Research Guides: Geography and Environmental Studies (GES): Census & Demographics

US Census Data & Other Sources

US Census
US population statistics, along with economic data (local, county, state and national). A treasure trove.
Census Reporter
An independent project to make data from the American Community Survey (ACS) easier to use. NOTE: Not affiliated with the U.S. Census Bureau.
Census Survey Explorer
Discover U.S. Census Bureau surveys or censuses by filtering and searching by geography, frequency, topics, and subtopics. For example, which surveys are Annual, Quinquennial (completed every five years), etc.
Economic Indicators (Census)
18 economic indicators from the US Census Bureau including Business Formation Statistics, Monthly Wholesale Trade, Manufacturers' Shipments, Inventories, and Orders, etc.
Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS)
Excellent source for US Census data in the form of microdata samples from each decennial Census from 1850-2000 and from the American Community Survey from 2001 to present.

Neighborhood Change Database
Access to United States Census long form data from decenniel censuses of 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, and 2010 at the census tract level to track changes.

Works with IE browser - if you get undefined results go to the Tools drop-down menu and click on Compatibility View
1980 US Census Data
This Census dataset includes 1500 variables: 1200 from the Long Form and 300 from the Short Form. Data and mapping capabilities for county, MCD, place, tract and block group (some areas untracted).

Track the Recovery
A dashboard from Opportunity Insights that tracks the United States economic recovery from Covid-19. Includes indicators Spending, Businesses, Employment, Education, and Public Health. Plus, data are categorized by by demographics and various geographies.
Opportunity Insights (Harvard)
A team of researchers and policy analysts analyze new data and create a platform for local stakeholders to make more informed decisions on poverty and achieve issues.

Census: My Community Explorer
This tool combines select demographic, business, and resilience data to help users identify potentially underserved areas of their state, county, and community.

Roper Center Archives for Public Opinion Research (iPoll)
Public opinion polling data from U.S. and international polling firms on a broad range of topics including opinions and behavior on social issues, politics, pop culture, international affairs. Download datasets and tables. Coverage: 1935 to present.

PolicyMap
Visualize and map thousands of socioeconomic variables covering the United States (local to national). Create reports on specific Census geographies. Download reports, data, and maps. Coverage: 2000-present.
Social Explorer
Map various demographic and socioeconomic variables from United States Census, Statistics Canada, UK Data Centre, and Eurostat. Download maps/data. Coverage: 1790-present.

Users must create and log into your personal account on Social Explorer.