Census Information
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About this guide
Beginning in 1790 as required by the U.S. Constitution, the U.S. federal government has conducted a decennial census: a count of the population, every 10 years. This is known as the Census of Population and Housing. The short form of the census gathers basic information on all residents of the United States. In 2000 and earlier, one in six families also received a long form of the census, which gathered more detailed socioeconomic information. Since 2005, the long form has been replaced by the American Community Survey, which is conducted on an ongoing basis.
Use the navigation menu to find resources relevant to the type of information you need:
- Recent or historical demographic and population statistics
- Individual people (i.e. family history research), schools (local), or Native American Census rolls
- A specific geographic area
- Other censuses: Economic, Agriculture or Governments
Researching the Population - Recent
- Topics - U.S. Census BureauStatistics organized by topic, such as education, health, or business
- U.S. Census Bureau: Explore DataLibrarian recommended! Data.census.gov covers population, housing, economic, and geographic data. 2000-present
Use Data.Census.gov to search for data tables from:
- 2010 and 2020 Decennial Censuses
- American Community Survey, 1-year estimates
- American Community Survey, 5-year estimates
- American Housing Survey
- Annual Economic Surveys
- Annual Surveys of Governments ...and more
The American Community Survey is the Census Bureau's main source for detailed socioeconomic, population and housing statistics. Data is collected in 1-year and 5-year terms. 1-year estimates are best for research where currency is more important than precision; choose a sufficiently large population area to avoid sampling errors. 5-year estimates are better for examining small population groups.
- American Community Survey (ACS) Guidance for Data UsersProvides documentation if you need more details or advanced help with the ACS
Other Sources of Raw Data & Statistics
- Inter-University Consortium for Political & Social Science Research (ICPSR)A consortium of 750+ academic institutions and research organizations that work to preserve and provide access to social science data. Hosted at University of Michigan
- IPUMS USA"IPUMS USA collects, preserves and harmonizes U.S. census microdata and provides easy access to this data with enhanced documentation. Data includes decennial censuses from 1790 to 2010 and American Community Surveys (ACS) from 2000 to the present."
- National Historical Geographic Information System (NHGIS)"The National Historical Geographic Information System (NHGIS) provides population, housing, agricultural, and economic data, along with GIS-compatible boundary files, for geographic units in the United States from 1790 to the present."
Other Censuses
- Economic Census - U.S. Census BureauConducted in years ending in 2 and 7. Includes data on business establishments and industries.
- Census of Governments - U.S. Census BureauConducted in years ending in 2 and 7. Includes data on state and local government organization units.
- USDA Census of AgricultureConducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in years ending in 2 and 7. "The Census of Agriculture is a complete count of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them."Includes data on "land use and ownership, operator characteristics, production practices, income and expenditures"
- Census of Agriculture Historical Archive1840-2007
Digital archive held by Mann Library at Cornell University, in collaboration with the National Agricultural Statistics Service
- Last Updated: Jun 6, 2025 12:23 PM
- URL: https://library.uwgb.edu/census
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