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The Census Bureau is "Fact finder for the Nation" and is mandated with fulfilling the obligation of collecting statistics about the nation, its people, and economy.  The Bureau collects data about the people and economy of the United States and produces a wide variety of statistical data products including printed reports, statistical briefs, and computer files on tape and CD-ROM media. The Census Bureau provides data products, training, technical assistance, and consultation to data centers, which then offer products and assistance to local community leaders, planners, businesses, researchers, and the general public. The Bureau provides access to over 60,000 documents via its Web site including a wide array of economic and business data, broken down by industries and regions, including data on business patterns, leading economic indicators and statistics on levels of income, poverty and labor.


The Nation's international deficit in goods and services decreased to $56.8 billion in June from $59.2 billion (revised) in May, as exports increased more than imports.

June 2008: -56.8 $ billion
May 2008: -59.2 $ billion

Homeownership Rate (HR)
The homeownership rate at 68.1 percent for the current quarter was not statistically different from the second quarter 2007 rate (68.2 percent) or the rate last quarter (67.8 percent).

Rental Vacancy Rate (RVR)
National vacancy rates in the second quarter 2008 were 10.0 percent for rental housing, which was higher than the second quarter rate last year (9.5 percent), but was not statistically different from the rate last quarter (10.1 percent).

Homeowner Vacancy Rate (HVR)
For homeowner vacancies, the current rate (2.8 percent) was not statistically different from the second quarter 2007 rate (2.6 percent) or the rate last quarter (2.9 percent).

2nd Qtr 2008
(HR): 68.1 percent
2nd Qtr 2007
(HR): 68.2 percent