Research Guides: Social Science Data: Demographics / United States Census

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U.S. Census guide

This page may highlight a few key websites or organizations that provide demographic statistics. For a much more thorough overview of the U.S. Census, please visit the:

U.S. Census guide

Key Census data sites

U.S. Census Bureau
The Census Bureau's mission is to serve as the nation’s leading provider of quality data about its people and economy. Its surveys provide periodic and comprehensive statistics about the nation. This site provides an interface to explore topics, and view the various surveys and programs, as well as fact sheets, infographics, and more.
American Community Survey
One of the primary Census Bureau surveys, the American Community Survey (ACS) is an ongoing survey that provides vital information on a yearly basis about our nation and its people. Through the ACS, we know more about jobs and occupations, educational attainment, veterans, whether people own or rent their homes, and other topics.
Census Data
This site provides direct access to data and microdata through its search feature, without the interface and explanations of the program pages.
Census Reporter
Census Reporter is an independent project to make data from the American Community Survey (ACS) easier to use. It is unaffiliated with the U.S. Census Bureau and does not currently offer any access to past data.
IPUMS
IPUMS provides census and survey data from around the world integrated across time and space. IPUMS integration and documentation makes it easy to study change, conduct comparative research, merge information across data types, and analyze individuals within family and community contexts.
National Archives: Census Records
Scanned copies of historical census forms. The most recent census included is 1950.
National Historical Geographic Information System
Provides easy access to summary tables and time series of population, housing, agriculture, and economic data, along with GIS-compatible boundary files, for years from 1790 through the present and for all levels of U.S. census geography, including states, counties, tracts, and blocks.

Other census products

Most references to "the census" pertain to the decennial census and the American Community Survey. In addition to these, the Census Bureau conducts many other surveys and programs, including the Economic Census and Census of Governments. The Bureau also provides a number of data tools to help find statistics from their surveys, including the Census Survey Explorer that helps you find the best/right survey by filtering and searching by geography, frequency, topics, and subtopics. There is also a Census of Agriculture, which is conducted by the Department of Agriculture.

Economic Census
Conducted every 5 years. Collects data on size and number of business establishments, number of employees, sales, shipments, receipts, payroll, and whether women or minority owned.
Census of Governments
Conducted every 5 years. Collects data on state and local governments. Data collected includes number and types of governments, number of employees and payroll, budgets and revenues, and fiscal relationships between governments.
Census of Agriculture
Conducted every 5 years. Collects data on number and size of farms and ranches, costs of production, value of products and selected characteristics of the owners.

Other open data sources

A selection of open data repositories. For data from the city/county in which you are interested, search the "city open data" in your web search engine.

KIDS COUNT
From The Annie E. Casey Foundation, KIDS COUNT provides legislators, public officials and child advocates with reliable data, policy recommendations and tools to advance policies that benefit children.
Los Angeles Open Data
Data from the City of Los Angeles covering a wide range of topics, from administration and finance to public safety to transportation.
Orange Open Data
Orange County's data catalog is a place to view and download authoritative GIS data.
DataSF
San Francisco's Open Data Portal. Includes datasets from the City and County of San Francisco.
NYC Open Data
Open Data is free public data published by New York City agencies and other partners.
Analyze Boston
Analyze Boston is the City of Boston's open data hub.
The Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA)
The ARDA Data Archive is a collection of surveys, polls, and other data submitted by researchers, and includes National Profiles, U.S. Denominations, and GIS Maps and Reports regarding religion.
Latino Data Hub
Latino Data Hub is a reliable source of information about important issues facing Latinos. It use sthe most recent data from the Census Bureau to give you information about ten critical areas, including demographics, housing, employment, and more.

Government data sources

Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA)
Promotes a better understanding of the U.S. economy by providing the most timely, relevant, and accurate economic accounts data in an objective and cost-effective manner.
Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS)
Collect, analyze, publish, disseminate information on crime, criminal offenders, victims of crime, and the operation of justice systems at all levels of government.
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
The Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor is the principal Federal agency responsible for measuring labor market activity, working conditions, and price changes in the economy. Its mission is to collect, analyze, and disseminate essential economic information to support public and private decision-making.
Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS)
"BTS is one of more than a dozen principal federal statistical agencies... The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), part of the Department of Transportation (DOT) is the preeminent source of statistics on commercial aviation, multimodal freight activity, and transportation economics, and provides context to decision makers and the public for understanding statistics on transportation."
Economic Research Service (ERS)
The ERS mission is to inform and enhance public and private decision making on economic and policy issues related to agriculture, food, the environment, and rural development.
Energy Information Administration (EIA)
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) collects, analyzes, and disseminates independent and impartial energy information to promote sound policymaking, efficient markets, and public understanding of energy and its interaction with the economy and the environment.
National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)
The National Agricultural Statistics Service provides timely, accurate, and useful statistics in service to U.S. agriculture.
National Archive of Criminal Justice Data (NACJD)
To facilitate research in criminal justice and criminology, through preservation, enhancement, and sharing of computerized data resources; through the production of original research based on archived data; and through specialized training workshops in quantitative analysis of crime and justice data.
National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)
The Nation's principal health statistics agency - Compiles statistical information to guide actions and policies to improve the health of our people. A resource for health information and a critical element of public health and health policy.
National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES)
The National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES), formerly the Division of Science Resources Statistics, was established within the National Science Foundation by Section 505 of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (246 KB). The name signals the central role of NCSES in the collection, interpretation, analysis, and dissemination of objective data on the science and engineering enterprise.