The U.S. Census Bureau released new Business Formation Statistics for February 2026, according to a March 11 announcement. The data provide updated information on new business applications and formations across the United States and Puerto Rico.
These statistics are important because they offer timely insights into economic activity and trends in entrepreneurship. Policymakers, researchers, and businesses use this information to track changes in the business landscape.
The monthly release includes all twelve series of the dataset—four related to business applications and eight concerning business formations. Data are available at national, regional, and state levels. For Puerto Rico, four monthly business application series are included as part of the standard product. The statistics feature both seasonally adjusted and unadjusted data.
The Business Formation Statistics were developed through research collaboration between the Census Bureau and economists from several institutions: the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, the University of Maryland, and the University of Notre Dame.
No additional news release accompanied this announcement; it was distributed as a tip sheet only.
