A Ready Reference Instructional Guide

AMERICAN FACTFINDER

American FactFinder• American FactFinder provides the public with access to data about the United States based on information from several censuses and surveys.

• Anyone of any age can use American FactFinder to find quality data about the nation’s people and economy.

How to Access American FactFinder

• American FactFinder can be accessed through the internet.

• Start by typing in the following website, or simply click on the provided link. http://factfinder2.census.gov/

What is available on American FactFinder• American Community Survey• American Housing Survey   • Annual Economic Surveys  •  Annual Surveys of Governments •  Census of Governments   • Decennial Census   • Economic Census • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Tabulation  

• Population Estimates Program • Puerto Rico Community Survey 

What is available on American FactFinder• Examples of questions that can be answered by American FactFinder:• How many people lived in Illinois in 2010?• How many people were below the poverty level in 2013?• How many people graduate high school, on average, in my zip

code?

Information• American Fact Finder contains the Census Bureau’s Statistical Quality Standards, information quality guidelines, and procedures to seek correction of information that does not comply with the information quality guidelines.

• American FactFinder is updated daily

How to use American FactFinder• There are several ways to use American FactFinder:

• Community Facts• Guided Search• Advanced Search

Community Facts ExampleI want to search information on how many people live in Chicago. I am going to use the Community Facts.

Community Facts Example• My first step is to type in Chicago, Illinois in the search box.

Community Facts ExampleI am then brought to this screen:

Here I can see that the population of Chicago is 2,695,598 as of 2010. But what if I want to see how many people live in my own neighborhood?

Community Facts ExampleFirst I type in my zip code in the search box:

I have two options. Using the drop box I can see the population from the 2010 Census, or the 5-year population estimate.

Guided and Advanced search

Both the Guided search and Advanced search gives step by step instructions that are very easy for users looking for more particular information. Ex: social characteristics of the United States.

CitationAmerican FactFinder. (n.d.). American FactFinder. Retrieved October 22, 2014, from http://factfinder2.census.gov/

Conclusion• If you have questions on this resource, please feel free to contact me!

Meghan Morgan

10-25-2014