Survey of Business Owners (2012)

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Survey of Business Owners (2012)

Survey of Business Owners

As part of the five-year economic census program, the Survey of Business Owners (SBO) provides the only comprehensive, regularly collected source of information on selected economic and demographic characteristics for businesses and business owners by gender, ethnicity, race, and veteran status.  Estimates include the number of employer and nonemployer firms, sales and receipts, employment, and annual payroll.

Read more information about the SBO at www.census.gov/programs-surveys/sbo/about.html.

For a complete description of the SBO methodology, please visit www.census.gov/programs-surveys/sbo/technical-documentation/methodology.html

There are three SBO API datasets available:

  • Company Summary
  • Characteristics of Businesses
  • Characteristics of Business Owners

All queries to the Census Data API now require an API key. Please cut and paste the API Calls, Example Calls, Variables, Examples, and Supported Geography below into your web browser and replace YOUR_KEY_GOES_HERE with your personal API Key.

If you do not have an API Key, request one here.

2012
  • 2012

2012

2012 Survey of Business Owners: Company Summary

Provides data for all businesses by gender, ethnicity, race, and veteran status by detailed geography, industry, and size of firm

  • API Call: api.census.gov/data/2012/sbo/cs?key=YOUR_KEY_GOES_HERE
  • Examples: api.census.gov/data/2012/sbo/cs/examples.html?key=YOUR_KEY_GOES_HERE
  • Geographies: api.census.gov/data/2012/sbo/cs/geography.html?key=YOUR_KEY_GOES_HERE
  • Variables: api.census.gov/data/2012/sbo/cs/variables.html?key=YOUR_KEY_GOES_HERE
  • Example Call: US Level All firms data:

api.census.gov/data/2012/sbo/cs?get=FIRMALL,NAICS2012_TTL,GEO_TTL,EMPSZFI,EMPSZFI_TTL&for=us:*&key=YOUR_KEY_GOES_HERE

For detailed information about the values available in this API, please see “Technical Information for SBO API – Company Summary” at www.census.gov/programs-surveys/sbo/technical-documentation/api.html

2012 Survey of Business Owners: Characteristics of Businesses

Provides national data for all respondent firms by gender, ethnicity, race, and veteran status by industry sector, including detailed business characteristics.

  • API Call: api.census.gov/data/2012/sbo/cscb.html?key=YOUR_KEY_GOES_HERE
  • Examples: api.census.gov/data/2012/sbo/cscb/examples.html?key=YOUR_KEY_GOES_HERE
  • Geographies: api.census.gov/data/2012/sbo/cscb/geography.html?key=YOUR_KEY_GOES_HERE
  • Variables: api.census.gov/data/2012/sbo/cscb/variables.html?key=YOUR_KEY_GOES_HERE
  • Example Call: US Level All firms data for SPOUSES business characteristic:

api.census.gov/data/2012/sbo/cscb?get=FIRMALL,FIRMPDEMP_PCT_S,RCPALL,FIRMNOPD_S,RCPNOPD,FIRMNOPD_PCT,FIRMNOPD,EMP_S,PAYANN,RCPPDEMP,RCPPDEMP_F,RCPNOPD_PCT_S,FIRMALL_S,SPOUSES,CBGROUP_TTL,EMP,RCPPDEMP_S,EMP_PCT,YEAR,RCPNOPD_PCT,FIRMNOPD_PCT_S,EMP_PCT_S,CBGROUP,NAICS2012_TTL,PAYANN_PCT_S,PAYANN_S,GEO_TTL,RCPALL_PCT,RCPPDEMP_PCT_S,PAYANN_PCT,SPOUSES_TTL,RCPALL_PCT_S,RCPNOPD_S,FIRMPDEMP_PCT,FIRMPDEMP_S,FIRMPDEMP,FIRMALL_PCT,FIRMALL_PCT_S,RCPPDEMP_PCT&for=us:*&key=YOUR_KEY_GOES_HERE

For detailed information about the values available in this API, please see “Technical Information for SBO API – Characteristics of Businesses” at www.census.gov/programs-surveys/sbo/technical-documentation/api.html

2012 Survey of Business Owners: Characteristics of Business Owners

Provides national data for all respondent firms by gender, ethnicity, race, and veteran status by industry sector, including detailed business characteristics.

  • API Call: api.census.gov/data/2012/sbo/cscbo.html?key=YOUR_KEY_GOES_HERE
  • Examples: api.census.gov/data/2012/sbo/cscbo/examples.html?key=YOUR_KEY_GOES_HERE
  • Geographies: api.census.gov/data/2012/sbo/cscbo/geography.html?key=YOUR_KEY_GOES_HERE
  • Variables: api.census.gov/data/2012/sbo/cscbo/variables.html?key=YOUR_KEY_GOES_HERE
  • Example Call: US Level Owners data for ACQBUS characteristic of business owners:

api.census.gov/data/2012/sbo/cscbo?get=OWNALL_PCT_S,OWNNOPD,ACQBUS,OWNNOPD_PCT_S,NAICS2012_TTL,OWNPDEMP,OWNALL_S,OWNPDEMP_PCT_S,OWNNOPD_S,OWNPDEMP_PCT,OWNALL_PCT,ACQBUS_TTL,OWNNOPD_PCT,OWNALL,OWNPDEMP_S&for=us:*&key=YOUR_KEY_GOES_HERE

For detailed information about the values available in this API, please see “Technical Information for SBO API – Characteristics of Business Owners” at www.census.gov/programs-surveys/sbo/technical-documentation/api.html

Related Information

Page Last Revised - May 14, 2026