Demographics

Dataset

Description

Every 10 years the US Census Bureau collects data from US households. There are only nine questions on the census, related to age, gender, race, and household structure. This is combined with other demographics and economic data collected from other sources to compile a comprehensive picture of the makeup of communities.

Example

Demographic Components

• Age: Dissection of the population into various age bands.
• Costs: Indices that measure the cost of various categories of products against the national average (100)
• Education: The highest level of dedication attained (highschool, associate, bachelor, graduate)
• Employment: The percentage of the population employed in various industries (accommodation, administration, agriculture etc.)
• Gender: A breakdown of the population by gender (binary)
• Households: Age, value, length of occupation of households
• Income: Average and median incomes as well as a dissection of the percentage of households that fall within various bands of income
• Occupancy: A breakdown of the family structure residing within the property (families, married, children) and the type of occupancy (vacant, rented, owned)
• Population: Current population, population density, and historical population numbers.
• Race: Dissection of the population into ethnic categories (asian, black, hispanic, white)

Usage

Target Marketing: 

Sourcing

Decennial Census

The US Census Department conducts a national census every ten years, with the latest being in 2020. The results are released in stages the following year.

Additional Publications

The Demographics data is supplemented with additional data published on a yearly basis

• DP02 Selected Social Characteristics in the United States
• DP03 Selected Economic Characteristics
• DP04 Housing Characteristics
• DP05 Demographic and Housing Estimates

Tables/Views

CommunityDemographics

CommunityDemographics is a view that represents the Demographics subset found in our Community table. It is aggregated at the following geography levels: -

• Census Block Group (217k);
• Census Tract (73k);
• Combines Statistical Area (CSA)(172);
• Congressional District (439);
• Core Based Statistical Area (CBSA) (927);
• County (3k);
• County Subdivision (36k);
• Neighborhood (630k);
• Place (29k);
• Postal City (28k);
• State (51);
• Zip Code (33k); and
• Zip Code Tabulation Area (33k).

Columns: 569
Rows: 1 million
Family: Neighborhood

Dimension Tables

The following dimension tables are relevant to Demographics, providing lookups for various codes contained in the tables/views:

DimBlockGroup: Details for each of the ~240,000 Block Groups assigned to properties by the US Census Bureau. Block Groups are grouped into Tracts and Subdivisions.

DimCongressionalDistrict: Details for each of the 435 congressional districts

DimCounty: Description of each of the ~3,100 counties/parishes in which properties can be located. Counties are grouped into CBSs and States.

DimCountySubdivision: Details about each of the ~36,000 County Sub Divisions recognized by the US Census Bureau. Subdivisions can be grouped into Counties, CBSA, and MSAs.

DimGeographyType: The complete list of geography types used as boundaries as well as the dimension table used to provide details about each boundary

DimNeighborhood: Details about each of the ~630,000 community neighborhoods

DimPlace: Details about ~30,000 unincorporated places

DimPostalCity: Details about each of the ~28,000 Postal Cities assigned to properties by USPS. Postal Cities are grouped into States.

DimTract: Details about each of the ~85,000 Census Tracts assigned to the US Census Department to a property. Census Tracts are grouped into Counties.

DimZipcode: Details about each of the ~42,000 Zip Codes assigned by USPS to a property. Zip Codes are grouped into Postal Cities and Counties

DimZipCodeTabulationArea: Details about the ~34,000 Zip Code Tabulation Areas assigned by the US Census Bureau to a property. Zip Code Tabulation Areas are grouped into Counties.

Understanding the Data

Aggregation

While the US Census Department collects census data from individual households, it only publishes aggregated data as a way of keeping information confidential. National data is broken down into regions, divisions, states, and then counties. These are all based upon political boundaries that are largely well understood. Below that Counties are broken into tracts, block groups, and blocks.

Census Block Group

A collection of blocks with a census tract that contains between 600 and 3,000 people.

There are ~240,000 Census Block Groups

Census Tracts

Small, relatively permanent statistical subdivisions of a county. They typically have a population size between 1,200 and 8,000 people and are used to provide a stable base for making statistical comparisons from one census to another.

There are ~85,000 Census Tracts

Product Articles (P-Articles)

All solution packs containing the Demographics data element will include the following p-articles to help you understand and use the data: -

• Demographics 101