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Held every 10 years since 1790, the Census is the most comprehensive demographic survey in the United States. Although the questions asked change from year to year, through 2000 there were always variables related to age, race and ethnicity, languages spoken, education, ancestry, income, home ownership versus renting, and more.
In theory, the Census counts every person living in the United States. While there are be portions of the population that go uncounted, it is still the closest we have to complete demographic and economic data on the U.S. population.
Data.census.gov is the new platform to access data and digital content from the U.S. Census Bureau. It gives full access to the 2010 census, and partial access to the 2000 and 1990 census. When comparing Census data from different years, remember that demographic definitions and other information are reported differently for each census. A variable reported in 1950 may not be available in 2000 and vice-versa.
Here is a detailed view of the data available.
When researching communities we must determine how Census areas overlay with the streets and neighborhoods we know from everyday life. Neighborhoods are not official Census boundaries.
To do so determine which Census tracts best match up with your community to find the Census data you need. Tract boundaries may not match up exactly with the official New York City boundaries of your community, so you will also need to determine if you will include portions (blocks, block groups) of tracts that are not fully included in your neighborhood. If so, you'll need to use a combination of street maps, Census tract maps and block maps to define the specific area of research.
Be aware also that Census tract numbers and boundaries may change over time. For a detailed view of Census tract, block group & block information, consult the Census Bureau's Reference Maps or the mapping applications in data.census.gov by selecting Geographies, or use the New York City Department of Planning's NYC Population FactFinder.
You have two options to start your search on the landing page of data.census.gov: a free-form single search bar or an advanced search filtering experience. Many results can be found through either experience, but some complex searches are only available through the advanced search. To help you get started, we’ve included some guidance on when to use single search vs. advanced search.
Single Search: Recommended to get a quick statistic or to search a single code or table ID
You can combine multiple types of keywords in the same search. For example:
Advanced Search: Recommended for complex searches or to explore available options
Most detailed population groups and geographies with complex names are available only through the advanced search.
The Census uses both common geographies such as states, counties, places (cities), as well as geography very specific to the Census. Locally designated boundaries such as community planning areas, neighborhoods, police beats, library districts, etc. are largely ignored in favor of specialized Census geography which allows for a standardized way of looking at geographies smaller than a city. The key small areas are:
For more information refer to the Census Glossary.
Questions change from Census to Census, sometimes dramatically, which means that the statistics available change from decade to decade. For most of the 20th Century, the Decennial Census has included a “short form” with questions answered by every household in the country, as well as a “long form” that is answered by about 1 in 6 households.
As of 2010, there is no longer a Census long form. A short form, containing only questions such as age, race and ethnicity, will be sent to every household in the country. A longer questionnaire called the American Community Survey (ACS) covers questions previously appearing on the decennial long form. Since 2005, the ACS - which includes approximately 50 questions - has been sent to 1 in 40 households in the U.S. Over a period of 5 years, this approximates the number of households that would have normally filled out a long form decennial Census. Starting in 2010, aggregates of 5 years of data will be released each year. This means that fresh demographic data about the country will be available every year instead of every 10 years. Although the ACS data is only sample data, it's a great improvement in the availability of recent demographic data. Note, ACS data are available in American FactFinder.
The easiest way to find out what information is available for a specific Census is to look at the Census questionnaires. If the question wasn’t asked, the information isn’t available.
The Census Bureau's Index of Questions webpage provides questions asked for decennial censuses from 1790-2010. For copies of the original Census questionnaires since 1790, see the Census publication Measuring the Census: The Decennial Censuses from 1790 to 2000.