U.S. Census Data Guide
The U.S. Census, conducted every 10 years, is the most accurate source of demographic data for Connecticut communities. The Census offers information on population size and composition, family composition, income and poverty, and housing, among other issues.
How do I access the data?
Data from the 2000 Census are available from many sources--three of which are listed here. Of these sources, the Kids Count website is the easiest to navigate. Data are also available at the CT State Department of Economic and Community Development and the Census homepage itslef.
KidsCount
Go to the Annie E. Casey Foundation's Kids Count Census page.
- Click on "Profiles." This will provide a combination of demographic and socioeconomic data for individual states and the nation as a whole.
- Click on the "+" sign next to Connecticut
- Click on New England Towns
Department of Economic and Community Development
Go to the State Department of Economic and Community Development's Census Page.
- Click on the table of interest:
- DP-1. General Demographic Characteristics
- DP-2. Selected Social Characteristics
- DP-3. Selected Economic Characteristics
- DP-4. Selected Housing Characteristics
Note: When using the "Town Profiles," always check to ensure that data are the most recent available.
US Census
To view a quick fact sheet for a town, zip code or other area with thematic mapping capability by Census variable, go to the Census Quick Fact page. To access all US Census data, go to American Factfinder.
- Select "Data Sets" on the left side of the page.
- Select the Summary File you are interested in. Summary File 1 has population information collected from every person who filled out a census form. Summary File 3 has social and economic indicators that are calculated based on information from a random sample of the population (one in every six people).
- Click on "Detailed Tables"
- To get data on the town level, choose "county subdivision" as your "geographic type."
- Select a state.
- Select a county.
- In the list of geographic areas, highlight all the towns of interest and click "Add."
- Click "Next."
- Select the data you are interested in. For example, if you would like to know the number of female children ages 15 to 19 years in your town:
- Select "P14. Sex by Age for the Population Under 20 Years."
- Click "Add."
- Click "Show Table."
- To download any data table to a spreadsheet once it is on your screen, choose "Download" from the "Print/Download" menu above the table and make sure to choose "Comma Delimited". The table on your screen will be downloaded to your computer.
This guide is based on information compiled by Connecticut Voices for Children, in Gathering Data for Connecticut Towns: A Primer Volume 1. Birth to 8 years
For a detailed guide to using the American Factfinder on the Census web site, you may also refer to the Greater New Orleans Community Data Center's instructions (remember, however, to use counties and county subdivisions for the geography rather than parishes!)