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American Factfinder

URL: http://factfinder.census.gov/
  • Primary vehicle for the distribution of 2000 Census data with numerous files from the 1990 Census of Population and Housing, American Community Survey, and the 2002 Economic Censuses (employment, payrolls and receipts of business establishments)
  •  Main navigation section is on the lefthand side. It includes Data Sets and Maps.
  • Data Sets
    • Choose Summary File 1,2,3, or 4. Within any Summary File there are several types of files:
      • Quick Tables: one subject for one geography. These are comparable to the Demographic Profiles.
      • Geographic Comparison Tables: one subject for multiple geographies (tracts in county)
      • Thematic Maps
      • Detailed Data - most detailed information; must download entire table
      • Custom Tables - can download parts of one table or mix and match tables.
    • Select geography through the List, Name Search, Address Search, Map or Geography within Geography method
    • Choose the table through the list, keyword searching, or subject searching (most efficient for SF3 and 4)
    • DETAILED DATA and CUSTOM TABLES provide subject and keyword searching for the tables but subject searching is usually the easiest.
      • Summary File 3's (SF 3) important tables are:
        • P6 and 7: Race and Hispanic Origin
          P10: Household Living Arrangements (P146A-I by race)
          P37: Educational Attainment of people 25+ (P148A-I by race)
          P41: Basic Disability Data
          P43: Employment Status
          P50: Occupation
          P53: Median Household Income (P152A-I by race)
          P87: Poverty Status by Age Group (P159A-I by race
          H6: Occupied v. Vacant Housing
          H54: Median Contract Rent
          H76: Median Housing Value
          PCT 16: Ancestry
    • Tables can be altered through THE LOCATIONAL BREADCRUMB AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE, and then changing the table, geography, or data set.
    • OPTIONS provides the geographic coding for a given table. RELATED ITEMS links to thematic maps and other data sets.
    • Data can be downloaded in comma-delimited and tab delimited formats, as is or with columns and rows transposed. All four formats label the rows and columns. Tables can also be downloaded in a comma delimited format ready for manipulation with large statistical packages. The rows and columns have coded rather than alphabetic headers.
    • See American Factfinder Slide Show for search techniques
  • Reference Maps provides mapping of states, counties, cities, census tracts, block groups, and blocks with the numbered areas identified. Also includes American Indian reservations, 3-5 digit zip codes, Congressional Districts, and state legislative districts.
    • To draw Congressional District Maps, go to Reference Maps
    • Then search or browse for name of state
    • Under Boundaries choose Boundaries and Labels for STATE, COUNTIES, CITIES, PLACES, and 106th or more recent CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS
    • Zoom in for more detail. Boundaries, features, and years can be changed by using the legend and updating it.
    • 1990 maps:
    • 2000 maps:
  • Thematic Maps illustrate selected population and housing items using classes of numbers and percentages.
    • Enter through the Thematic Maps section of Data Sets>Summary File 1 or Summary File 3 or through the Thematic Maps section under Maps.
    • Choose the largest geographic level you need and use a pulldown box to change the display to a subgeography (e.g. tract, county, county subdivision).
    • Use the legend to add features and boundaries.
    • Right-click on the mouse to download in gif format; use the download button at the top to download in pdf format.
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