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Guide to American FactFinder
from the US Census Bureau
American
FactFinder is an interactive, searchable database from the US
Census Bureau that is used to find population, housing, and business
statistics. Through American FactFinder you can view, print, and/or download
census data. This guide will function as a quick manual to finding commonly
requested Census data.
(Download printable version )
Fast Access to Information | Data
Sets | Frequently Asked Questions
Fast Access to Information
Looking for total US population? Looking for the number of foreign-born
people living in Minnesota? Looking for the average age of your neighborhood? Use this section for most information needs. In each module you can view national data or view data for a particular geographic area by filling in address, zip code, and/or state.
Fact Sheet
The Fact Sheet is an easy, one-stop spot to find basic Census data including
total population, age, race, housing, education, language, economics,
and homes. It includes highlights from the 2000 demographic profiles. From American FactFinder click on the Fact Sheet link
located on the left-hand side of the screen, or go directly to Fact
Sheet.
People
The People module gives more in-depth information than the Fact Sheet.
Find data on: age and sex, population counts, estimates, and projections,
housing, group quarters, urban v. rural, aging, disability, education,
language, school enrollment, gender, employment, income, poverty, occupation,
ancestry, foreign-born populations, race and ethnicity, household, marital
status, transportation, and veterans. From American FactFinder click on the People link located
on the left-hand side of the screen, or go directly to People.
Housing
Use the Housing module to find home values, ownership, and mortgage information. From American FactFinder click on the Housing link located
on the left-hand side of the screen, or go directly to Housing.
Business and Government
Find business and industry, foreign trade, governments, and housing starts
in the Business and Government module. From American FactFinder click on the Business and Government
link located on the left-hand side of the screen, or go directly to
Business
and Government.
Back to Top.
Data Sets
Data sets provide in-depth information not found in the Fact Sheets. Use Data
Sets to find detailed tables on all the surveys done by the Census
Bureau. Click on the link for Data sets on the left-hand side of the screen.
Learn more about Data Sets from the Census
Overview.
Data sets are listed for each survey and program area the census conducts.
Click on the tabs at the top of the page to change data sets. Data sets are given for:
- Decennial Censuses - 1990 and 2000
- Decennial Supplementary Surveys - conducted annually from 2000
- 2002
- American Community Survey [ACS] - conducted annually beginning
in 1996
- Economic Censuses and Surveys - 1997
- Population Estimates - conducted annually beginning in 2000
Get more help on Data Sets by using the Help option at the top
of the page, or consult a Reference Librarian.
Back to Top.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find my census
tract?
Click on Enter
a street address. To find your census tract enter your address. You will also find
your block group, block, voting district, and traffic
analysis zone. You can then get census information for that particular
location.
How do I find total US population?
The US Population Clock is located on the American FactFinder homepage:
http://factfinder.census.gov/
. The Population Clock gives up to the minute population counts. Click
on real-time population
clocks to find world population.
How do I find information
about St. Paul and the St. Kate's neighborhood?
Go to People
and enter either St. Kate's address or just the city of St. Paul on the first page. Click Go and choose the type of data you wish to view.
For example, find the percentage of high school graduates by entering
St. Kate's zip code -- 55105. Then scroll down to Education
and click on School Enrollment. Scroll down to see the percentage
of the population that is high school graduates.
How do I get more information
on the Census?
Find more on census information including links to state and local census
information, reference books, and other resources by going to the Library's
Census Information and Sources page.
How do I cite information
on American FactFinder?
The US Census Bureau has outlined rules for citing information found from
their sources. Basic rules from the US Census Bureau are as follows:
- Author (last name, first name)--if applicable, followed by "US
Census Bureau;"1
- Within quotation marks, title of census survey source or output/work,
and/or html title (if different from the previous title);
- If available, the publication/issue/release (or "last revised")
date, e.g., "published 27 December 1996;"
- Universal resource locator (URL) of the tile page, if applicable,
or the page where cited material appears--this should be set off by
angle brackets (< >);
- If there is no visible publication date, you may note the date, within
parenthesis, when you accessed the data, e.g., "(accessed: 7 January
1997)."
Source: http://www.census.gov/main/www/citation.html
Example:
US Census Bureau; "The Foreign-Born Population, (Table) 1. Selected
Characteristics of the Population by Citizenship: 1994;" published
4 October 1996; <http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/foreign.html>
Find out more about citing from the US Census Bureau: http://www.census.gov/main/www/citation.html
OR see the CSC Libraries' guide to citing.
Getting Help
- Use the Help tab at the top of each screen in American FactFinder.
- Print a pdf version of this guide
(requires Adobe
Acrobat to download).
- Consult a Reference Librarian. Stop by the Reference Desk or call
us: 651-690-8739.
Back to Top.
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