifications and Performance Information Fiscal Year 2024: Office of Insular Affairs, p. 37.

66.

Testimony of OIA economist Melissa Braybrooks in U.S. Congress, House Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs, Examining GAO's Findings to Address Data Gaps and Improve Data Collection in the Territories, hearing, 118th Congress, 2nd session, June 13, 2024, https://naturalresources.house.gov/uploadedfiles/testimony_braybrooks.pdf.

67.

DOI, Budget Justifications and Performance Information Fiscal Year 2024: Office of Insular Affairs, p. 37.

68.

See "GDP Statistics for American Samoa, the CNMI, Guam, and the USVI Paused" box in Sabrina Montes et al., "Territorial Economic Accounts for American Samoa, the CNMI, Guam, and the USVI," Survey of Current Business, January 24, 2025, https://apps.bea.gov/scb/issues/2025/01-january/0125-territories.htm.

69.

Braybrooks testimony.

70.

U.S. Congress, House Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs, Examining GAO's Findings to Address Data Gaps and Improve Data Collection in the Territories, Hearings, 118th Cong. 2nd sess., June 13, 2024; H.R. 258; H.R. 1400; H.R. 10054.

71.

See, for example, Census Bureau, Report to the Appropriations Committee on Commerce, Justice, and Science on the Feasibility of Expanding all Decennial Census Surveys to Puerto Rico and U.S. Territories, September 25, 2018.

72.

P.L. 114-187, 130 Stat. 549.

73.

48 U.S.C §2193(c).

74.

Census Bureau, "2020 Island Areas Censuses Frequently Asked Questions," https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade/2020/planning-management/release/island-area-data-products-faqs.html. Note that the ACS is conducted in Puerto Rico. The decennial census is known as the "Island Areas Censuses" for American Samoa, CNMI, Guam, and USVI, and it is conducted with a "long-form" questionnaire similar to the ACS.

75.

GAO, U.S. Territories: Coordinated Federal Approach Needed to Better Address Data Gaps.

76.

ASA and GMU, The Nation's Data at Risk, pp. 50-51.

77.

Jonathan Eggleston, The Impact of Household Surveys on 2020 Census Self-Response, Census Bureau, Center for Economic Studies Working Paper no. CES 22-24, July 2022, https://www2.census.gov/ces/wp/2022/CES-WP-22-24.pdf.

78.

John L. Czajka and Amy Beyler, Background Paper: Declining Response Rates in Federal Surveys: Trends and Implications, Mathematica Policy Research, June 15, 2016, https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/private/pdf/255531/Decliningresponserates.pdf.

79.

Census Bureau, "American Community Response Rates," https://www.census.gov/acs/www/methodology/sample-size-and-data-quality/response-rates.

80.

Census Bureau, "An Overview of Addressing Nonresponse Bias in the American Community Survey During the COVID-19 Pandemic Using Administrative Data," https://www.census.gov/newsroom/blogs/random-samplings/2021/11/nonresponse-acs-covid-administrative-data.html.

81.

GAO, U.S. Territories: Coordinated Federal Approach Needed to Better Address Data Gaps, p. 7.

82.

DOI, "American Samoa," https://www.doi.gov/oia/islands/american-samoa.

83.

GAO, U.S. Territories: Coordinated Federal Approach Needed to Better Address Data Gaps.

84.

13 U.S.C. §191.

85.

StatsPolicy.gov, "Interagency Council on Statistical Policy," https://www.statspolicy.gov/about/.

86.

Available at https://www.bea.gov/data/gdp/gdp-american-samoa.

87.

Available at https://bjs.ojp.gov/data-collection/national-prisoner-statistics-nps.

88.

Available at https://www.bts.gov/product/state-transportation-statistics.

89.

Available at https://data.census.gov/profile/American_Samoa?g=040XX00US60.

90.

Available at https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/interactive/state-facts-students-as.html.

91.

Available at https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/cbp.html.

92.

Available at https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2022/econ/economic-census/american-samoa.html.

93.

Available at https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2020/dec/2020-american-samoa.html.

94.

Available at https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/rural-urban-continuum-codes.

95.

Available at https://www.eia.gov/state/?sid=AQ.

96.

Available at https://www.eia.gov/electricity/annual.

97.

Available at https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2022/index.php.

98.

Available at https://nces.ed.gov/ccd.

99.

Available at https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds.

100.

