Demographic Census Data
in the Blume Library and on the Web

> Guides > Census > Demographic

In this section: Latest Population Census • Data from past Censuses • Other Sources of Data • Census Population Clocks

Publication Formats. Census information in the Blume Library may be found in different formats: print , CD-ROM and/or DVD, and, to a lesser extent, microfiche. Some titles are received in both paper and CD-ROM/DVD: Data at the Census Bureau web site (referred to as Census.gov below) is available in a variety of formats, too. Much basic information is provided on normal web pages, through drop-down menus and other devices (for some data to display, Java must be enabled). More extensive files might be available for download in spreadsheet or PDF format. Electronic versions of publications such as documentation and reports are usually in PDF format. If you do not have an Adobe Acrobat reader on your computer (necessary to view PDF files) you can download a free copy from Adobe. Some files may also be available via FTP (File Transfer Protocol).

When to Use Which Format. Some information has been received in both paper (or microfiche) format and on CD. If you are simply looking up statistical facts, it is probably faster to use the paper or microfiche version of the publication . The Statistical Abstract is an example of this type of publication, received in multiple formats. (There is also a web version.) Use the CD products when the information you seek is not available in printed or microfiche form; or you want to have certain tables saved to disk or printed out. Location of the Publications in the Library.   Paper publications will be found in Superintendent of Documents Classification order, on shelves next to the Reference Collection, on the library's main floor. Microfiche is located in cabinets on the west wall of the main floor. The general class for Census Bureau material, in all physical formats, is C 3.  Census CDs (and documentation, when available) are on reserve and can be checked out at the Circulation Desk by St. Mary's students, faculty and staff. Here is a list of the Census CDs and DVDs held by the Library.

What you need to know before searching for any Census data:

As required by the Constitution, the Census Bureau conducts a complete count of residents of the U.S. every ten years. Simple counts of people in states and areas must be available by March of the year following the Census because this data is used to apportion Congressional seats. The other data generated by the Census surveys usually takes a few years to become available. The first items are the simplest, such as the counts mentioned above. The most detailed data, giving social and economic characteristics of the population of small geographical areas, is usually not available until three years after the Census was taken.

The more detailed the statistics one searches for, the less detailed the geographical area for which the statistics are available. For example, general population counts are published for places as small as 1,000 people. But poverty status figures are given only for places as small as 2,500. Detailed cross-tabulations of poverty status and educational level may only be given for large (more than 250,000) cities. Thus, two parameters are important when selecting a Census report to study: the kind of statistics one needs, and the geographical area of interest.  For more information on Census geography, consult the Special Issues section of this guide.

Information contained in the Census volumes is collected from questionnaire responses. Some basic information (e.g.:  age, sex, race) is obtained from all residents, whereas other, more detailed questions (e.g.: income, education, employment status) are only asked of a sample. And some questions are not asked at all, (for example, "what is your religion?") which means that no data on these subjects is available from the Census Bureau. For more information on the importance of Census methodology, see the Special Issues section of this guide.

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Latest Population Census (2000)

Data at Census.gov • Printed reports and CDs/DVDs in the Library

One more note: The following descriptions are current as of the date at the bottom of this guide. The Bureau of the Census changes and fine-tunes their websites regularly. Consequently, specific instructions in the descriptions may be different from what you may see on the screen. We do our best to keep this information up to date in a timely manner.

Census 2000 Data at Census.gov

There are many ways to access Census 2000 data at Census.gov. From the main page, click on the Census 2000 icon, which takes you to the Census 2000 Gateway page. From here you can choose several different options for viewing and searching data, plus get information on data release schedules.

Clicking on "American FactFinder" (from the navigation menu at the left of the main Census.gov page) takes you to a general page which is a portal for all kinds of prepared tables and other "off the shelf" information from both the 1990 and 2000 Censuses.

NOTE: American Factfinder is Census.gov's primary site for distributing current Census data. It is a technically sophisticated interactive site which requires top-level browsers to operate properly. It works best with Explorer 5.0 or higher (Explorer is most stable for zooming maps), or Netscape 4.5 or higher (but NOT Netscape 6). Javascript must be enabled. If you are not using one of these browsers, much of the information available through American Factfinder can be found elsewhere on Census.gov, but the other access points are not as user-friendly as American Factfinder.

There is a handy link on the left on the American FactFinder main page (below the navigation bar) which allows you to enter a street address and find whatever Census information is currently available for that state, county, place, Congressional District, Census tract, block, and more. Or you can choose the subject you are interested in from the menu at the left. "Data Sets" leads to downloads of data in tabular form. "Maps and Geography" lead to GIF or JPG format reference and thematic maps, which can be saved as such for manipulation in a graphics program. The tables can be downloaded as comma- or tab-delimited files for use in a spreadsheet program  .

