Researching Your Service Area

John Graham,

Department Manager

Public Documents & Patents Dept.

Uses of Census Data

+ Find demographics of community

+ Get a profile of non-users – who are we not seeing in the agency

+Program planning & collection development

+ Anticipate & meet changing needs

Geographic Areas

• Data available for towns, cities, townships, counties, and Census Designated Places, such as Turpin Hills or Kenwood

• Neighborhoods, not used in Census publications. Need to find tract boundaries

Census Geography II

• Census Tracts first used for Cincy in 1930. Designed to be homogenous population groups, which today average 4,000 people.

• Neighborhood borders usually match tract borders.

• Tract boundaries have changed over time.• Blocks are smallest Census geography; data

available 1980-2000.

Cincinnati Census Tract Boundaries

• Neighborhoods composed of 1 or more tracts

• Tracts may cross municipal boundaries

• Use Government Resources-Census to find chart of tract boundaries

• Or use Enter a Street Address feature

Census 2000

• www.census.gov -- American FactFinder

• Phased release of data in Summary Files

• Summary File 4 recently released. Has ancestry, disability, language data

• Website has 1990 & 2000 data only

• Tract/block boundaries only – no neighborhoods listed

Summary File 1 (SF 1)

• Basic population & housing counts

• Covers 63 racial groups

• Actual counts, no sampling or adjustments

• From the national level down to the block level

• Used for House apportionment

Summary File 2 (SF 2)

• Detailed population & housing data

• Reported in up to 63 racial/ethnic groups

• Also complete count, no sampling

• From tract level up to national level

Summary File 3 (SF 3)

• Sample data of 1 in 6 households

• 813 detailed housing, social, and economic tables, including income, education, and language

• From block group up to national level

• Lots of breakdowns by race/ethnicity: 51 tables across 9 separate groups

Summary File 4 (SF 4)

• 335 population tables across racial/ethnic groups

• From tract level to national level

• Detailed characteristics: grandparents as caregivers, ancestry groups

• Released for Ohio July 27, 2003

What’s Not Available

• Religion• Appalachian origin• Names of individuals

or businesses

• Anything more recent than the last Census in most cases

• Homeless population –labeled as Homeless population

4-part search strategy

• Define your geographic area: be flexible regarding specific area

• Time period. Remember detailed data available only decennially, every 10 years

• Characteristics. Be sure you’re in the right Summary File to find what you need

• Output. Excel, PDF, just a quick figure

Search Strategy 2

• Visit the Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission Website

• Visit the Census Bureau Website as needed or for more details, using the Summary Files of interest

• Visit the “Census” category in the Government Resources Website

Search Strategy 3

• www.census.gov• Go to American

Factfinder• Choose your file,

Summary File 1, 2 etc.• Go to Quick Tables

• Choose your Geographic level, place, tract, block, etc.

• Pick the data you want• You can always click

“Change Selections” to make a change

Census Documents

• Hard copy documents 1790-2000

• Arranged by Document Call number

• Multiple volumes per year

• Use Census Catalog for index

• Just ask for assistance!

• PLCH has a complete collection

Government Resources Page

Government Resources - Census

Useful Websites

• PLCH: www.cincinnatilibrary.org• Census Bureau: www.census.gov• UVA Historical Census Browser

http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/census/• Hamilton County Regional Planning

Commission http://www.hamilton-co.org/hcrpc/

• OKI www.oki.org Click on Maps & Data

County Planning Commission

Roselawn 1-Page Profile

GIS Service Available

• (Geographic Information System) GIS

• Makes custom maps using Census or other data

• Staffed at Main by G&B, PD, and History

• 10-day turnaround time

• Free of charge

Roselawn GIS Map