SCOPE NOTE:

The American FactFinder is the U.S. Bureau of Census' interface for distributing the 1990 and 2000 Census of Population & Housing, the 1997 Economic Census, and the American Community Survey. This site is the primary source for the 2000 Census. The site is updated regularly with new data as it becomes available to the public. FactFinder has many features that allow for viewing, printing, and downloading various population statistics. Factfinder also allows for the creation of reference and thematic maps, and user-selected tables of data that can be downloaded in ASCII (text) or CSV (comma separated value) formats.

Basic Facts: A number of pre-designed tables at various geographic levels for the 1990 and 2000 censuses.
Geographic Comparison Tables: Comparison data for different geographic regions (i.e., age and sex for all counties in Wisconsin).
Detailed Tables: Access to all tables and maps for each summary file.
Data Sets: Available tables for the 1990 and 2000 census and the American Community Survey.
Reference Maps: Show user selected geographic areas and identify selected features of the area.
Thematic Maps: Reveal the geographic patterns in statistical data.
Quick Tables: Predefined tables with frequently requested information for a single geographic area, including numerical data and derived measures (e.g., percent distributions). Users may choose more than one geographic area and more than one table that display and print in a scrolling list.
Demographic Profile: A profile includes tables that provide various demographic, social, economic, and housing characteristics for the U.S., regions, divisions, states, counties, minor civil divisions in selected states, places, metropolitan areas, American Indian and Alaska Native areas, Hawaiian home lands, and congressional districts. It includes 100-percent and sample data from the decennial censuses.
100% Data: Information based on a limited number of basic population and housing questions collected from both the short form and the long form for every inhabitant and housing unit in the United States.
Sample Data: Population and housing information collected from the census long form for a one in six sample of households in the United States and Puerto Rico, and on a continuous basis for selected areas in the American Community Survey.

HIERARCHY OF CENSUS GEOGRAPHY:

Geographic areas on the chart are arranged from largest (top) to smallest (bottom). Lines indicate relationships between geographic types (e.g., congressional districts are sub-divisions of States, and are divisible further into blocks).

FINDING DATA:

1. Basic Facts
   1. General Information: Basic Facts includes popular tables or maps for various geographic areas.
   2. Geographies
      1. Tables: U.S., State, County, City or Town, American Indian Reservation.
      2. Maps: U.S. by State, U.S. by County, State by County.
   3. Instructions
      1. Select the table or map option.
      2. Choose a table or map from the 2000 or 1990 Census.
      3. Highlight a general geographic limit (e.g., United States by County).
      4. Select a specific area.

2. Search (Keyword)
   1. General Information
      1. Use keywords to locate specific kinds of data.
      2. Searches all data files (i.e., Decennial, Economic, American Community Survey, and Thematic Maps).
      3. Multiple variables can be searched within the same table.
   2. Instructions
      1. Select the Search by “keyword.”
      2. Enter desired search terms and click Go.
      3. Example: Enter “plumbing” to find all data files and thematic maps containing statistics on the topic of plumbing.
      4. Combine terms using “and” or put phrases in quotes. Use an asterisk to truncate terms (e.g., plumb*).

3. Search (Geography)
   1. General Information: Identifies brief statistical tables, Thematic maps, and Reference maps for a specific geography.
   2. Instructions
      1. Select the Search by “geography.”
      2. Enter a place name and click Go.
      3. Further refine the search using the options provided or choose the place name corresponding to the time period desired.
      4. Different statistical data will appear based on the specified time period.
      5. Example: Enter a term such as “Milwaukee” to see a list of all data sets and maps associated with Milwaukee in general, or “Milwaukee city” for the City of Milwaukee, specifically.

4. Search (Street Address)
   1. General Information
      1. Street addresses for 2000 Census maps and data can be searched to identify a specific geography.
      2. The ability to search and the results depend on the quality of data input by local communities.
      3. There can be a lot of variation from one address to another.
      4. Hyphenated addresses may not be searchable, while others may have misassigned tract codes.
      5. Some known addresses do not appear, and some non-addresses are assigned codes.
   2. Geographies Covered
      1. County
      2. City
      3. Village/township
      4. Census Tract (2000)
      5. Block (2000), Block group
      6. Voting District (2000)
      7. Legislative district
      8. 3 and 5 digit Zip code tabulation area
   3. Instructions
      1. Click on the “Enter a street address” link on the FactFinder homepage.
      2. Type in the complete address and click Go.
      3. A list of possible geographies is shown; highlight one of the options, and click Go.
      4. Example: Enter an address such as 3919 N. Morris Blvd. Shorewood, WI 53211 to view a list of geographies associated with that address.