For finding fast facts at Census.gov, try the "Fact Sheet" option from the American FactFinder main page. You can customize the geography for the data displayed to whatever level of detail you want (depending on what's available). The data supplied ranges from simple counts of people to complex economic and social information, with links to tables with more detail. Simple data for states, counties and cities (with populations over 25,000) is available through the State and County Quick Facts link on the main Census.gov page. Another option is the "Fast Facts for Congress" page. The main page has summary national data, as well as topical and Census Bureau news links. By filling in geographical information at the top of the page, you can get demographic data for any Congressional district.

For help with American Factfinder, look at their "4 Easy Steps to Census 2000 Data on American Factfinder," a PDF brochure. . A librarian at the State University of New York, Buffalo has also put together an information page on Census 2000, that includes explanations and links to more information.

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More about Maps. Reference Maps show features (streams and roads) and boundaries for varying levels of geography. These maps can be useful in getting a visual idea of the geographical relationships of various counties, census tracts, etc. There is an address feature which automatically calls up the most detailed map for the specified address' area, as well as an option for entering latitude and longitude. Census.gov makes a lot of different map products available to users, including maps that show the boundaries of Census Tracts and Blocks (see the Special Issues section of this guide for definitions of geographic terms). Descriptions and links for downloading can be found on Census.gov's Map Products page. TIGER (Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing). If you do much searching for map data at Census.gov, you will find many references to the TIGER files. These files are used by the Census Bureau (and can be used by others) to make maps but they are not graphic images. They form a digital database of geographical features and you must have GIS (Geographical Information System) software to import and use them. For more information, see this page at Census.gov.

More about data. To see all the data files that are currently available at Census.gov, click on the "Data Sets" option at the left of the American FactFinder page. Select a set of files, then choose the type of data you want (detailed tables, quick tables, maps, etc.). You can also see a list of all the tables or maps available for a particular data set, or enter a specific table number. Then you are guided through a series of menus from which you can customize the map or table in various ways, by selecting different geographical areas and/or various data elements. When you are ready, choose "Show results" and then you have the option to print or download the data. Various download options are available, including text, comma delimited, etc.

Other options for accessing Census 2000 data

Rankings, Comparisions and Summaries. This option, available from the Census 2000 Gateway page lets you choose from lists of: pre-formulated tables comparing states and counties on different factors; data summary tables on various subjects such as the older population, male/female ratio, multigenerational households, and general racial and Hispanic origin topics; and special reports. This last category of data is available in PDF format only . The other tables are available in your choice of PDF , Excel or ASCII text formats. Housing Unit Counts. Numerical counts of housing units are available to the county level. Click on the "Housing Units" option in the group of Census 2000 links at the top of the Census.gov page.

SF1. (Summary File 1) This is data generated by responses to the 100% questions on the Census. These are the basic questions asked of everyone in the country. (See the Special Issues section of this guide for more information on how the Census questionnaires are structured and how this structure affects the data available.) This data includes only basic demographic data such as age, race, Hispanic origin, but there are tabulations for varying levels of geography, from the nation as a whole down to counties and incorporated places. Briefs and Special Reports. This listing includes links to reports derived from Census 2000 data on specialized topics. Some examples: The U.S. in International Context, The Arab Population, Adopted Children and Step-Children, etc.

GODORT's Government Information Technology Committee (GITCO) has developed a Census 2000 Toolkit with links to guides, tutorials and reference material available at Census.gov and from other sources. This site—Local Census.com—provides Census data quickly for states, cities, and zip codes.

Census 2000 Printed Reports, CDs and DVDs in the Blume Library

At the present time, these are the only Census 2000 printed reports , CDs and DVDs that the Library has received. The Census Bureau provides a page with expected release dates for their various data products. The Library will receive most of the CDs and DVDs produced by the Census Bureau soon after they are released. These CDs and DVDs are available for 7-day Reserve check-out to St. Mary's students, faculty and staff. Ask for them by the call numbers given with each title. Census.gov offers a tutorial to help users of the SF1 DVDs.

