* Census information on Wisconsin is available on CD-ROM on computers in the Research and Instructional Support Area. Much of the 1990 Census data is also available on the Internet at American Factfinder, http://factfinder2.census.gov/; most of the 2000 Census data is available on the American Factfnder site as well as 2010 Census information as it becomes available.
* Search the online catalog for the availability and lcoation of Census tract maps for Wisconsin; Census tract maps for other areas may be requested from American Geographical Society Library staff (3rd Floor, East Wing).
To begin a search of the database, a summary or geographic level must be selected. The levels in this database include:
Places - Areas incorporated under the laws of the states, i.e., cities, towns, boroughs, or villages.
Counties - Legal and administrative subdivisions within states.
- MCDs - Minor Civil Divisions, such as towns and townships, are legally defined county subdivisions in many states. In the 21 states in which CCDs (below) are established, MCD's are not legally defined.
- CCDs - Census County Divisions are subdivisions within counties created in cooperation between the Census Bureau and State and Local officials in 21 states. In these areas, there are no legal administrative functions, it is common for boundaries to change, and they usually are not suitable for subcounty statistics.
Census Tracts - Small, homogenous areas designed by local census statistical areas committees that cover entire counties, more often in metropolitan areas. Census tracts average about 4,000 people.
Block Numbering Areas - Statistical subdivisions created to group blocks in counties for which census tracts have not been established.
Block Groups - A combination of census blocks within a tract or block numbering area.
American Indian Reservations and Trust Lands - Areas with boundaries established under treaties, statutes, or executive/court orders. The boundaries may cross state, county, or place boundaries.
Metropolitan Statistical Areas - An area that consists of one or more counties and has a total minimum population of 100,000 or more.
Urbanized Areas - Comprised of one or more places and the adjacent densely settled surrounding territory that have a minimum population of 50,000.
Two functions enable downloading of data from this database. They include the Print function and the Copy or Copyfile function.
The Print function is the only option for downloading GENERAL PROFILES of geographic areas.
- Select desired geographic level.
- Highlight GENERAL PROFILES with the arrow keys. Press [Enter].
- Highlight Social Characteristics, Labor Force and Commuting, Income and Poverty, or Housing Characteristics with the arrow keys. Press [Enter] to select the desired table or dataset.
- Press P (for Print).
- Use the arrow keys to highlight "Print -profile- to File" and press [Enter].
- Type the disk drive where the disk is located and name the file. Example: a:\Census.doc.
- Press [Enter] to select.
Use the Print function to DOWNLOAD A SINGLE TABLE FOR SINGLE AREA or a SINGLE ITEM (LINE OF DATA) FOR SEVERAL AREAS (i.e., ALL COUNTIES IN A STATE).
- Select desired geographic level.
- Select desired table or dataset.
- Press P (for Print).
- Highlight Complete Table for This Area or Single Item for Several Areas using the arrow keys. Press [Enter]. (By selecting Complete Table for This Area, only one table for one area is downloaded, by selecting Single Item for Several Areas, one line of data for several areas is downloaded.)
- Select "Print-table-to File."
- Type the disk drive where the disk is located and name the file. Example: a:\Census.doc.
- Press [Enter] to select.
Use the Copy or Copyfile function to download complete tables for several areas.
Data may be downloaded in the following formats:
- ASCII (flat/sdf) - for reading data.
- ASCII (delimited) - for future manipulation.
- WKI (spreadsheet).
- dBASE.
To download the desired table or dataset for ALL places in a state:
- Select Place from the summary or geographic level.
- Select ANY area (Place).
- Select desired dataset, (i.e., Households).
- Press [C] to copyfile. Hit any key.
- Select a copyfile format and press [Enter] to select.
- Type in the disk drive where the disk is located and name the file. Example: a:\Census.doc.
- Highlight Y or N to create technical documentation. The technical documentation includes field information and can be used as a template for downloading files. It is recommended that the technical documentation be downloaded. Press [Enter] to select. Data on households for all places in a state will download.
To download the desired table or dataset for ALL counties in a state:
- Select County (totals) from the summary or geographic level.
- Select ANY area (county).
- Select desired dataset (i.e., Age).
- Press [C] to copyfile. Hit any key.
- Select a copyfile format and press [Enter] to select.
- Type in the disk drive where the disk is located and name the file. Example: a:\Census.doc.
- Highlight Y or N to create technical documentation. The technical documentation includes field information and can be used as a template for downloading files. It is recommended that the technical documentation be downloaded. Press [Enter] to select. Data on Age for all counties in a state will download.
To download the desired table or dataset for ALL Census Tracts or Block Numbering Areas in a County in a state:
- Select Census Tract/Block Numbering Area (totals) from the summary or geographic level.
- Select ANY area (county).
- Select a Census Tract or Block Numbering Area.
- Select desired dataset (i.e., Hispanic Origin).
- Press [C] to copyfile. Hit any key.
- Select a copyfile format and press [Enter] to select.
- Type in the disk drive where the disk is located and name the file. Example: a:\Census.doc.
- Highlight Y or N to create technical documentation. The technical documentation includes field information and can be used as a template for downloading files. It is recommended that the technical documentation be downloaded. Press [Enter] to select. Data on Hispanic Origin for all Census Tracts or Block Numbering Areas in a county in a state will download.
To download the desired table or dataset for ALL Block Groups in a Census Tract or Block Numbering Group in a state:
- Select Block Group (totals) from the summary or geographic level.
- Select ANY area (county).
- Select a Block Numbering Area.
- Select a Block Group.
- Select desired dataset (i.e., Sex by Age).
- Press [C] to copyfile. Hit any key.
- Select a copyfile format and press [Enter] to select.
- Type in the disk drive where the disk is located and name the file. Example: a:\Census.doc.
- Highlight Y or N to create technical documentation. The technical documentation includes field information and can be used as a template for downloading files. It is recommended that the technical documentation be downloaded. Press [Enter] to select. Data on Sex by Age for all Block Groups within a Census Tract or Block Numbering Group in a state will download.
To download the desired table or dataset for ALL County Subdivisions within a county in a state:
- Select County Subdivision (MCD/CCD) (totals) from the summary or geographic level.
- Select ANY area (county).
- Select a town, village, or city.
- Select desired dataset (i.e., Ancestry).
- Press [C] to copyfile. Hit any key.
- Select a copyfile format and press [Enter] to select.
- Type in the disk drive where the disk is located and name the file. Example: a:\Census.doc.
- Highlight Y or N to create technical documentation. The technical documentation includes field information and can be used as a template for downloading files. It is recommended that the technical documentation be downloaded. Press [Enter] to select. Data on Ancestry for all county subdivisions within a county in a state will download.
To download the desired table or dataset for ALL American Indian Reservation and Trust Lands in a state:
- Select American Indian Reservation, etc. from the summary or geographic level.
- Select ANY area (reservation, trust land, or county).
- Select desired dataset (i.e., Educational attainment).
- Press [C] to copyfile. Hit any key.
- Select a copyfile format and press [Enter] to select.
- Type in the disk drive where your disk is located and name the file. Example: a:\Census.doc.
- Highlight Y or N to create technical documentation. The technical documentation includes field information and can be used as a template for downloading files. It is recommended that the technical documentation be downloaded. Press [Enter] to select. Data on Educational Attainment for all reservations, trust lands, or counties in a state will download.
To download the desired table or dataset for ALL Metropolitan Statistical Areas in a state:
- Select Metropolitan Statistical Area from the summary or geographic level.
- Select ANY area.
- Select desired dataset (i.e., Period of military service).
- Press [C] to copyfile. Hit any key.
- Select a copyfile format and press [Enter] to select.
- Type in the disk drive where your disk is located and name the file. Example: a:\Census.doc.
- Highlight Y or N to create technical documentation. The technical documentation includes field information and can be used as a template for downloading files. It is recommended that the technical documentation be downloaded. Press [Enter] to select. Data on Period of Military Service in all Metropolitan Statistical Areas in a state will download.
To download the desired table or dataset for ALL Urbanized Areas in a state:
- Select Urbanized Area from the summary or geographic level.
- Select ANY area (city, town, or village).
- Select desired dataset (i.e., Families).
- Press [C] to copyfile. Hit any key.
- Select a copyfile format and press [Enter] to select.
- Type in the disk drive where your disk is located and name the file. Example: a:\Census.doc.
- Highlight Y or N to create technical documentation. The technical documentation includes field information and can be used as a template for downloading files. It is recommended that the technical documentation be downloaded. Press [Enter] to select. Data on Families in all Urbanized Areas in a state will download.
