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United States Census

The United States Census Bureau collects a vast amount of information on the residents and businesses of the United States. Finding the exact information you need can often be a daunting endeavor simply due to how much information is available. Here we try to make this task a little easier. Please note that we now have census data for the City of Syracuse avaialable for online analysis.

Census Basics

 Although the Census Bureau is most well-known for the Decennial Census, it conducts many different surveys and censuses throughout the year. Even parts of the decennial Census are actually surveys! What does this mean to you? Well, you must keep in mind the difference between a census and a survey: a census is conducted on the entire population being studied and the numbers derived from it are exact. A survey, on the other hand, is conducted on just a sample of the population being studied and the numbers derived from it are only estimates.

Remember, too, that the purpose of the census is to describe a geographic area - a county, a city, etc. so all of the information will be reported this way. Sometimes a particular geographic area has so few people in it, that releasing any information at all would compromise the confidentiality of those people. In these instances, the Census Bureau will not release the information and the table will have a blank cell or some marker to indicate why there is no data there.

Along the same lines, the Census Bureau defines its geographic areas for the purpose of collecting the data. This is particularly true when looking at the tract, block group and block level data. There are many different types of geographic areas in the 2000 census. Some areas are wholly contained within others, while many cross other boundaries and not all tables are available for all geographies. What local residents call a particular neighborhood (such as the "University Neighborhood" in Syracuse) may not coincide with any Census boundaries. The Census Bureau provides a full explanation of the Census 2000 Geographic Terms and Concepts

Another issue of which you should be aware when using census data is that of timeliness. The census was last conducted in 2000 - six years ago at this writing. For some purposes, this data may be too old. The Census Bureau has begun implementing the American Community Survey (ACS) to address this problem. Beginning in 2006, data for areas with populations of 65,000 or more will be made available, and by 2010, data for the entire country will be available. The ACS is intended to replace the long form of the decennial census and provide timely information about the U.S. population. For more detailed information about the ACS, see Design and Methodology: American Community Survey, Technical Paper 67 - Unedited Version; US Census Bureau; May 2006. The Census Bureau has a very good section on How to Use the Data .

Finally, keep in mind is that the questions asked from one census to another change, as do some of the geographic boundaries, so making direct comparisons over time may be very difficult, if not impossible. Some of our Geolytics products help in this regard.

Finally, you should be aware of the issues in comparing the 2000 Census with the 2005 American Community Survey. The Census Bureau also has Guidance on Comparing 2006 ACS Data to Other Sources .

Please note that data for school districts are available from the National Center for Education Statistics' School District Demographics System

The 2000 Census of Population and Housing

As we mentioned above, finding the information you need can be a daunting task simply because there is so much information in the first place! The key to finding census information is knowing where to look. Where you look depends mostly on how much information you need and for what type of geographic area you need it. Remember, too, that different sources will have different information, so if you don't find what you need in one, look in another!

If you just need a few items such as Total Population, Number of Families and Number of Households for particular state, county or city:

  • American FactFinder FactSheets - AFF is the first place you should look. It has all of the 2000 census data as well as whatever American Community Survey data is available for the geographies of interest. You can also create thematic maps for your area of interest. AFF is good for when you need basic information for a small number of geographies - perhaps not more than five - since you must look up each geography one by one. The AFF has data for State, County, City/Town/Village, Census Tract and Zip Code geographies. One nice feature of AFF is that you can search for data by entering a street address. We have some instructions on how to use the FactSheets to retrieve basic information.

  • Statistical Abstract of the United States Statistical tables on social and economic conditions. See the library's holdings of this title.

  • State and County Quick Facts - This just as you might suspect: quick information on states and counties. You can also get information for cities towns with populations of 25,000 or more as well. Quick Facts also provides links to business and other geographic data.

  • County and City Data Book Population and housing data from the 2000 Census plus business and other data for all U.S. counties, cities with 25,000 or more inhabitants, and Places of 2,500 or more inhabitants. See a list of the Library's print holdings of this title.

