Census & Demographic Data

Use this guide to identify appropriate sources for demographic or census data.

• Find US & Local Data: Access data tools for getting Census of Population and Housing (Census), American Community Survey (ACS) data as well as data compiled by local and regional governments and commissions.
• Access US Census/ACS Guides & FAQs: Access answers to frequently asked questions about the Census and the American Community Survey.
• Find Datasets & Microdata: Use this page if you need to download data to do detailed analysis using a statistical software package (e.g., R, SPSS, Stata, etc.). Includes data for households and people from Census, ACS, Current Population Survey, etc. as well as international data. Easier-to-use population data for the U.S. is aggregated by geography and can be accessed from the Find U.S. or Find DC Metro Area pages.
• Find International Data: Access resources that report country level population data or access points for other countries censuses (useful if you need population data for smaller geographies--below the national level).
• Find Economic Census Data: The U.S. Economic Census data is collected every five years. This page accesses recent data as well as historical data about business establishments. Figures include numbers of establishments by geography, industry, information about payroll and more.

Citing Data - This guide provides detailed information and examples on how you should cite data in your research.

Find Data and Statistics: Best Places to Start - Popular sources that are a good starting point for locating statistics or data on a topic.

Find Data for Analysis - Popular sources for accessing research data sets for dissertations or class projects

Find Data: Public Opinion Polls & Social Surveys - Use this guide to locate popular sources for locating public opinion and social survey data.

Find/Use Data: ICPSR - Learn how to find and use data from the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR).