Public Policy 264 - Urban Policy

Selected Data Resources

Perkins Data Services - Data Access Online (DAO)
http://library.duke.edu/data
The Data Access Online search engine provides title and keyword searches for a wide variety of data resources.  Many of the data collections that will be useful for this course are available under the keywords county and city.

American Factfinder
http://factfinder.census.gov/home/saff/main.html?_lang=en
The Census Bureau's primary web source for Census 2000 (and 1990) data. This site also provides a convenient set of interfaces for the American Community Suvey, the Economic Census, and Population Estimates. American Factfinder provides tables and maps of all census geographies down to the block level.

Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic System
http://www.bea.gov/bea/regional/reis/
Provides annual information on personal income and employment for Metropolitan Statistical Areas from 1970 to the present. Also includes cities which are not MSA's under the state and a category labeled "micropolitan".

County and City Databook (web)
http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/collections/stats/ccdb/
The County and City Data Books provide a wide range of statistical measures for cities, counties, and states.  Online access to the 1944-1977, 1988, 1994, 1998, and 2000 editions are available through the UVA's Geospatial and Statistical Data Center. Duke also maintains the 1944-1977 files online as well.

County Characteristics 2000-2007
http://library.duke.edu/cgi-bin/data/dao.cgi?keywords=135198419
This data file contains an array of county characteristics by which researchers can investigate contextual influences at the county level. Included are population size and the components of population change during 2000-2005 and a wide range of characteristics on or about 2005: (1) population by age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin, (2) labor force size and unemployment, (3) personal income, (4) earnings and employment by industry, (5) land surface form typography, (6) climate, (7) government revenue and expenditures, (8) crimes reported to police, (9) presidential election results (10) housing authorized by building permits, (11) Medicare enrollment, and (12) health profession shortage areas.

Historical Statistics of the United States- Millennial Edition
http://library.duke.edu/metasearch/db/id/DUK01916
Provides statistics on population, migration, prices, national income, social statistics, health and medical care, environmental questions, business activity, communications, international trade, and government regulation. These data are available in print format here.

Local Area Unemployment Statistics (BLS)
http://www.bls.gov/LAU/
The Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program produces monthly and annual employment, unemployment, and labor force data for Census regions and divisions, States, counties, metropolitan areas, and many cities, by place of residence.

Log Into North Carolina (Linc)
http://linc.state.nc.us/
LINC contains the most valuable data about North Carolina. It includes housing, health and human services, criminal justice, education, recreation, energy usage, government, employment and income, business, agriculture, transportation, and population statistics.

National Historic Geographic Information System
http://www.nhgis.org
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." The site offers a sophisticated browse and search interface for locating specific census boundary files.

Neighborhood Change Database
http://library.duke.edu/metasearch/db/id/DUK03018
Geolytics Neighborhood Change Database provides convenient access to selected items from the 1970 to the 2000 Census at the tract level.  In addition to providing a convenient interface to four census through a single interface, the database allows researchers to access these data using Census 2000 tract boundaries thus providing meaningful comparisons among multiple surveys.  The NCDB can be used to generate GIS shapefiles for selected areas as well.

Population Estimates Datasets (Census Bureau)
http://www.census.gov/popest/datasets.html
Population estimates with breakdowns for age, sex, race, and hispanic origin are available in a format that is convenient for statistical analysis. The site provides data at the national, state, county, and subcounty level. Please note that additional estimate data are available at this link.

Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE- US Census Bureau)
http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/saipe/
The SAIPE program produces annual estimates of income and poverty statistics for states, counties, and school districts.  The American Community Survey (see American Factfinder above) may have more recent estimates for places.

Social Explorer
http://library.duke.edu/metasearch/db/id/DUK02880
Social Explorer provides a detailed view of demographic changes in the United States through the use of interactive maps and data reports. Data are available from 1790 through the present at a variety of geographic levels- including neighborhoods, counties, and states. A collection of interactive demographic maps can be viewed, queried, and manipulated on the website.
 
State of the Cities Data Systems (Urban Policy Report- HUD)
http://socds.huduser.org/index.html
Housing and Urban Development's State of the Cities Data Systems provides a portal for a wide range of government statistics (Census of Population and Housing, Census of Governments, County Business Patterns, FBI Crime Data) on US cities. Data available include: crime, education, ethnicity, finances, housing, population, and race among other indicators. The site includes a series of GIS layers of US urban areas.

UVA Historical Census Browser
http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/collections/stats/histcensus/index.html
This service provides online access to census statistics for states and counties from 1790 to 1960. The raw data for this service are from ICPSR study #0003.

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  Selected Federal and Related Reference Resources

Web Guide to the Perkins Documents' Print Statistical Holdings
http://guides.library.duke.edu/docs_statistics

Census of Population and Housing (web)
http://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/decennial/index.htm
The US Census Bureau has digitized selected volumes of the Census and placed them on the web. Print editions of these volumes are available on the third floor of the Bostock Library.

County and City Databook (print/web)
http://library.duke.edu/catalog/search/sys/000121477 (print)
http://www.census.gov/statab/www/ccdb.html (web)
A supplement to the Statistical Abstract of the United States (see below) focusing on county and city level data.

Historical Metropolitan Area Definitions (Census Bureau)
http://www.census.gov/population/www/estimates/pastmetro.html
Historical definitions of metropolitan statistical areas.  Includes definitions for Census 2000 materials.

Historical Statistics of the United States- Millennial Edition
http://library.duke.edu/cgi-bin/data/resolve.cgi?link=hsus.cambridge.org/HSUSWeb/HSUSEntryServlet
Provides statistics on population, migration, prices, national income, social statistics, health and medical care, environmental questions, business activity, communications, international trade, and government regulation. These data are available in print format here.

Population Abstract of the United States  (print)
http://find.library.duke.edu/results.php?type=books&recordid=DUKE001596603&format=search
The Population Abstract is a detailed guide to current and historical population totals at a number of geographic levels. Historical population figures are available for incorporated places of 10,000 or more people. The population abstract excels at providing all of the historical data for a city in one location.

Statistical Abstract of the United States (print/web/cd)
http://find.library.duke.edu/results.php?type=books&recordid=DUKE000122166&format=search (print)
http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/ (2008) or http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/past_years.html (historical)
Published since 1878, the Statistical Abstract of the United States provides a wide of economic, political, and social statistics on the United States.  Coverage of urban areas is strongest in the period following the 1930s.

State and Metropolitan Databook (print/web)
http://www.census.gov/statab/www/smadb.html (web)
A supplement to the Statistical Abstract of the United States (see separate listing for more details) focusing on state and metropolitan level data.

US Census Bureau's Federal, State, and Local Government Pages
http://www.census.gov/govs/www/
The Census Bureau's Federal, State, and Local Government web page provides convenient access to the last three Census of Government (data on government organization, employment, and finance) surveys, financial information on local governments, and detailed information on tax collection.

US Congressional Serial Set
http://library.duke.edu/metasearch/db/id/DUK01413
Search or browse the reports, documents, and journals of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. Browse by subject, committee, author, publication type, or Congress. Search in citation or fulltext, by publication types, or bill numbers or types. This database will eventually cover 1817-1980. 1817-1917 is currently available (15th Congress - 64th Congress 2nd Session 1917).