Commerce Unveils New Export Data Series
Information to plot the impact exports have on metropolitan areas throughout the US
LOS ANGELES – 01/25/08 – The Commerce Department has introduced a new data series that precisely measures export statistics for selected US metropolitan areas based on five-digit ZIP code.
“This is a very significant development because for the first time, state and local trade development agencies will be able to collect data on trade flows based on the actual point of origin of an export shipment,” said Israel Hernandez, assistant secretary of commerce and director general of the US Foreign Commercial Service.
“This new tool will give them a much clearer picture of how businesses in their communities are faring globally and help them create more effective export promotion programs,” said Hernandez, who unveiled the new statistical series at a meeting yesterday with international trade executives and educators in Los Angeles.
Though the new series – the Metropolitan Export Data Series (MEDS) – resembles the Exporter Location Series that was discontinued in 2001, the new statistical tool differs in some significant methodological ways by utilizing technology unavailable just a few years ago, he said.
Maintained by the Commerce Department’s International Trade Administration, the MEDS tabulates the data on merchandise export trade flows in 369 US metropolitan areas by matching the Origin of Movement (OM) five-digit ZIP codes entered on US export declarations with counties that are assigned to specific metropolitan areas by the Office of Management and Budget in Washington, DC.
The new data also collates and plots metro area exports as a percent of the state total, where possible; product exports to individual countries for the 50 largest metropolitan areas; top global export product categories; and total exports to ten regional destinations.
Trade statistics are available for both 2005 and 2006 with figures for last year expected by the end of June. Service export values are not included in the series.
The new series is available free-of-charge and is accessible on-line at www.trade.gov/metrodata
According to the new MEDS, 116 metropolitan areas recorded product sales of $1 billion or more in 2006 with US exporters reporting a record $1.4 trillion in goods and services in 2006. Final 2007 numbers are forecast to exceed 2006 totals.
The MEDS highlights some significant export growth patterns around the country. In 2006, it found, seven metropolitan areas – including two in California – generated export sales of $25 billion or more.
The markets were New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island; Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue; Detroit-Warren-Livonia; Chicago-Naperville-Joliet; and San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara.
In addition, 30 metro areas exported between $5 billion and $24 billion. These top 37 metro areas accounted for 61% of total US merchandise exports in 2006, while a total of 290 metropolitan areas – or 79% of the total – recorded positive growth in area exports between 2005 and 2006.
Twenty-eight major metropolitan areas expanded exports by $1 billion or more between 2005 and 2006.
Twenty-four other metropolitan areas posted 2005-2006 export increases between $500 million and $1 billion with 89 more metropolitan areas registering export increases in the $100 million to $499 million range.
Fifteen US metropolitan areas accounted for at least 50% of their state’s merchandise exports in 2006.
A complete listing of the OMB metropolitan areas can be found at www.census.gov/population/estimates/metro_general/List4.txt
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