Race and Hispanic or Latino Summary File. C 3.275:R 11/CD. To use this CD you must install a data browser  that comes on it . (Documentation files are in PDF format .) When you have done this, click on "Launch" from the main screen. You will then be prompted to select a geographic area. "Open up" the directory listings by clicking on the + beside it or by double clicking on the words. The basic data table that comes up first is a comparision of the comparable geographic units in the area you selected (for example, all the counties in Texas). By highlighting one of the lines and clicking on the "More Detail" button above (or by double-clicking on the line) a new window will open up showing basic race/ethnicity data for your area. Click on the "Detailed Tables" tab for more specific detail, including "more than one race" information. (The tab for "Geographic Identifiers" gives a list of Census Bureau ID numbers which might be useful in accessing large data files about the area.)

TIGER/Line Redistricting Census 2000. C 3.275:R 24/DVD. Mapping information of interest to people working on the re-districting of Congressional boundaries. The plotting software needed to view the maps is not on the DVD or on computers in the Library. See the file README.TXT on the DVD for details.

GODORT GITCO's Census 2000 Toolkit has a section on DVDs and CDs which lists the available products and provides links to guides and tutorials on their use.

Population and Housing Unit Counts. C 3.223/5: . These volumes, one for each state plus a national summary volume and one for Puerto Rico, give basic number counts for states, counties and places. Several tables present historical comparison data.

Summary Population and Housing Characteristics. C 2.223/18: . Another series with volumes for states, Puerto Rico and a summary volume, this one gives more detailed information from the 100% census questions (basic data such as age, race, etc.).

Summary Social, Economic and Housing Characteristics. C 3.223/23: . This is the first report series to come out with data from the sample questions, which cover a broad range of social and economic topics such as income, education level, etc. Volumes for states, Puerto Rico and a national summary volume.

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Data from Past Censuses: In the Library • On the Web

Below are lists of the major series of Census publications and the years held by the Blume Library:

General Demographic/Housing Statistics Block Statistics. C 3.224/5: . 1960-70 Texas only storage 1980 all states storage on microfiche 1990 all states CD (Reserve) Congressional District Characteristics. C 3.223/20: . (Stacks) 1980-90 (Texas only) General Housing Characteristics. C 3.224/3: . (Stacks) 1970 (Texas only), 1980 (all states) General Population Characteristics. C 3.223/6: . (Stacks) 1980-90 (all states) Number of Inhabitants. C 3.223/5: . 1960 (all states in one volume); 1970 (all states in 2-volume set); 1990 (separate state volumes, all states; title this year is "Population & Housing Unit Counts").   Detailed Statistics (Social/Economic, Housing): Census Tract Reports. Important because they are the smallest geographic area to report sample data. C 3.223/11: .1960-70 San Antonio only; 1980-90 all (only Texas cities have maps; all 1980 volumes in storage except for San Antonio) Detailed Social/Economic. C 3/223/8: . 1980 (all states; not pub. in 1990). Has cross-tabulations of data not shown in General series. General Social/Economic. C 3.223/7: . 1980 (all states, storage); 1990 (stacks). General Social/Economic for Metro Areas. C 3.223/7-2: 1990 (all states, stacks) General and Detailed Housing Characteristics. C 3.224/3: . 1970 (Texas only); 1980-90 all states. 1980 General series volumes are in Storage except for Texas. Detailed 1980 volumes and both General and Detailed volumes for 1990 are in the stacks. Metropolitan Housing Characteristics. C 3.224/4: . 1970 (Texas only); 1980 (all states). San Antonio volumes are in the stacks; volumes for other cities are in storage.

Locations: "stacks" refers to the Documents shelves on the main floor; microficheare filed in cabinets on the main floor (microfiche). All CD-ROMs and DVDs are on Reserve. For items in Storage, please allow 24 hours for retrieval.  Call or email the Documents Librarian if you need to use material from Storage. Format is paper unless otherwise specified.

Subject Reports

Population: C 3.223/10: . (1960-90). Housing: C 3.224/10: . (1970-80). These reports primarily cover the entire country, but may have some regional and state tabulations. The titles of Subject Reports have shifted considerably over time, but cover, in greater or less detail from Census to Census, these subject areas: Families, Education, Labor, Mobility/Migration, Race/Ethnicity. Here are lists of specific Subject Report titles from 1960-90, plus a fewer earlier monographs.

Special Reports (all are in paper format)

Components of Inventory Change	C3.224/6:	1970-80
Employment Profiles of Low-Income Areas	C3.223/17:	1970
Residential Finance	C3.224/7:	1970-80

The Ohio State University Library has compiled an index to Census publications as an aid to researchers. It covers material back to the first Census in 1790 and is searchable, giving detailed information about the reports available for each Census. While the Blume Library has only a small fraction of the reports listed in this Index, it would be useful for persons wanting to do research in larger collections.

