Census Guide

Rechs Ann Pedersen, Internet Librarian
Last updated 9/29/2001

Sample Search on American FactFinder

Finding Tracts in S.C. County with Specific Characteristics

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American Factfinder allows you to search in many ways. Below is one of the ways. The search was performed on September 29, 2001. American Factfinder may have changed since then.

What this search is for

The instructions below show how to use American Factfinder to locate which tracts in Santa Cruz County have certain characteristics. The characteristics could be anything asked in the Census. For example, Which tracts have high numbers of persons over 65 years of age residents?

Does this way of searching suit your needs?

This search:

• Allows the most detailed subject breakdown
• Has the advantage of easily allowing you to backup to see tract maps
• Gives both counts and percentages for the data
• Focuses on tracts, not places
• Has the possible disadvantage of presenting the data in separate tables for each tract selected.

If you want broad subject data displayed in one one table for comparison, and you can work with percentages, see Comparison Table with Date from More than One Tract

Step 1: Go to American Factfinder

1. Go to American Factfinder at http://factfinder.census.gov/
2. Click on "Data Sets" from the menu on the left.
3. Click on Census 2000 Summary File 1 (This will give you 100% data)
4. Choose "Quick Tables" to go down to tract level

You now come the first form page. You start from the top and work down, but you can go back up from any point and change choices. It has one unexpected feature--every time you make a selection, the screen refreshes and you have another set of options to choose from. After a refresh, continue to work your way down, by going to the box under the one you just used.

Step 2: Choose all of the tracts for Santa Cruz:

1. Selection method: Leave on List
2. Select the type of area: Click on Census Tract
3. Select state: Click on California
4. Select the county: Click on Santa Cruz County
5. Select one or more geographical areas: Click on All Tracts and then click on the "Add" button and then the "Next" button.

You now come to the second form page. It works the same way as the first one.

Step 3: Choose the data that you want:

1. Search: Leave on by subject ("by keyword" allows you to search by a term you supply)
2. Select a subject: Click on a subject category. Click on "Search" button.
3. Select one or more tables: Click on one or more tables. (For more than one table, hold down the control key as you click on your selections) Then click on the "Add" button.
4. To display the data, click on the "Show Table" button.

You will get separate data tables for each tract. As you look at the tables, note which tracts have the characteristics that you are looking for. To see where those tracts are in the county, continue with the next step.

Step 4: See Where the Tracts are in the County

1. Use your browser's "Back" button until you get to the screen that shows the tract numbers.
2. Click on a tract number that you want to see (You can select only one map at a time)
3. Click on the "Map It" button. A map will be displayed showing you where the tract is located.
4. If you want to see more than one tract, repeat steps 2 and 3 for each additional tract.

You can also see tract maps on this Website, go to Online Santa Cruz County Census Maps (Census 2000)

Census Guide Home Page Santa Cruz Public Libraries' Home Page

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