5. Data Sets
   1. General Information
      1. “Data Sets” is the most comprehensive access point for the Population and Housing (Decennial) Census, the Economic Census, and the American Community Survey.
      2. “Data Sets” provides more information than Geography search.
      3. Data available for geographic areas without place names (e.g., Census tracts).
      4. Data sets are useful for browsing topics.
   2. Geographies Covered
      1. Geography ranges from Nation down to Block group level.
      2. Geography can be chosen through a Geography search or a map.
      3. For 2000 data, the Address Search option is available.
   3. Instructions
      1. Select the desired data set by clicking on the appropriate link from the menu (Decennial Census, American Community Survey, and Economic Census).
      2. Choose a single data set and pick from the following options: Detailed Tables; Geographic Comparison Table; Quick Tables; Reference Maps; Enter a Table Number; List All Tables; About This Data Set. (“List All Tables” is recommended unless a Thematic Map is needed.)
      3. Highlight any table from the list and choose “What's this?” to help determine relevancy of data.
      4. Highlight the Data Table and click on Next.
      5. Choose geography through list, name search, address search, map, or geo within geo.
      6. “List” allows a choice of geographies with no place name (e.g., Block groups).
      7. Results show geographic information in columns.
      8. Tables can be re-oriented in Excel to fit a printable page.

6. Locating Census Areas
   1. Instructions (by Address)
      1. Use the “Street Address” search option for 2000 data when the street address is known.
      2. This will display pre-made tables of statistics for various census geographies in which the address is located.
      3. Click on the “Enter a street address” link on the FactFinder homepage.
      4. Enter an address and choose to view data from the given geographies.
   2. Instructions (using Reference Maps)
      1. Select the Reference Maps option to locate 1990 and 2000 maps, census tracts, and block numbers.
      2. Click on “Reference Maps” from the Maps section of the FactFinder homepage.
      3. Click on the map of the United States to select a state.
      4. Wait for the screen to reload.
      5. Map must reload after every selection or the selection will not be registered.
      6. Click on an area to enlarge.
      7. It may be necessary to zoom/click several times until the Census tract or block numbers become visible.
      8. Use the arrows around the map to re-center.
      9. Use the zoom buttons on the right to zoom in/out.
      10. Use Options to add or remove features (e.g., highways, golf courses).

7. Finding Geographic Data by Statistics, Street Address, Topic, or Place
   1. Instructions (by Address): If a street address in a specific area is known, use the Search feature by clicking on the “Enter a street address” link.
   2. Instructions (by Topic or Place)
      1. Go to the Search box. Click the circle to the left of “keyword” (subject search) or “geography.”
      2. Enter a search term and click Go.
      3. A new screen will appear. Dropdown menus can be used to restrict results to a particular year or survey.
      4. For keyword searching use the dropdown menu of pre-defined subject terms if the keyword search does not return the desired results.
      5. Results may include all products: detailed tables, reports, or Thematic maps with keywords that occur in their titles.
      6. For geography searching, a list of all places with names matching the search term(s) will appear in the results.
      7. Results might include Reference maps, Thematic maps, Quick Tables and Demographic Profiles from all surveys available through American FactFinder.
      8. Click on one of the results to view data.

8. Additional Search Tips
   1. Use the “Change Selections” menu if the data displayed, geographical area, or other variables are not what is required.
   2. Use the “Related Items” link to find other relevant data sets.

CREATING MAPS:

1. Thematic Mapping
   1. General Information
      1. Thematic maps present demographic trends by using colors or patterns to shade areas of the map.
      2. Variables such as income, population, and age can be illustrated with Thematic maps.
      3. It is possible to create thematic maps using keyword searching; however, it is easier to browse using the “Thematic Maps” link on the FactFinder homepage.
   2. Geographies Covered
      1. State
      2. County
      3. Metropolitan areas
      4. Congressional districts
      5. 3-digit Zip code tabulation areas
   3. Instructions
      1. Click on the “Thematic Maps” link on the FactFinder homepage.
      2. Select a geographic option from the dropdown menu list, and wait for the map to load.
      3. The default theme is population per square mile, and the data set is the 2000 Census Summary Tape File 1 (100% data).
      4. Use the “Change Selections” menu to select a desired data set, geography, or theme.
      5. Each map utilizes the zoom in and out features.
      6. Use the “Options” menu to change data classes, to add/remove boundaries, and other features, or to change the title of the map. (Note: Some boundaries and features will not be visible at certain zoom levels.)

