Finding Neighborhood Census Data using American Factfinder
This quick source to population, housing, economic and geographic data from the Census Bureau provides you with popular tables and maps for the U.S., states, counties, cities and towns.
This guide covers:
- US Census data structures and how they apply to searching American Factfinder.
- How to retrieve current Census data for a particular neighborhood tract.
- How to retrieve historic Census data on a neighborhood tract.
American Factfinder Background
- Frequently Asked Questions (American Factfinder)
- About Census geography (American Factfinder)
- Geographic Areas and Terminology (University of Maryland Libraries)
Locating Census 2000 Neighborhoods/Tracts
Step 1: Go to American Factfinder — http://factfinder.census.gov/
Step 2: On the left-hand navigation menu in the gray Address Search... box click on street address.
Step 3: On the next page fill out the appropriate information for the following fields:
- Select year and program: Census 2000
- Enter a street address:
- Enter a city:
- Enter a state:
- Click Go.
Step 4: A box with census geography (ie county/tract/block group/block numbers etc.) will be displayed. Select Census Tract: Census Tract ###and click OK.
(Note that a geography type of Census Tract or larger must be selected to obtain Demographic Profile (DP) table data)
Step 5: Under the search form you should see a list of maps and tables for the Census Tract.
Step 6: Under Reference Maps, click on Census Tract ### to see a map with the boundaries of your Census tract. You can use the Zoom tools to adjust your map.
To print the map, move your mouse over the Print/Download link in the blue bar above the map. Select Print from the dropdown menu that appears. Select the appropriate printer, then click OK or Print button. Click the back button to return to the list of maps and tablesfor you Census Tract.
Step 7: Under Quick Tables and Demographic Profiles, you will see several Summary File headings.
- Summary File 1: counts and basic cross tabulations of information collected from all people and housing units. Most data available only at the census tract level.
- Summary File 2: population and housing characteristics iterated for many detailed race and Hispanic or Latino categories, and American Indian and Alaska Native tribes. Data available at the census tract level.
- Summary File 3: sample data of detailed population and housing data including population totals for ancestry groups. Some data available at the block level, other data available at the census tract level and by Zip Code Tabulation Area and congressional district
- Summary File 4: sample data with of population and housing data. Data are shown down to the census tract level for 336 race, Hispanic or Latino, American Indian and Alaska Native, and ancestry categories.
- Under Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data
- DP-1 Profile of General Demographic Characteristics
- Under Census 2000 Summary File 3 (SF 3)-Sample Data:
- DP-2 Profile of Selected Social Characteristics
- DP-3 Profile of Selected Economic Characteristics
Printing Instructions
After printing a table, click the back button to return to the list of maps and tables for your Census Tract. |
Locating Census 1990 Data
Step 1: Return to American Factfinder's main page by clicking on the Main button at the top of the page.
Step 2: On the left-hand navigation menu click on Data Sets.
Step 3: Click on the gray 1990 Census tab. The 1990 Summary Tape File 1 (STF 1) and 1990 Summary Tape File 3 (STF 3) will appear below. STF 1 has been automatically selected.
Step 4: To the right of STF 1 click on the Quick Tables link.
Step 5: A search page for Select Geography will appear. In the Current Geography Selections box at the bottom of the page the Census Tract you searched for in the first exercise will automatically be entered if you have just completed that exercise. Click Next.
Step 6: A list of all the Quick Tables for STF1 will appear.
- Select DP-1 General Population and Housing Characteristics: 1990
- Click the Add button under the list
- Click the Show Result button
- Print or download [required].
(To download, if you have Microsoft Excel on your computer, select Microsoft Excel (.xls). If you don't have Excel, use Rich Text Format (.rtf).)
Step 7: At the top of the page to the right of You are Here: click on Data Sets with Quick Tables.
Step 8: Select a data set - 1990 Summary Tape File (SF 3)-Sample Data. Click Next.
Step 9: On the Select Geography page, leave the default options and click Next.
Step 10:On Select Tables page, select all the tables (press CTRL to select): DP-2, DP-3, DP-4, DP-5.
- Click the Add button under the list
- Click the Show Result button
- Print or download [required].
(To download, if you have Microsoft Excel on your computer, select Microsoft Excel (.xls). In Excel, each table will appear as a separate Sheet. If you don't have Excel, use Rich Text Format (.rtf). Tables will appear in one document.)
Other Websites of Interest
Pierce County InteractiveA site run by the Pierce County government with searchable data on public records, legal information, neighborhood information including crime statistics and sex offender registration, locations of food banks and other human services, county parks data, online permit applications and more.
State of Washington Office of Financial Management: Population Data
The Constitution, the Congress and the Census: Representation and Reapportionment
A US Census Bureau site explaining the origin and function of the census process.
