LibGuides: Geography 141: Research Design and Methods in Geography: Web Resources

Census Data

Census 2020
The 2020 Census counted every person living in the United States and the five U.S. territories. It marked the 24th census in U.S. history and the first time that households were invited to respond to the census online.
About Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas
The general concept of a metropolitan or micropolitan statistical area is that of a core area containing a substantial population nucleus, together with adjacent communities having a high degree of economic and social integration with that core.
Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Area Tables 2010-2019
Historical Census Publications
This web site comes from the University of Michigan's Library. Most of the resources it points to are freely available. Each census year is listed with links to the sites and the geography available.
Historic U.S. Census Data Browser
The University of Virginia hosts a site which allows you to see data from past censuses. You cannot download the data, but you can see the data in table form. You can also map the data online at the site. The maps are in PDF format which you can then save
NHGIS (National Historical Geographic Information System)
The National Historical Geographic Information System (NHGIS) is a project to create and freely disseminate a database incorporating all available aggregate census information for the United States between 1790 and 2000. STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION!

Social Explorer This link opens in a new window
Allows user to visually analyze and understand the demography of the United States through the use of interactive maps and data reports from 1790 to the present. Also includes the 2011 censuses for Canada and the United Kingdom.

HUD State of the Cities Data System (SOCDS)
The SOCDS provides data for individual Metropolitan Areas, Central Cities, and Suburbs.
Urban Institute
"gathers data, conducts research, evaluates programs, offers technical assistance overseas, and educates Americans on social and economic issues — to foster sound public policy and effective government."
Lewis Mumford Center for Comparative Urban and Regional Research (SUNY Albany)
Information and analysis of how the racial and ethnic composition of metropolitan areas has shifted in the last ten years, and how increasing diversity is experienced at the level of local neighborhoods.

PolicyMap This link opens in a new window
PolicyMap is a U.S. national data and mapping tool that combines a curated, comprehensive geographic data library with simple, robust mapping and analytics tools. University faculty, researchers, and students use it to create compelling maps of up to five layers, export trend charts with key benchmarks, download data for use in other tools, generate on-the-fly reports, and upload your own data to view it with ours.

BBC Country Profiles
Full profiles provide an instant guide to history, politics and economic background of countries and territories, and background on key institutions.

They also include audio and video clips from BBC archives.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
The IPCC was established to provide the decision-makers and others interested in climate change with an objective source of information about climate change. The IPCC does not conduct any research nor does it monitor climate related data or parameters.
Center for Climate and Energy Solutions
Addresses global warming basics, science, technology and economics on the national and international level.
EPA - Climate change
EPA's Climate Change Site offers comprehensive information on the issue of climate change in a way that is accessible and meaningful to all parts of society – communities, individuals, business, states and localities, and governments.
Climate Change at the National Academies
Free full text books online.
NOAA Climate.gov
NOAA Climate.gov provides timely and authoritative scientific data and information about climate science, adaptation, and mitigation.
U.S. Global Change Research Program
The U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) is a federal program mandated by Congress to coordinate federal research and investments in understanding the forces shaping the global environment, both human and natural, and their impacts on society.

ALFRED-ArchivaL Federal Reserve Economic Data
ALFRED® allows you to retrieve vintage versions of economic data that were available on specific dates in history.
Eurostat
Eurostat is the statistical office of the European Union, producing statistics for countries within the European Union.
IMF-Global Financial Stability Report
A Report by the Monetary and Capital Markets Department on Market Developments and Issues.
Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS)- International
International census microdata for social and economic research.
Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS)-USA
U.S. census microdata for social and economic research.
Penn World Table
The Penn World Table provides purchasing power parity and national income accounts converted to international prices for 189 countries/territories for some or all of the years 1950-2010. The European Union or the OECD provide more detailed purchasing power and real product estimates for their countries and the World Bank makes current price estimates for most PWT countries at the GDP level.
U.S. Census Bureau- Economic Indicators
A large collection of economic statistics, including census information on housing, manufacture and sales.
World Bank- Countries and Regions
National and international statistics, cross-country, cross-sector, thematic research, and analysis of global trends in the world economy.

World Development Indicators This link opens in a new window
More than 550 development indicators, with time series for 207 countries and 18 country groups from 1960 to 2000, where data are available.

World Development Indicators Online Tutorial
Watch this very useful online tutorial from the World Bank.

World Economic Outlook Database This link opens in a new window
Macroeconomic data from 1980 to the present.