Available at https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/index.htm. American Samoa has not been included in published data since 2022 due to a delay in adopting the most recent standard certificates for births, deaths, and fetal death reports.

101.

Available at https://ncses.nsf.gov/surveys/higher-education-research-development.

102.

Available at https://ncses.nsf.gov/surveys/federal-funds-research-development.

103.

Available at https://ncses.nsf.gov/surveys/federal-support-survey.

104.

Available at https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/di_asr/index.html.

105.

Available at https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/supplement.

106.

Available at https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/factsheets/cong_stats/index.html.

107.

Available at https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/oasdi_sc/index.html.

108.

Available at https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/oasdi_zip/index.html.

109.

Available at https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/american-samoa.

110.

Available at https://www.usaspending.gov/state/american-samoa. USASpending.gov is an open data source of federal spending information, including information about federal awards such as contracts, grants, and loans.

111.

Available at https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/exempt-organizations-business-master-file-extract-eo-bmf.

112.

Available at https://www.doc.as.gov/stats.

113.

Available at https://data.un.org/en/iso/as.html.

114.

Available at https://data.worldbank.org/country/american-samoa.

115.

Available at https://www.bea.gov/data/gdp/gdp-guam.

116.

Available at https://bjs.ojp.gov/data-collection/national-prisoner-statistics-nps.

117.

Available at https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_gu.htm.

118.

Available at https://www.bls.gov/iif/state-data.htm#GU.

119.

Available at https://www.bts.gov/product/state-transportation-statistics.

120.

Available at https://data.census.gov/profile/Guam?g=040XX00US66.

121.

Available at https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/interactive/state-facts-students-guam.html.

122.

Available at https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/cbp.html.

123.

Available at https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2022/econ/economic-census/guam.html.

124.

Available at https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2020/dec/2020-guam.html.

125.

Available at https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/rural-urban-continuum-codes.

126.

Available at https://www.eia.gov/state/?sid=GQ.

127.

Available at https://www.eia.gov/electricity/annual.

128.

Available at https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2022/index.php.

129.

Available at https://nces.ed.gov/ccd.

130.

Available at https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds.

131.

Available at https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/spp/results.asp. Data for American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, and U.S. Virgin Islands aggregated with Guam under Outlying Area Public Schools.

132.

Available at https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/hus/sources-definitions/nndss.htm.

133.

Available at https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/index.htm.

134.

Available at https://ncses.nsf.gov/surveys/higher-education-research-development.

135.

Available at https://ncses.nsf.gov/surveys/federal-funds-research-development.

136.

Available at https://ncses.nsf.gov/surveys/federal-support-survey.

137.

Available at https://ncses.nsf.gov/surveys/science-engineering-research-facilities.

138.

Available at https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/di_asr/index.html.

139.

Available at https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/supplement.

140.

Available at https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/factsheets/cong_stats/index.html.

141.

Available at https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/oasdi_sc/index.html.

142.

Available at https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/oasdi_zip/index.html.

143.

Available at https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/guam.

144.

Available at https://www.usaspending.gov/state/guam. USASpending.gov is an open data source of federal spending information, including information about federal awards such as contracts, grants, and loans.

145.

Available at https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov.

146.

Available at https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/exempt-organizations-business-master-file-extract-eo-bmf.

147.

Available at https://bsp.guam.gov.

148.

Available at https://data.un.org/en/iso/gu.html.

149.

Available at https://data.worldbank.org/country/guam.

150.

Available at https://www.bea.gov/data/gdp/gdp-commonwealth-northern-mariana-islands-cnmi.

151.

Available at https://bjs.ojp.gov/data-collection/national-prisoner-statistics-nps.

152.

Available at https://www.bts.gov/product/state-transportation-statistics.

153.

Available at https://data.census.gov/profile/Commonwealth_of_the_Northern_Mariana_Islands?g=040XX00US69.

154.

Available at https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/interactive/state-facts-students-cnmi.html.

155.

Available at https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/cbp.html.

156.

Available at https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2022/econ/economic-census/cnmi.html.

157.

Available at https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2020/dec/2020-commonwealth-northern-mariana-islands.html.

158.

Available at https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/rural-urban-continuum-codes.

159.

Available at https://www.eia.gov/state/?sid=CQ.

160.

Available at https://www.eia.gov/electricity/annual.

161.

Available at https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2022/index.php.

162.

Available at https://nces.ed.gov/ccd.

163.

Available at https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds.

164.

Available at https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/hus/sources-definitions/nndss.htm.

