Demographics and Market Research
Whether you’re conducting market research before starting a new business or trying to get a better picture of potential customers for an existing business, demographic research is essential.
Library resources:
Reference Solutions* is a database that allows users to conduct research on businesses and consumers.
- U.S. Businesses* This directory of nearly 14 million U.S. businesses includes address, phone, contact person, sales, and the number of employees.
- U.S. New Businesses* Find listings of the over 50,000 new businesses started in the United States each week.
- Canadian Businesses* This directory of nearly 1.3 million Canadian businesses includes address, phone, contact person, sales, and the number of employees.
- U.S. Standard White Pages* A directory of more than 89 million residents, which can be used to conduct market research or locate friends and relatives.
- Canadian White Pages* Contains information from 12 million Canadian households.
- U.S. Consumers/Lifestyles* This directory of more than 203 million consumers contains lifestyle interest and demographic information.
- U.S. New Movers/Homeowners* With over 300,000 new movers each week, this database can help you locate movers by geography, moving distance, and more.
- U.S. Healthcare* This directory contains information for 835,000 physicians and dentists in the United States.
Government resources:
With U.S. Census data you can find data about an area’s population, income, education, housing, etc.
Other sources of Census data:
- American Community Survey
- County Business Patterns
- Economic Census
- State and County QuickFacts
- Statistical Insight*
The Consumer Expenditure Survey and the American Time Use Survey are available on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Demographic Data page.
State and local resources:
County Database Extractions provide socioeconomic trend tables for each Missouri county with comparative data for a decade or more.
Regional Demographic Maps from the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center show Springfield-area demographic patterns. Similar materials are available from the same source for a dozen other Missouri regions, and for the state as a whole.
Republic Population & Demographics shows the numbers behind this rapidly growing community located in the Springfield metro area.
Springfield Data Profile is sponsored by the Springfield Business Development Corporation and brings together many useful statistics about the Springfield community including the cost of living, crime rates, business opportunities, major employers, and labor availability.
Economic Indicators:
Inflation and Cost of Living
Consumer Price Index from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is released once a month.
The Cost of Living Index (also available in a print format at the Library Center) is published quarterly and compares cost-of-living differences among the nation’s urban areas. It includes Springfield, Joplin, Columbia, and other regional cities.
Benchmarks
BizStats gives instant access to useful financial ratios, business statistics, and benchmarks for a number of business types.
Trends and Forecasts
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