Government Information
Publications by Subject - Census & Demographic Information

News | Census of Population & Housing | Economic Census
Census of Governments | Census of Agriculture
Resources for Genealogists

News
Latest News Releases from the Census Bureau
Census and You

Census of Populations and Housing:
The Census of Population and Housing is conducted once every 10 years, in years ending with a "0."  The founding fathers of the United States agreed that representation in the United States House of Representatives should be based on population, so it was necessary to count the people in each community (Information on current apportionment.).  Further, they requested that the Census include questions that would give them information to help them govern wisely.  To this day Congress collaborates in the writing of the Census questionairre.  All households answer the "100%" questions (these questions are on both the "Short Form" and the "Long Form"), one out of six households answer the "sample" questions (the questions that are only on the "Long Form").  Different questions may be asked in different years, but some questions are asked frequently enough to allow the development of historical tables.

Latest Available Census Data:

• American FactFinder
  Straigtforward interface which gives economic, social, and demographic data about communities. The FactFinder includes data for the American Community Survey which surveys some communities every year. Through the "Detailed Tables" a researcher can find 2004 information on the city of Riverside or on the County of San Bernardino.
  
   
• Decennial Census

Provides access to data from the 2000 Census and 1990 Census. The data is divided into information from the long and short forms file STF 3 focuses on socioeconomic characteristics of the populations, STF 1 includes a more specific racial breakdown of the population. The letters STF 3A, 3B, 3C, indicate the level of geographic detail in the file. To find out more about the survey form and data collection for the 1990 Census open the .pdf Your Guide for the 1990 U.S. Census Form Requires Adobe� Reader�

Historical Research:

• Factfinder for the Nation (pdf file)
  This includes a list of the questions that were asked of every household from every Census of Population and Housing.  (Note: It includes only those questions that were asked of every household.  In some years there was a short form and a long form.  They both included some of the basic questions, but the long form had additional questions and the "sample data" from it is included in most of the census materials.  The table in Factfinder for the Nation does not include the sample data questions.)
   
• United States Historical Census Browser: State and County level data on the people and the economy of the United States from 1790-1970.

• Integrated Public Use Microdata Series
  Researchers went back to the original census responses and created PUMS microdata samples, then massaged the data so that it is comparable over time.  The data spans Census responses from 1850-1990.

Economic Census
The Economic Census is conducted once every 5 years, in years ending with a "5" or a "2."
The Economic Census profiles the U.S. economy, from the national to the local level.
2002 and 1997 Economic Census data
 

Moving from SIC classification to NAICS.

Current Economic Data from the Census Bureau

For other economic data check the Pfau Library Government Information - Economics page

Census of Governments
The Census of Governments is conducted once every 5 years, in years ending with a "5" or a "2."
It includes information on the organization, finances and employment of State and local governments (supplemented with statistics on the Federal Governments finances and employment).
 

• State Government Finances.

• State and Local Government Finances

• School Finance Data.

• Other data from the Census of Governments.

Census of Agriculture
The Census of Agriculture is conducted once every 5 years, in years ending with a "5" or a "2."
The Census of Agriculture (conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture) provides agricultural data for the U.S., from the national to the local level.

1997 Census of Agriculture

Resources for Genealogists
The Census schedules (the actual forms that people fill out) are available only after 70 years.  Some of the information from those older forms is now available on the web, Census Online provides links to many sites with electronic access to census schedules.  All released census schedules are available on microfilm from the National Archives, the closest Regional Record Repository is at Laguna Niguel.  If you wish to purchase the microfilm try Census Microfilm Expeditors,  paper copies of individual schedules and microfilm are also available through the National Archives and Records Administration.
 
 

Help: For help finding government information, or if you would like to recommend a resource contact
Jill Vassilakos-Long
 

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