Data diving with the Bureau of Economic Analysis

By Jason Gertzen

Kansas City Star

Alison Adam, Shane Taylor and their colleagues at the Bureau of Economic Analysis want to help you tell the story of your local economy.

The bureau has a Web site at http://bea.gov/ that is packed with charts, databases and other details that all can be customized to describe how a specific state, county or metropolitan region is faring, Adam and Taylor said Monday in Kansas City.

Leading a session at the Fall Workshop of the Society of American Business Editors and Writers, the economic data experts offered coverage ideas and tips for crunching the numbers.

The bureau’s numbers make it possible, for example, to tell the story of how 20 metro areas in the Great Lakes region had the slowest-growth rates for personal income in 2007. The auto industry had made dramatic cuts to its work force in 2006, leaving a smaller work force that also, in some cases, felt a financial squeeze from pay concessions, Adam said.

Within moments, the experts also demonstrated how to prepare details showing a region’s top employers, how they have changed over time and how they might compare to dominant employers in other regions.

An easy way to get started is at the BEA’s home page. Click on “Regional” and then click “Quick links.”

Check out the news release to get a sense of what type of details are available for the various categories, including Gross Domestic Product by State and Annual State Personal Income and Employment.

Then, to prepare a customized package of information for an article on your region, click on “Estimates” and follow the prompts to generate a report.

Confused by the numbers? Not finding specifically what you are seeking? Just ask for help, the bureau representatives encouraged.

Look for the “Outreach” link under “Additional Information.” From there you can navigate your way to a list of experts at area universities and other agencies who are available to talk specifically about the details of the economy in your region.

The bureau’s economists and other specialists also are willing to help, said Ralph Stewart, a member of the agency’s public affairs team. Stewart, who can be reached at 202-606-9690 or ralph.stewart@bea.gov, said he can direct reporters to just the right online data or BEA economist.

Posted Sept. 8, 2008