The U.S. Census Bureau today released its new Business Formation Statistics (BFS) for April 2026, providing crucial, high-frequency data on new business applications and formations across the United States and Puerto Rico. This monthly release offers insights into the economic landscape, reflecting entrepreneurial activity.
The BFS is a standard data product developed in collaboration with economists from 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. It includes both seasonally and not seasonally adjusted data.
The comprehensive dataset features 12 series, comprising four application and eight formation metrics, available for the nation, regions, and individual states. Additionally, four monthly business application series are specifically provided for Puerto Rico, ensuring a broad overview of new business activity.