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Pre-1960 Census Data

The Blume Library also has scattered holdings from some earlier Censuses. Volumes for 1920 and 1930 are classified C 3.28/5: and C 3.37/5: , respectively. For these years, information on population, economic conditions and agriculture were combined.

The 1920 Census also produced some monographs which cover such subjects as the position of women, the condition of minorities, the farm population and immigrants. These volumes are classified C 3.30: . Here is a listing of the subjects covered in the monographs.

The Library has volumes for 1916, 1926 and 1936 covering Religious Bodies. They are classified C 3.35: .

Finally, the Library has two volumes from the 1890 Census: Report on Indians Taxed and Not Taxed (C 3.11:7) and Report of Statistics on Churches in the U.S. ( C 3.11:3).

Additional information on Census publications back to the beginnings of the nation can be found in the Census Bureau Catalog, in the stacks at C 3.163: .

Data from Past Censuses on the Web

Other Sources of Population Data: Series • Reference Compendia

In addition to the decennial Censuses of Population and Housing, the Census Bureau also collects and distributes population-related data on a more or less continuous basis. The surveys which generate this data are taken from much smaller samples of the population than those used for the decennial Census. At Census.gov, much of this non-decennial-Census information is integrated with decennial Census information by subject.  For example, when you click on "People--Income" from the Census.gov, you will be given links to data and reports both from decennial Censuses and from these interim surveys.  Be aware that, although the most recent reports under each subject are highlighted, there is also a growing amount of retrospective material available as well.

Important Series:

Annual Housing Survey.  C 3.215/17:  .  Shelved by city.

Information for most recent years includes: housing and neighborhood quality, financial characteristics, recent movers, urban/rural characteristics, energy-related characteristics.  Some data from the survey is available at Census.gov.

Census 2000 Supplementary Survey.   See above.

Current Population Reports (CPRs). C 3.186:  .

Important sub-series in the printed CPRs (such as Marital Status and Living Arrangements, School Enrollment, Hispanic Population, etc.) are shelved by series at the end of the C 3.186: reports. Reports not in these sub-series are still classified C 3.186: . Subjects covered include income, marital/family status, fertility, education level, voting, etc. Librarians at Ohio State University have compiled a very useful subject/series index to these reports, which includes links to the (more recent) titles that are available onlne. Be aware that the Blume Library may not have all of the reports listed in this index, particularly the titles appearing before 1962. The Census Bureau's CPR page gives information on the scope of the reports, as well as links to the online versions.

Equal Employment Opportunity File.  

Detailed employment and educational attainment data for states, counties and metropolitan areas of 50,000 and more population. Data from 1990 Census.  

Reference Compendia

County and City Data Book. C 3.134/4:C 83.

Data by counties and towns of 2500 or more population (with some information by regions and states) from the most recent Censuses as well as from other government agencies and private sources. The Library has the following editions in printed form: 1949, 1952, 1956, 1962, 1967, 1972, 1977, 1983, 1988, and 1994. All but the most recent edition circulates.

Historical Statistics of the U.S.: Colonial Times to 1970. C 3.134/2:H 62/ .

Time series, mostly annual, providing a statistical history of U.S. social, economic, political and geographic development. Data is given by nation, states and selected cities. The edition to 1970 is for reference use in the Library only, but there are earlier editions (to 1945 and 1957) which circulate.

Statistical Abstract. C 3.134:  .

Standard annual summary of U.S. social, political and economic statistics with recent time series which vary from volume to volume. There is some international data and a guide to sources of material. One copy of the most recent edition is kept at the Reference Desk; the most recent five years may not be checked out. Older editions circulate. The Library has volumes for 1915 to the present, with a few years missing (check the Catalog for exact holdings).  Editions for 1994--  are also available on Reserve in CD-ROM and may be checked out for 7 days.  Statistical Abstracts back to 1878 are available at Census.gov (some years may be missing, but will be added as the digitization work continues). This link features the latest edition, for which, beginning with 2006, tables are available in Excel format. To see earlier editions, click on the link at the top of the page.

State and Metropolitan Area Databook. C 3.134/5: .

Data by regions, states, Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA), MSA counties and central cities from Censuses and other sources. Years held by the Library: 1979, 1982, 1986, 1991 and 1997. All but the most recent year circulate.

USA Counties.  C 3.134/6:UN 3/   Reserve.  

Currently the 1998 edition is available online at Census.gov. (The Library has some earlier editions on CDs,  which can be checked out for 7 days by St. Mary's students, faculty and staff. C 3.134/6: .) It contains demographic, economic and social data at the county level from a variety of sources. 

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