UNITED STAT
ES CENSUS
BUREAU
A R E A D Y R E S E A R C H U N I T E D S T A T E S G O V E R N M E N T C E N S U S G U I D E
HOW TO ACCESS United States Census Bureau can be accessed from
any computer with Internet access
Open your preferred search engine and type https://www.census.gov/ into your browser or click on the provided link
THE PURPOSE OF THE UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU
The Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about the nation’s people and economy. Its goal is to provide the best mix of timeliness, relevancy, quality and cost for the data collected and services provided.
The Census Bureau operates under Title 13 and Title 26 of the U.S. Code.
CENSUS BUREAU CAN HELP YOU… To determine the distribution of Congressional seats to states To make planning decisions about community services such as
where to: provide services for the elderly, build new roads and schools, and locate job training centers
To see how states and communities allocate funding for: neighborhood improvements, public health, education, and transportation
To provide age search information for: qualifying for Social Security and other retirement benefits, passport applications, proving relationship in settling estates, researching family history or a historical topic
CENSUS BUREAU CAN HELP YOU FIND DATA ON:Population (i.e. Race, gender, age)Economy and businessHealth and educationMapsCensus surveys
APPS PROVIDED THROUGH SITE American FactFinder Census Business Builder Census Explorer My Congressional District Quick Facts U.S. and World Population Clock
ARRANGEMENT OF INFORMATIONInformation is organized by topic categories
(i.e. Population, Business, Economy, Education, Geography) and then by year
Information is updated on a weekly basis, keeping up with community demands
KEYWORD SEARCH EXAMPLEWe are looking for Joliet, Illinois' population. We type in "Joliet, Illinois population" in the search engine and click the silver arrow.
KEYWORD SEARCH EXAMPLEAdditional information on Joliet, Illinois can also be found on the right hand side of Search Results page
KEYWORD SEARCH EXAMPLEImages and videos can also be found on Census Bureau. When searching simply for Illinois in the search box, select "Images" on the Results page to view pictures on Illinois
KEYWORD SEARCH EXAMPLECensus Bureau also offers Search Feature and Tips. Click on the option on the Results Page to see easier and faster ways of accessing information
TOPIC SEARCH EXAMPLEFor this search example, we are looking
for population data on foreign born citizens. First we select the Topics drop-down option.
TOPIC SEARCH EXAMPLENext, select Population and on the right hand side of the drop-down, select "Foreign Born."
TOPIC SEARCH EXAMPLEOnce selecting "Foreign Born,” Census Bureau will take you to a search results page with three options to choose on the topic: Survey/Programs, Data, and Library. Select Data.
TOPIC SEARCH EXAMPLEOnce clicking on Data, users have the option of selecting Foreign Born Data Tables, Foreign Born Data Tools, and Foreign Born Datasets. Select "Foreign Born Data Tables."
TOPIC SEARCH EXAMPLEThe next page will have the data tables broken down by years the population surveys were taken. Select the most recent year for foreign born population census.
MORE INFORMATION FOUND IN TOPIC SEARCH
Census Bureau breaks down its categories as well for faster results. Using the Foreign Born example, on the first search results page, on the left hand side is a list leading users to helpful site apps, articles, and surveys/programs on Foreign Born topic.
ASSISTANCEIf in need of assistance on navigating Census Bureau, please contact Terri Purcell at [email protected].