165.

Available at https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/index.htm.

166.

Available at https://ncses.nsf.gov/surveys/federal-funds-research-development.

167.

Available at https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/di_asr/index.html.

168.

Available at https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/supplement.

169.

Available at https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/factsheets/cong_stats/index.html.

170.

Available at https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/oasdi_sc/index.html.

171.

Available at https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/oasdi_zip/index.html.

172.

Available at https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/ssi_asr.

173.

Available at https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/ssi_monthly/index.html.

174.

Available at https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/ssi_sc/index.html.

175.

Available at https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/northern-mariana-islands.

176.

Available at https://www.usaspending.gov/state/northern-mariana-islands. USASpending.gov is an open data source of federal spending information, including information about federal awards such as contracts, grants, and loans.

177.

Available at https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/exempt-organizations-business-master-file-extract-eo-bmf.

178.

Available at https://ver1.cnmicommerce.com/divisions/central-statistics.

179.

Available at https://data.un.org/en/iso/mp.html.

180.

Available at https://data.worldbank.org/country/northern-mariana-islands.

181.

Available at https://www.bea.gov/data/gdp/gdp-puerto-rico.

182.

Available at https://bjs.ojp.gov/data-collection/national-prisoner-statistics-nps.

183.

Available at https://www.bls.gov/bdm/bdmstate.htm#PR.

184.

Available at https://www.bls.gov/regions/northeast/news-release/countyemploymentandwages_puertorico.htm.

185.

Available at https://www.bls.gov/regions/northeast/summary/blssummary_aguadilla.pdf.

186.

Available at https://www.bls.gov/regions/northeast/summary/blssummary_ponce.pdf.

187.

Available at https://www.bls.gov/regions/northeast/summary/blssummary_sanjuan.pdf.

188.

Available at https://www.bls.gov/news.release/metro.htm.

189.

Available at https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_pr.htm.

190.

Available at https://www.bls.gov/iif/state-data.htm#PR.

191.

Available at https://www.bls.gov/news.release/laus.htm.

192.

Available at https://www.bts.gov/product/state-transportation-statistics.

193.

Available at https://data.census.gov/profile/Puerto_Rico?g=040XX00US72.

194.

Available at https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/sis/resources/data-tools/state-facts.html.

195.

Conducted as the Puerto Rico Community Survey. See https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/about/puerto-rico-community-survey.html for details. Data can be accessed through the data.census.gov platform.

196.

Available at https://www.census.gov/construction/bps/annual.html.

197.

Available at https://www.census.gov/econ/bfs/index.html. The Census Bureau describes the Puerto Rico statistics as an "experimental product" that "may not meet some of the Census Bureau's statistical quality standards."

198.

Available at https://www.census.gov/hfp/btos/data. The Census Bureau describes the Business Trends and Outlook Survey as an "experimental data product" that "may not meet all of our quality standards."

199.

Available at https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/community-resilience-estimates/data/cre-pr.html. See also Community Resilience Estimates for Equity, available at https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/community-resilience-estimates/data/cre-pr.html.

200.

Available at https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/cbp.html.

201.

Available at https://www.census.gov/library/stories/state-by-state/puerto-rico-population-change-between-census-decade.html.

202.

Available at https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2022/econ/economic-census/puerto-rico.html.

203.

Available at https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/statistics/historical/state.html.

204.

Available at https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest.html.

205.

Available at https://www.census.gov/data/experimental-data-products/monthly-puerto-rico-business-applications.html. The Census Bureau describes Monthly Puerto Rico Business Applications as an "experimental data product" that "may not meet some of the Census Bureau's statistical quality standards."

206.

Available at https://qwiexplorer.ces.census.gov.

207.

Available at https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/state-fact-sheets.

208.

Available at https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/rural-urban-continuum-codes.

209.

Available at https://www.eia.gov/state/?sid=RQ.

210.

Available at https://www.eia.gov/electricity/annual.

211.

Available at https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly.

212.

Available at https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2022/index.php.

213.

Available at https://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Puerto_Rico/index.php.

214.

Available at https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile/overview/PR.

215.

Available at https://nces.ed.gov/ccd.

216.

Available at https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds.

217.

Available at https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/hus/sources-definitions/nndss.htm.

218.

Available at https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/index.htm.

219.

Available at https://ncses.nsf.gov/indicators/states/state/puerto-rico.

220.

