Research Guides
U.S. Decennial Census: Data Sources
Decade by decade information about how to access and use U.S. Census reports.
Essential Resources
- Social Explorer, U.S. Census Reference 1790-presentAccess for all on-campus; login required from off-campus. Selected Census data from 1790 to the present with tract level data starting in 1940. Social Explorer allows users to create interactive maps and data reports.
- Explore Census Data2000 to present; population, housing, economic and geographic data
- Ancestry.comAccess for all on-campus; login required from off-campus. Census images and indexes from 1790 to 1930, available to the level of individual questionnaire.
- Census ReporterFriendly interface for current U.S. Census data, including visualizations, data comparisons, tables, and GIS export
- Sage Data This link opens in a new window
Social-science data and statistics from a variety of sources. Includes Claritas Consumer Profiles.
- SimplyAnalyticsAccess for all on-campus; login required from off-campus. SimplyAnalytics, formerly SimplyMap, lets users quickly create professional-quality thematic maps and reports using demographic, business, and marketing data for the United States. Requires that users create a free SimplyAnalytics account.
- Normalizing tracts, 1940-2010Important cautionary notes for those seeking to superimpose older Census data on 2010 tract boundaries. This describes Brown University's Longitudinal Tract Database (LTDB).
Sources for Census Data Files (Raw Data)
- Integrated Public Use Microdata Series from the University of Minnesota (IPUMS USA)
- Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR)
- Census of Population and Housing, 1790-1950 [United States] Series
- United States Census Data 1900: Public Use Sample
- Census of Population and Housing, 1910 [United States]: Public Use Microdata Sample
- Census of Population and Housing, 1940 [United States]: Public Use Microdata Sample
- Census of Population and Housing, 1950 [United States]: Public Use Microdata Sample
- Census of Population and Housing, 1960 [United States]: Public Use Sample: Modified 1/1000 State Samples
- Census of Population and Housing, 1970 [United States]: Extract Data
- Census of Population and Housing, 1980 [United States]: Extract Data
- Census of Population and Housing, 1990 [United States]: Extract Data
Contact
Need help? Call the Government Publications, Maps, Microforms & Newspapers help desk at (206) 543-4164 during desk hours. You can also consult the 24/7 Ask Us! reference service.