Business Databases: Quick Guide

Mintel Reports offer consumer product and industry market research reports covering US and International marketplaces. Each report combines data and analysis of the competitive landscape, supply chain, market-share size and trends, and consumer profiles. Data is compiled from consumer survey research firms such as Simmons National Consumer Surveys and Harris Interactive, as well as retail sales figures from Information Resources, Inc. and trade associations. (Rutgers-restricted access)

PolicyMap displays many popular categories of demographic information as maps, including population, income, home ownership, and education. The underlying data is derived from both government and commercial sources. (Rutgers-restricted Access)

Polling the Nations is a compilation of the full-text of the questions and responses from over 14,000 national, state and local surveys conducted since 1986 by some 700 polling organizations in the United States and eighty other countries. Records can be searched by topic, question text, universe polled, date, polling organization and response categories. (Rutgers-restricted access)

SBRnet: Sports Business Research Network features market research and industry news in the area of sports business. It includes industry-developed market research, government statistics, facility reports and news, international market publications, customized research, and directories for governing bodies, college athletic, employment agencies, and marketing agencies etc. (Rutgers-restricted access)

Statista "integrates statistical data from over 80,000 topics in areas such as business, education, finance, media, politics, society, and technology. Statista gathers data from over 18,000 sources." -- from the Rutgers database description (Rutgers-restricted access)

The mother of all data sources on the population and on business establishments is the U.S. Census Bureau. For the latest available information, start with American FactFinder. You can then select one of the following:

• Decennial Census - for demographic and socio-economic data for states, counties, cities, and towns.
• American Community Survey - for annual demographic and socio-economic data for states, counties, and selected cities.
• Annual Economic Surveys which include County Business Patterns for the number of establishments and employees by NAICS industry sector as well as Nonemployer Statistics for the number of establishments without paid employees, also organized by NAICS industry sector.

For non-Rutgers users, the free PolicyMap displays many popular categories of demographic information as maps, including population, income, home ownership, and education.

The Market Research Guide will lead you to dozens more sources of information, both online and in print.