Available at https://ncses.nsf.gov/surveys/higher-education-research-development.

221.

Available at https://ncses.nsf.gov/surveys/earned-doctorates.

222.

Available at https://ncses.nsf.gov/surveys/federal-funds-research-development.

223.

Available at https://ncses.nsf.gov/surveys/federal-support-survey.

224.

Available at https://ncses.nsf.gov/surveys/science-engineering-research-facilities.

225.

Available at https://ncses.nsf.gov/surveys/state-government-research-development.

226.

Available at https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/di_asr/index.html.

227.

Available at https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/supplement.

228.

Available at https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/factsheets/cong_stats/index.html.

229.

Available at https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/eedata_sc/index.html.

230.

Available at https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/oasdi_sc/index.html.

231.

Available at https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/oasdi_zip/index.html.

232.

Available at https://www.irs.gov/statistics/soi-tax-stats-state-data-by-year.

233.

Available at https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/puerto-rico.

234.

Available at https://www.usaspending.gov/state/puerto-rico. USASpending.gov is an open data source of federal spending information, including information about federal awards such as contracts, grants, and loans.

235.

Available at https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov.

236.

Available at https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/exempt-organizations-business-master-file-extract-eo-bmf.

237.

Available at https://estadisticas.pr.

238.

Available at https://jp.pr.gov/planificacion-en-desarrollo-socioeconomico.

239.

Available at https://www.newyorkfed.org/regional-economy/profiles/puertorico.

240.

Available at https://data.un.org/en/iso/pr.html.

241.

Available at https://data.worldbank.org/country/puerto-rico.

242.

Available at https://centropr.hunter.cuny.edu/research/data-hub.

243.

Available at https://www.bea.gov/data/gdp/gdp-us-virgin-islands-usvi.

244.

Available at https://bjs.ojp.gov/data-collection/national-prisoner-statistics-nps.

245.

Available at https://www.bls.gov/bdm/bdmstate.htm#VI.

246.

Available at https://data.bls.gov/maps/cew/VI.

247.

Available at https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_vi.htm.

248.

Available at https://www.bls.gov/iif/state-data.htm#VI.

249.

Available at https://www.bls.gov/news.release/laus.htm.

250.

Available at https://www.bts.gov/product/state-transportation-statistics.

251.

Available at https://data.census.gov/profile/United_States_Virgin_Islands?g=040XX00US78.

252.

Available at https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/interactive/state-facts-students-usvi.html.

253.

Available at https://www.census.gov/construction/bps/annual.html.

254.

Available at https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/cbp.html.

255.

Available at https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2022/econ/economic-census/virgin-islands.html.

256.

Available at https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/statistics/historical/state.html.

257.

Available at https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2020/dec/2020-us-virgin-islands.html.

258.

Available at https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/rural-urban-continuum-codes.

259.

Available at https://www.eia.gov/state/?sid=VQ.

260.

Available at https://www.eia.gov/electricity/annual.

261.

Available at https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2022/index.php.

262.

Available at https://nces.ed.gov/ccd.

263.

Available at https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds.

264.

Available at https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/hus/sources-definitions/nndss.htm.

265.

Available at https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/index.htm.

266.

Available at https://ncses.nsf.gov/surveys/higher-education-research-development.

267.

Available at https://ncses.nsf.gov/surveys/federal-funds-research-development.

268.

Available at https://ncses.nsf.gov/surveys/federal-support-survey.

269.

Available at https://ncses.nsf.gov/surveys/science-engineering-research-facilities.

270.

Available at https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/di_asr/index.html.

271.

Available at https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/supplement.

272.

Available at https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/factsheets/cong_stats/index.html.

273.

Available at https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/oasdi_sc/index.html.

274.

Available at https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/oasdi_zip/index.html.

275.

Available at https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/virgin-islands.

276.

Available at https://www.usaspending.gov/state/us-virgin-islands. USASpending.gov is an open data source of federal spending information, including information about federal awards such as contracts, grants, and loans.

277.

Available at https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov.

278.

Available at https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/exempt-organizations-business-master-file-extract-eo-bmf.

279.

Available at https://usviber.org.

280.

Available at https://www.uvi.edu/research/eastern-caribbean-center/social-research-institute.

281.

Available at https://www.newyorkfed.org/regional-economy/profiles/us-virginislands.

282.

Available at https://data.un.org/en/iso/vi.html.

283.

Available at https://data.worldbank.org/country/virgin-islands-us.