These are just a few of the governmental websites that will assist you in researching demographic data:
The Consumer Expenditure Survey
Industry Snapshots (Economic Census)
The World FactBook (CIA)
North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Codes
To research needs, trends and growth requires an understanding of the industry in which your company operates. These are databases that will have industry reports for your use (be sure you have the NAICS code for the industry):
These are a few databases that will provide information on your company's competitor:
SWOT Analysis reports can be found in these databases provided the company is publicly held. If not publicly held, find a competitor of the company that is publicly held and by reviewing the competitor's SWOT Analysis, you can learn about the external environment the companies in this industry face (Opportunities and Threats):
Morningstar (available only in LRC/Financial Labs)