The Statistical Abstract has been published by the U.S. Bureau of the Census since 1878 and is an excellent first stop for many statistical needs, since it covers a wide variety of topics and compiles data from government as well as non-governmental sources (including trade associations).  The Statistical Abstract has PDFs and Excel spreadsheets for download, making it easy to generate charts and graphs.  Also, earlier editions of the Statistical Abstract can be found by clicking on the tab for Earlier Editions. (Note that these are still in PDF format.)

Need just some quick facts on-the-go?  Try the U.S. Census Bureau’s QuickFacts for easy access to people, geography, and business data.