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Demographic Data & Statistics: U.S. Census Bureau Data

Provides an overview of resources offering official data and statistics.

Introduction to the U.S. Census Bureau

The United States Census Bureau is responsible for collecting and disseminating data about the American people and the economy through conducting:

The Decennial Census for Population and Housing
The Economic Census
The Census of Governments
Plus more than 130 surveys and programs including the American Community Survey.

Some websites and data tools from U.S. government agencies are experiencing outages.

U.S. Census Bureau Data

There are many different ways to access the vast amount of summary statistics collected and disseminated by the U.S. Census Bureau:

Open government websites:

QuickFacts - U.S. Census Bureau
Generates quick, easy-to-understand statistics for all states, counties, and cities/towns with a population of 5,000+.

New York City Census Resources
Find options on the New York - Researching guide.

census.gov
Official website from the U.S. Census Bureau that can be easier for novice researchers. Search by Topic, Data & Maps, Surveys & Programs, and the Resource Library to find reports, working papers, data visualizations, fact sheets, data tables, and more.

data.census.gov
Official website for data published by the U.S. Census Bureau. Contains content previously available from American FactFinder including population, economic, housing, and geographic information and data about the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Island areas.

→ Census Academy: Your Learning Hub for Data Skills offers a range of online tutorials.

Library databases:

Statistical Abstract of the U.S.
Provides statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau via ProQuest. Includes data tables for download.

Historical Statistics of the United States
The Millennial Edition Online offers historical census statistics published by Cambridge University Press.

Advanced Census Data Options

United States Census Bureau Data Repository
Preserves and disseminates survey instruments, specifications, data dictionaries, codebooks, and other materials provided by the U.S. Census Bureau. Hosted by ICPSR, this data repository contains additional Census-related data collections from its larger holdings.

IPUMS USA
Provides access to U.S. census microdata for decennial censuses from 1790-2010 and American Community Surveys from 2000-present. (IPUMS also provides access to international microdata and conducts additional surveys.)

► Find the latest Infographics & Visualizations from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Image description: Chart from "Income in the United States: 2024-Current Population Reports" showing Real Median Household Income by Race and Hispanic Origin: 1967 to 2024.

Individual Historical Census Records

The resources listed here provide directions for accessing individual census records beyond Fordham Libraries.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
Provides directions for accessing individual, historical census records online (1790-1950) for free or via personal subscription. Includes links to blank census forms, reports, and more.

New York Public Library Resources
Contact the Irma and Paul Milstein Division of United States History, Local History and Genealogy at New York Public Library to access individual census records for genealogy databases & resources.

Ancestry.com New York
Follow the directions from the New York State Archives to sign up for a free Ancestry.com New York account to search New York records. Does not included all Ancestry.com content.

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