Census 2000 Updates

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This page provides links to recent population data.

General References

We have identified several useful websites for obtaining population data relevant to the topics presented in Sociology: A Brief Introduction, Fifth Edition.  Clicking on the highlighted hypertext will open the sites in your browser.

United States Census Bureau: This is the official website of the U.S. Census Bureau. It provides a wealth of data on past, current, and projected population figures for the United States population. Visitors may also obtain population statistics for other countries. A summary of the Census 2000 data can be seen by clicking here. A list of Census 2000 news releases can be found by clicking here. An interactive data mining tool for exploring the Census 2000 data is available here.

Census 2000 Reports from The Washington Post: (You will need to register to access content on this site.) A continuously updated list of recent Washington Post articles about findings from Census 2000. The articles present easy-to-read overviews of what Census 2000 is telling us about the changing structure of the U.S. population. Most of the articles provide detailed snapshots of topic areas covered in the text, such as: family life, gender, work and occupations, education, race and ethnicity, income and poverty, health, and aging.

Census 2000 Reports from USA Today: Contains current and archived articles reporting interesting findings from Census 2000. The site also has a very useful interactive map feature that displays population data for each state, including relative diversity by race within a state.

Census 2000 Reports from CNN: Here are two articles of interest. The first article describes trends in the racial composition of the U.S. population. The second article examines diversity training in the workforce.

Population Reference Bureau (PRB): This is an organization that provides timely and objective data on world population trends. They are funded by a combination of government contracts, foundation grants, individual and corporate contributions, and the sale of publications. In addition to population data, there is an extensive library of articles available for free. You may view their growing list of reports on Census 2000 by clicking here. In addition, the PRB provides an archive of articles based on both current and earlier census data. These articles--on topics such as aging, youth, education, environment, gender, health, marriage and families, poverty, race and ethnicity, and reproductive health and family planning can be found by clicking on each of the highlighted keywords.

International Programs Center (IPC): The International Programs Center (IPC), part of the Population Division of the U.S. Bureau of the Census, conducts demographic and socioeconomic studies and strengthens statistical development around the world. It is a good place to begin to gather world population data. One interesting feature is its population clock which continually updates the world population total.

Census in Schools: Provides various materials designed for teaching, including activities, worksheets, and teaching suggestions.

American Demographics: This is the website for American Demographicsa magazine that provides consumer trends for business leaders is now part of Advertising Age. Some of the articles provide interesting data and analysis of our aging population. Abstracts of the articles are available to view for free on the website; full text versions can be downloaded for a nominal fee.

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United States

The following sites provide up-to-date snapshots of the American population.

Census 2000

Census 2000 Demographic Profiles: Tables describing basic demographic characteristics (including age and sex characteristics) for the entire U.S. population and for individual states.

Census 2000 Briefs: The Census 2000 Brief series present the first analysis of Census 2000 population and housing topics to the public. Changes since the 1990 census are discussed, if applicable. The briefs also include sections that discuss interesting questions related to the topic, the importance of Census 2000 collecting data on the subject matter, as well as where readers can go to learn more about the topic. Among other topics, it contains detailed discussions of the Census Bureau's new multiracial classification system, population changes between 1990 and 2000, the Hispanic population, and Congressional Apportionment. To view the files, you will need the Adobe(R) Acrobat(R) Reader which is available free from the Adobe website: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html.

Census 2000 Detailed Data for States: Detailed demographic data for single states. Includes information about households and families. These data are scheduled to be released over two years, beginning in Spring 2000. Site continuously updated to reflect new release of state data.

Census 2000 Factfinder Data Mining Tool: Allows users to build tables of population, housing, economic, and geographic data interactively.

Segregation and Isolation Index: This website is a public service of the Lewis Mumford Center and the University at Albany. It provides an initial 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.

CensusScope: CensusScope is a tool that makes US Census data freely accessible to the Internet community. Presented by the Social Science Data Analysis Network (SSDAN) at the University of Michigan, CensusScope provides census data for states, counties, and metropolitan areas. Represented by charts, maps, and rankings, the data includes information such as multiracial and population growth, population by race, age structure, and family structure. The site is easily navigable, the charts and maps are concise and comprehensive, and the rankings are easy to follow.

Measuring America: The Decennial Censuses from 1790 to 2000: Since 1790, a US population tally has been administered and recorded every ten years. Measuring America, recently released by the Commerce Department's Census Bureau, documents this census of population from its initial start in 1790, when marshals counted 3.9 million US residents, to the year 2000, when the census totaled 281.4 million residents. This 149-page report traces the changes and growth of the US population by providing descriptions of the questionnaires used in each census, along with the instructions on how to complete them. The report also reveals how each census was conducted and information about its historical significance. On the whole, this document provides resourceful information for those involved with census-related research, as well as genealogists, historians, demographers, and others concerned with the evolution of the US population. To view the files, you will need the Adobe(R) Acrobat(R) Reader which is available free from the Adobe website: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html.

Other Census Data

U.S. Household and Family Profiles: Summary tables from yearly Current Population Surveys conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. These tables illustrate the changing structure of U.S. households and families, complementing Schaefer's presentation in Chapters 10, 11 12).

Economic Census Data: The Economic Census profiles the US economy every 5 years, from the national to the local level. Reports are now available for all geographic areas and all sectors from the 1997 Economic Census. Economy-wide reports include the SIC-based Comparative Statistics and the Bridge Between NAICS and SIC. Just released are data on total minority-owned businesses: http://www.census.gov/csd/sbo/.

Latest Economic Indicators: Current data on manufacturing, construction spending, new home sales, homeownership, international trade, retail and food service sales, household income, and poverty (Chapters 9, 10, 14 16).

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World

The following sites provide up-to-date snapshots of the world's population. Information is also available by region and country.

2004 World Population Data Sheet: A quick reference that provides useful tabular information about the age structure, infant mortality rates, and life expectancies across world regions. This table documents dramatic differences in the age structure and life expectancy between less and more developed countries. Less developed countries have much younger populations than their more developed counterparts. Compiled by the Population Reference Bureau.

Country Snapshots: This database allows you to obtain summary demographic data for 227 countries throughout the world. This is a resource provided by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Gender Statistics: This site, supported by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, provides country-specific data on gender for European and North American countries that cover educational attainment, employment, parliamentary membership, leading causes of death, non-marital births and births to teens, life expectancy at birth, women's income as a percentage of men's, average age at first marriage, and a population pyramid.

Social Security Program Summaries: This database presents summaries of social security programs for each of 172 countries. The tables are presented in PDF format. If you do not have the Adobe(R) Acrobat(R) Reader necessary to read these files, you can download a free copy from the Adobe website.

Reproductive Health in the Developing World: Detailed information about reproductive health. Includes information on percentages of births attended by trained health personnel, percent of married women using contraception (by method), and percent of HIV/AIDS infection in population for individual countries. From the home page of the Population Reference Bureau, select Reproductive Health from the Focus Area menu on the left-hand navigation.

The World's Women 2000: Trends and Statistics: Home page for United Nations publication on women at the turn of the century. Page provides summary of various topics related to women and their families.

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