2. Reference Mapping
   1. General Information
      1. Reference maps are useful for distinguishing borders between the various geographic levels, finding levels within levels, or for finding the name/number of a specific geographic division.
      2. Place name searching is the most efficient way to find a map; browse using the “Reference Maps” link on the FactFinder homepage.
      3. Point and click anywhere on the map to zoom in on the desired geography, or use the “Change Selections” menu and select a different geography.
      4. Once the map is obtained, it is possible to zoom, pan, change geographies, change data sets, and add or subtract physical features (such as schools) using the dropdown menus.
   2. Geography: All geographies are available as Reference Maps.
   3. Instructions
      1. Select the “Reference Maps” link from the FactFinder homepage.
      2. Click on a map to zoom in for more detail.
      3. Use the “Options” dropdown menu to add/remove map features.
      4. Or: Use the “Change Selections” menu to select a specific geography.
      5. Or: Type in an address or a longitude and latitude, to find a more specific geography.
      6. Reference maps may also be found using the Search function on the FactFinder homepage. To do this type in the name of a geography (e.g., Milwaukee county) and click Go.
      7. Highlight one of the search results and click “Map It” for a quick pop-up map.
      8. Example: Clicking on the state of WI from the interactive map displays a zoomed in version of the state. There are different levels of information present, such as highways, county borders, and major city labels. Use the zoom bar at the right to scale the map to the level of detail desired.

PRINTING AND DOWNLOADING:

1. General Information
   1. In general, only what is seen on the screen is printed.
   2. “Quick Tables” are in print-ready format and will print on one page in portrait style. Other tables may require the landscape style and print on multiple pages.
   3. Pop-up tables or maps may require downloading to a disk and printing in a new browser window.
   4. Up to 500 geographic selections and 50 tables of Decennial or American Community Survey data can be viewed or downloaded.
   5. Up to 10,000 lines of Economic Census data (about 5MB) of data can be downloaded at a time.
   6. For large amounts of data, FactFinder includes a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) option at the top of the “Data Sets” page.
   7. Download Formats: .GIF and .BMP (bitmap). Both of these can be opened in Microsoft Photo Editor, Adobe PhotoShop, or Corel PhotoPaint.
   8. Tables can be saved as Comma delimited - spreadsheet format (.csv file) or Tab delimited (.lst file). Note: Tab Delimited = numbers in columns separated by a Tab; Comma Delimited = numbers separated by a Comma.
   9. Tables can be opened in Microsoft Access, Excel, or Word.
2. Instructions (Printing)
   1. Use the browser's File > Print Preview option to check that the entire table fits onto one page.
   2. If it does not: In Internet Explorer, select File > Page Setup. Change the orientation to landscape. In Netscape, select 'Print', then 'Properties.' Change the orientation to landscape. (Note: Landscape orientation will ensure that the tables fit all the way across the page and no data will be excluded from the print job.)
   3. Thematic and Reference Maps
      1. To print a map use the 'Print/Download' menu.
      2. A Print dialog box displays to confirm printer and print settings.
      3. Click OK to send the map to the printer.
      4. For information about using and printing from the PDF map files:
         http://www.census.gov/geo/www/tiger/rd_2ktiger/pl_maps/pdfprint.html
3. Instructions (Downloading)
   1. For tables use the 'Print/download' menu at the top of the page.
   2. For maps, in both Internet Explorer and Netscape right-click on the map and choosing “Save image as” or “Save picture as.”

TO EXIT:

1. Exit FactFinder by closing the browser.
2. Note: To reset all Options to the default, close the current browser and open a new one.

1. Use the HELP link in the upper right corner of the FactFinder home page
2. This will display information about the current topic and allow for browsing a table of contents, census Information in general, a glossary of terms, and an on-line tutorial.