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Sociology 410: Finding Local Data
Jump to: Finding Census Tract Data / Other Information Sources
Census Tract Data
What is a Census Tract?
A census tract is a small statistical subdivision of a county. Census tract data allows a user to find population and housing statistics about a specific part of an urban area. This is particularly important when you want information about part of a city (such as Northridge or other communities which are part of the City of Los Angeles). A single community may be composed of several census tracts.
Use Finding Census Tract Data on the Internet, an online guide on how to find data at the census tract level in the 2000 Census of Population and Housing and/or the 1990 Census of Population and Housing. It includes detailed instructions:
- Find Your Tract Number and View a Map of the Tract, including how to find a Fact Sheet or Quick Table of data about a specific tract.
- Finding the Data using American Factfinder's Data Sets. Follow the directions on using American Factfinder to access all the Census 2000 data about the population and housing characteristics of the census tract. (This gives you more information than a Fact Sheet or Quick Table has about a specific tract).
What topics were included in the census?
- Census Overview and Census Questionnaires (2000 and 1990)
- American
Factfinder Census Data Sets
- Many people doing this assignment need to use two Census 2000 data sets, Summary File 1 and Summary File 3, because Fact Sheets and Quick Tables include some, but not all, the information about a tract that are in the data sets.
- Census 2000 Summary File 1 and Summary File 2 data sets focus on shortform (100 per cent) subjects: Age, Hispanic or Latino Origin, Race, Sex, Household Relationship, and whether Homeowners or Renters.
- Census 2000 Summary File 3 and Summary File 4 data sets focus on longform (i.e. sample data) subjects, i.e.: Ancestry, Citizenship, Disability, Educational Attainment, Income, Industry, Language Spoken at Home, Marital Status, Migration, Occupation, Place of Birth, Place of Work, Poverty, Rent, School Enrollment, Tenure, and Units in Structure. Note that Summary File 3 and Summary File 4 data are based on a sample and hence may be less exact for small areas and small groups than data in Summary File 1.
- Summary File 2 and Summary File 4 enable the user to get data broken down by more detailed ethnic group/race.
- American Factfinder includes 1990 Census data sets if you want to compare 2000 and 1990.
Definitions of terminology used in the 2000 Census are in:
- American Factfinder includes a Glossary (a link on the bar near the top of the page)
- Appendix B of the Summary File 1 Technical Documentation, for 100 per cent subjects (PDF; use Adobe Reader)
- Appendix B of the Summary File 3 Technical Documentation, for sample subjects (PDF)
- Racial and Ethnic Classifications Used in Census 2000 and Beyond
Helpful hints
- The Census Bureau advises users that pop-up blocker software may affect American Factfinder in unusual ways. So, if you use a pop-up blocker, make sure it is turned off when you use American Factfinder.
- Some tables produced by American Factfinder are too wide to print unless you change your printer settings from portrait to landscape.
- If you choose to email census data that you have found on your census tract, be sure to copy and paste the data into the email message. (Pay attention here: if you attach the page or use the quote function instead of using the copy/paste method, you may get a general page from the Census Bureau site instead of your customized results for a specific tract).
Other Information Sources
Additional sources with tract-level data
- Los
Angeles Government Sources lists many sources of information, especially
statistics, about Los Angeles City and Los Angeles County. San
Fernando Valley Statistics and Facts lists many sources of statistics
for communities in the San Fernando Valley. Some of the sources from these
web pages that offer tract-level information include:
- Residential Vacancy Data (City of Los Angeles Housing Department)
- Demographic Research Unit Statistical Reports (City of Los Angeles Planning Dept.). Census data from 2000 and other data by Los Angeles City community planning areas such as Encino-Tarzana and Northridge. Some reports include tract level data. Note: This site seems to work better with Internet Explorer.
- Interactive City Maps. Geographic Information System (GIS) application from the City of Los Angeles that offers land and property information, 2000 demographic information at the census tract level, flood zone information in a map form, and more.
Sources with data by zip code and/or city planning area
- Community Information by Zip Code provides an extensive list of sources of information that are searchable by zip code. Includes population, education, health, environment, business, and political information sources.
- Cities often have planning areas that correspond to neighborhoods or
communities within the city. The city's web site may include statistics
about the planning areas. An example is:
- Demographic Research Unit Statistical Reports (Los Angeles City Planning Department)
Created and maintained by Mary M. Finley
Questions or comments: mary.finley@csun.edu
Links checked: 11 January 2008
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