Dana Library

Who Lives in America? Who Lives in Your Community?
Learning through the United States Census Data

INFORMATION SEARCH GUIDE

American National Government, Professor Strom, spring 2002

Decennial Census

The census of population and housing is taken by the U.S. Census Bureau in years ending in 0 (zero). Article I of the Constitution requires that a census be taken every ten years for the purpose of reapportioning the U.S. House of Representatives.

American FactFinder (AFF)

An electronic system for access and dissemination of Census Bureau data on the Internet. The system offers prepackaged data products and user-selected data tables and maps from Census 2000, the 1990 Census of Population and Housing, the 1997 Economic Census, and the American Community Survey. The 2000 Census will be issued primarily on the Internet through the American Factfinder. See also: Census 2000 Release Schedule

Use American FactFinder to Answer Assigned Questions:

I. Population

a. U.S. population, 2000:

  1. Select American FactFinder in the left column of the U.S. Census Bureau home page.
  2. In the Start with Basic Facts window with Tables as the default selection, click the downward-arrow next to the Show me table selection box.
  3. From the pull-down menu, select Population and Housing under:
      ====Census 2000 Quick Table (Qt)====.
  4. Make sure the geographic area (in the "for" box) is the United States, click the Go button.
Table retrieved:
DP-1. Profile of General Demographic Characteristics:
Data Set: Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data
Geographic Area: United States

b. Your town’s population, 2000:

  1. Repeat the steps 1 - 3 for I-a.
  2. Click the downward-arrow next to the for box and select a City or Town.
  3. Click the downward-arrow next to -select a state-, select New Jersey and click the Go button.
  4. Click the downward-arrow next to -select a place-, select the place name of your interest and click the Go button next to it.

See also: Glossary (at the top of the AFF screen) – Place.

II. Race

a. US Population by race, 2000:

#. Use the same table for Question I-a.

Note: Hispanic is not considered a race. Hispanic or Latino people may be of any race. In this table, the total population for Hispanic or Latino is available. The totals for other races in the table include those of Hispanic or Latino.

##. To obtain the total for Hispanic or Latino within each race:
  1. Click Search at the top of the American FactFinder screen.
  2. With Keyword as the default selection, select Census 2000 from the pull-down menu of Select year and program.
  3. At the Enter a keyword section, click the downward-arrow next to the -select a subject- box, select Hispanic or Latino, and click the Go button next to it.
  4. At the Search Results section, click the More... link under:
      5. Quick Tables and Demographic Profiles
        Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data
  5. Select QT-P6. Race Alone or in Combination and Hispanic or Latino: 2000.
See also: Glossary- Race; Spanish/Hispanic/Latino .

b. Population of your town by race:

#. Use the same table for Question I-b.

##. To obtain the total for Hispanic or Latino within each race for your town:

  1. Retrieve the table for II-a-##:
      2. QT-P6. Race Alone or in Combination and Hispanic or Latino: 2000.
  2. Click Change Selections at the top of the screen, select Geography.
  3. From the pull-down menu at the Select a geographic type, select Place.
  4. At the Select a state, select New Jersey.
  5. Select the place of your interest in the Select one or more geographic areas list and click Add. Click the Show Table button. (May remove United States before send for the place of choice.)

III. Immigration

a. Number of Americans over age 5 in 1990:
  • What percentage of Americans over age five lived in a different country five years earlier?
  • What percentage spoke a language other than English in their home in 1990?
  1. Go to the main page of American FactFinder, select Education and Language Spoken at Home (1990 QT) from the "Show me" pull-down list.
  2. Select the United States from the for (geographic area) list, click the Go button.
Table retrieved:
DP-2. Social Characteristics: 1990
Data Set: 1990 Summary Tape File 3 (STF 3) - Sample data
Geographic Area: United States
    In section: RESIDENCE IN 1985:
      Lived abroad
    In section: LANGUAGE SPOKEN AT HOME:
      Persons 5 years and over;
      Speak a language other than English

b. Number of people in your town over age five in 1990:

  • What percentage of people in your town over age five lived in a different country five years earlier?
  • What percentage of people in your town spoke a language other than English at home in 1990?
  1. Go to the main page of American FactFinder, select Education and Language Spoken at Home (1990 QT) from the "Show me" pull-down list.
  2. From the "for" list, select a Place.
  3. From -select a state- list, select New Jersey.
  4. From -select a place- list, select the place of your interest, click Go.
The data is available in the same sections as for III-a.

IV. Income and poverty

a. What is the median family income in the US?
  1. Go to the main page of American FactFinder, select Income and Poverty (1990 QT) from the "Show me" pull-down list.
  2. Select the United States from the for (geographic area) list, click Go.
Table retrieved:
DP-4. Income and Poverty Status in 1989: 1990
Data Set: 1990 Summary Tape File 3 (STF 3) - Sample data
Geographic Area: United States
    In section for INCOME IN 1989:
      Median family income (dollars)
See also: Glossary- Family household; Median income

Note: Use the same table for Question IV-c.

b. What percentage of homes are owner-occupied by family?

  1. Select Search at the American FactFinder main page.
  2. At Select year and program, select Census 2000.
  3. At Enter a keyword, type family and owner, click Go.
  4. Select QT-H3. Household Population and Household Type by Tenure: 2000.
Table retrieved:
QT-H3. Household Population and Household Type by Tenure: 2000
Data Set: Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data
Geographic Area: United States
    In section for HOUSEHOLD TYPE:
      Owner-occupied housing units
        Family households
See also: Glossary- Owner-occupied housing unit

c. What percentage of American families live in poverty?

  • Retrieve the same table used for IV-a.
      In section for POVERTY STATUS IN 1989:
        Families
          Below poverty level
See also: Glossary- Poverty

Questions & Comments?
Wen-Hua Ren (whren@newark.rutgers.edu)
http://newark.rutgers.edu/~whren/stroms02.htm
Last updated on January 28, 2002