Where can I find demographic information about my community?
Demographic information can help your nonprofit to better identify your community's needs and to find gaps in its services. Using this data in a grant proposal can help make a case for the urgency of the community need that your nonprofit's mission addresses.
Some resources we recommend:
- The U.S. Census Bureau allows you to search by ZIP code, city, county, and/or state to find a specific area's income levels, ethnicities, ages, and other social characteristics.
- For regionally collected indicators or statistics, also check your local, county, and state government web sites, as well as your local public or academic libraries.
- Put what's happening in your community in a larger context at IssueLab, a service of Candid that lets you search thousands of social sector reports by subject. Many reports have helpful statistics such as demographic information.
- The Urban Institute also has interactive maps on a variety of subjects such as schools, housing and education.
You can find many more resources in the curated selection of websites below.
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See spanish versionExplore resources curated by our staff for this topic:
Staff-recommended websites
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Statistics Without Borders
According to the group: "SWB provides pro bono statistical and data science services. We work to improve human welfare by providing empirical knowledge using proper applications of statistical principles and best practices so that our clients can make more informed decisions. We focus on areas where access to such resources is limited."
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50-State Demographics Wizard
National Center for Children in Poverty
Use the Demographics Wizard to create custom tables of national- and state-level statistics about low-income or poor children. Choose areas of interest, such as parental education, parental employment, marital status, and race/ethnicity—among many other v
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QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau
The U.S. Census Bureau's Quick Facts provides statistical data for all states and counties, as well as cities and towns with populations of 5,000 or more.
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Data USA
Data USA provides comprehensive visualization of public data on a variety of subjects, including education, occupations, and locations.
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Staff pick
Data Access Tools from the Census Bureau
Provides links to all U.S. Census Bureau data tools available.
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Pew Research Center
Download Datasets
Find the center's datasets by research area and information about how to use them. The center also publishes wide-ranging analyses. Click on the tabs at the top of the page to find the research that fits your needs.
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Statistics & Demographics
U.S. Department of Labor
According to the site, "Some programs at the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) make significant amounts of data available for specific demographic categories. The Bureau's demographic categories include sex, age, race, and ethnic origin."
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USA.gov
U.S. Data and Statistics
USA.gov offers data and statistics about the U.S., including demographic, economic, and populations information, as well as maps.
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ALA Map & Geospatial Information Round Table (MAGIRT)
Sources of Demographic Data on the Web
The American Library Association offers a list of online resources for national, international, and archival demographic data.
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Staff pick
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Databases,Tables & Calculators by Subject
The Bureau of Labor Statistics is the principal fact-finding agency for the Federal Government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics.
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Migration Policy Institute
Data Hub
Hover over "Research & Initiatives" in the navigation menu to find the "Data" section with U.S. and international information. It also provides two interactive maps, one on international migration and one on immigrant populations in the U.S.
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profiles of U.S. cities
City-Data.com
City-Data is a private Illinois-based social networking and information website known for its comprehensive profiling system of U.S. cities, containing everything from sex offender lists to general city guides.
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CIA
The World Factbook
The World Factbook provides information on the history, people, government, economy, geography, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues for 266 world entities.
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Data Resources
Administration on Aging
The AGing Integrated Database (AGID) provides data and surveys on aging, including Census data and information by state on care and support services for older people and the people who care for them.
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Bureau of Labor Statistics
United States Economy at a Glance
The Bureau of Labor Statistics is the principal fact-finding agency for the Federal Government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics.
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U.S. Census Bureau
Income and Poverty in the United States: 2017
A Census Bureau report on U.S. earnings, income inequality and poverty.
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Staff pick
State/District Profiles
National Center for Education Statistics
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) (see Organizational Chart) is the primary federal entity for collecting and analyzing data related to education in the U.S. and other nations. NCES is located within the U.S. Department of Education and
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Staff pick
National Association of Counties
NACo County Explorer
Interactive county data makes it possible to explore and compare counties by various a wide variety of demographic, economic and governmental statistics.