Accessing Census Data through the American FactFinder

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Accessing Census Data through the American
FactFinder
Arthur Bakis Information Services
Specialist Boston Regional Census Center US
Census Bureau 617-223-3610 arthur.j.bakis_at_census.
gov
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Importance of the Census

• Congressionally mandated by Article 1, Section 2
  of the U.S. Constitution
• First Census was in 1790

• Why do we conduct the Census?
• Congressional Apportionment
• Redistricting
• Data is used to allocate billions of dollars in
  federal funds

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Short Form Only!

• In 2000, 1 in 6 households received the 53
  question, 40 page long form
• Detailed social, economic housing info
• 2010 Census is Short Form Only!
• 7 Questions
• 2010 Questionnaire
• - Name - Race - Housing
• - Sex - Ethnicity Tenure
• - Age - Household
• Relationship

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Massachusetts Early Local Census Offices Opening
Fall 2008!Boston, New Bedford and Worcester
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Five Important Factors Funders Consider Important

• Project Purpose
• Applicant Accountability
• Competence
• Feasibility
• Community Need for Project

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Foundation of a Good Grant Proposal
GOOD CENSUS DATA

• Prove your need!
• Show Comparisons
• Over time
• To other geographic areas

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of Families with Income below Poverty
Level 2007 American Community Survey
Massachusetts 7.3 (/- 0.4)
Middlesex County 4.6 (/- 0.6)
United States 9.5 (/- 0.1)
Lowell 16.0 (/- 5.0)
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of Population that Speak Language other than
English at Home 2007 American Community Survey
Massachusetts 8.6 (/- 0.3)
Middlesex County 8.3 (/- 0.5)
Lowell 20.5 (/- 2.9)
United States 8.7 (/- 0.1)
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CENSUS 101

• KNOW YOUR GEOGRAPHY!
• KNOW THE DATA YOU WANT!

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Nation
The Geography
Metropolitan Areas
Regions
Divisions
States
Congressional Districts
Places
Counties
County Subdivision
Census Tracts
Block Groups
Blocks
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Census Tract 3110, Middlesex Cty, MA
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Block Group 3, Census Tract 3110, Middlesex
Cty, MA
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Block 3003, BG 3, Census Tract 3110, Middlesex
Cty, MA
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The Data
Summary File 1 Summary File 2 Summary File
3 Summary File 4
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SF 1 (100 Data)

• Household Relationship
• Sex
• Age
• Hispanic or Latino Origin
• Race
• Tenure (own/rent)
• Vacancy characteristics

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SF 3 (Sample Data)

• Population - Marital Status -Place of birth,
  citizenship, entry year -School Enrollment/Ed.
  Attainment -Ancestry -Migration -Language
  spoken -Veteran status -Disability -Grandparent
  s as caregivers -Labor force status -Place of
  work, journey to work -Occupation, industry,
  class of worker -Work status in 1999 -Income
  in 1999 -Poverty status

• Housing -Value of home or monthly rent
  paid -Units in structure -Year structure
  built -Number of rooms and number of
  bedrooms -Year moved into residence -Plumbing
  and kitchen facilities -Telephone
  service -Vehicles available -Heating
  fuel -Farm residence -Utilities, mortgage,
  taxes, Insurance and fuel costs

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American Community Survey

• Social and Economic information every year rather
  than just once a decade
• Will take the place of the census long form
• At the start of each month, the questionnaire is
  mailed to a scientifically selected sample of
  households in counties throughout the Nation.
• The Census will continue to conduct a short form
  only Census every ten years
• NOT A COUNT! VIEW TRENDS!

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American Community Survey
CURRENT DATA AVAILABLE FOR 2007!!

• Data is currently available for areas with a
  population of 20,000 or more.
• - 2006 areas with a population 65,000 -
  One Year Estimates
• - 2008 areas with a population 20,000 - 3
  Year Estimates
• - 2010 all other areas (incl. census tracts
  and BG) - 5 Year Estimates

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AMERICAN FACTFINDER
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American FactFinder (cont.)

• Consistency! Consistency! Consistency!
• No matter what survey, census, year or data you
  want the process remains the same.
• Choose your survey
• Choose your data file/year
• Choose type of table you want
• Choose your geography
• Choose your table

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American FactFinder (cont.)
Types of Tables

• Quick Tables (Data Profiles) - Predefined tables
  for one geographic area. Simplest to access,
  least detailed.
• Geographic Comparison Tables Tables containing
  small amount of information for a group of
  related areas
• Detailed Tables Tables that provide the most
  detailed data on all topics and geo areas.
  Allows for choosing of multiple tables and
  multiple geos. All other tables are sourced from
  these tables.
• Selected Population Profiles Predefined tables
  that allow detailed race groups and Ancestries to
  be cross referenced.
• Ranking Tables Tables that are ranked by state
  only.
• Reference Maps Allows viewing of geographic
  boundaries
• Thematic Maps - Provides visual data for
  geographic on color coded maps

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Exercises

• Access basic profiles for Lowell.
• Poverty stats for United States, Massachusetts,
  Middlesex Cty and Lowell.
• a) Add Framingham and Cambridge
• Language spoken at home stats for United States,
  Massachusetts, Middlesex and Arlington.
• 4. Find the Median Income tables for all
  available cities and towns in Massachusetts.
• a) Download Table
• c) Rank Table

• 5. Find Tenure stats for the White, Black or
  African American and Asian populations.
• a) Add Hispanic Median Income table
• Find Foreign Born stats for the Census Tract we
  are in (Tract 3110, Middlesex Cty)
• 7. Find Detailed Race/Ethnic group stats.
• 8. Find the Census tract an address is
  located in.

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