The West Virginia University Bureau of Business and Economic Research has issued its latest set of West Virginia County Data Profiles.

The publication provides detailed economic and demographic statistics on each of the states 55 counties and the following metropolitan statistical areas: Charleston, Huntington-Ashland, Parkersburg-Marietta, Steubenville-Weirton, Wheeling and Cumberland. Profiles are also available for the state and nation.

These profiles summarize much of the economic and demographic information available for the states counties, metropolitan areas, the state and the nation,said George Hammond, acting director of the BBER , which is housed in the College of Business and Economics.

They are designed to help businesses, state and local policymakers and analysts gauge the economic and demographic trends driving their economies,Hammond added.

Each County Data Profile contains personal income by major source, 1969-2001; earnings by industry, 1969-2001; employment by industry, 1969-2001; transfer payments, 1969-2001; labor force statistics, 1980-2001; BEARFACTS , 1991-2001; Census 2000 general demographic characteristics; Census 2000 selected social characteristics; Census 2000 selected economic characteristics; Census 2000 selected housing characteristics; and Census 2000 commuting by place of residence and work.

County Data Profiles is available free of charge in PDF format on the BBER Web site athttp://www.bber.wvu.edu. They are also available for a fee in hard-copy format or on CD-ROM. See the brochure on the BBER Web site for ordering information or contact Patricia Bohon at 304-293-7831 or patricia.bohon@mail.wvu.edu . Partial funding support for these publications is provided by the Becker Fund for Economic Development Research.