If you need several tables and/or several geographic areas such as several tracts within Syracuse:

Earlier Censuses

 Finding the information you need from census before 2000 can be a bit problematic. The main problem is that much of it, especially before 1970, is either not in electronic format, or not complete. Still, there are a few sources which may be helpful:

Other Sources of U.S. Census Information

 The following sites provide census and other related information. You may find them very useful.
  • Circular Area Profiles This application will aggregate 2000 Census data to approximate circular areas as specified by the user using a point location and one or more radius values. Data used are from Summary File 3.

  • MABLE/Geocorr2K: Geographic Correspondence Engine with Census 2000 Geography The MABLE/Geocorr geographic correspondence engine generates files and/or reports showing the relationships between a wide variety of geographic coverages for the United States. It can, for example, tell you with which county or counties each ZIP code in the state of California shares population. The output files created by this application are referred to as "correlation lists". Other commonly used terms for such entities are "equivalency files", "crosswalk files", and "geographic correspondence files".

  • DataPlace DataPlace provides easy access to data at geographic scales ranging from the neighborhood to the nation. The site currently contains data from the 1990 and 2000 Censuses (demographic, economic, housing, and social characteristics), Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (home mortgage applications and loans), Section 8 Expiring Use database (neighborhood- and property-level data on federally assisted housing at risk of loss), and Consolidated Plan special tabulations (data on housing needs by household income level).

  • ePodunk ePodunk provides in-depth information about more than 46,000 communities around the country, from Manhattan to Los Angeles, Pottstown to Podunk. Our listings also include geocoded information about thousands of parks, museums, historic sites, colleges, schools and other places across America.

  • Kids Count (KC) Provides access to databases that contain data about children . The databases available are KIDS COUNT State-Level Data Online, KIDS COUNT Census Data Online, Right Start Data Online, and CLIKS: Community-Level Information on Kids. The databases are interactive and allow users to create free, customized data reports on-the-fly.

  • Metropolitan Racial and Ethnic Change These pages offer information and analyses of how the racial and ethnic composition of metropolitan areas has shifted in the last ten years, and how increasing diversity is experienced at the level of local neighborhoods.

  • Windows on Urban Poverty The web site allows you to create, print, and copy neighborhood level maps of any neighborhood in the United States on several demographic and economic variables.

Census-related Data

The data and information listed here are related to the US Census (some are even conducted by the Census Bureau), but are not necessarily what everyone thinks of as "census" data.

  • Current Population Survey The CPS is the primary source of information on the labor force characteristics of the U.S. population. Estimates obtained from the CPS include employment, unemployment, earnings, hours of work, and other indicators. Supplemental questions to produce estimates on a variety of topics including school enrollment, income, previous work experience, health, employee benefits, and work schedules are also often added to the regular CPS questionnaire.

    Data from the CPS are also available from:

  • Economic Census The Economic Census provides a detailed portrait of the Nation's economy once every five years, from the national to the local level. Chart of employment by sector, 1997 The 2002 Economic Census covers nearly all of the U.S. economy in its basic collection of establishment statistics. There also are several related programs, including statistics on minority- and women-owned businesses. Censuses of agriculture and governments are conducted at the same time.

  • Census of Governments Data are obtained on government organizations, finances, and employment. Organization data include location, type, and characteristics of local governments and officials. Finances and employment data are the same as in comparable annual surveys and include revenue, expenditure, debt, assets, employees, payroll, and benefits.

  • Bureau of Labor Statistics The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is the principal fact-finding agency for the Federal Government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics. The BLS is an independent national statistical agency that collects, processes, analyzes, and disseminates essential statistical data to the American public, the U.S. Congress, other Federal agencies, State and local governments, business, and labor. The BLS also serves as a statistical resource to the Department of Labor.

Census "How-To's" and Other Help

The sites below provide various tutorial and other helpful information about the Census Bureau website.

 

Geographic Data and Information

Below are sources of geographic information and data from the US Census Bureau and other sources. 		 
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