Hi, my name is Tyson Weister.
When you come to data.census.gov
for any data search,
you must choose between two ways
to get started:
the SINGLE SEARCH BAR,
or the ADVANCED SEARCH.
If you're not sure which is best
for your data needs,
this video is for you.
In this tutorial,
I'll show you some examples
to help get you started
with each search method
and provide some tips and tricks
to get the most
out of your search.
Let's go. When you visit
data.census.gov,
the landing page offers two ways
to start your data search:
the single search bar
and the advanced search link.
You can access both options
in the center of the page.
Let's take a closer look
at the SINGLE SEARCH BAR.
We recommend the SINGLE SEARCH
BAR when you want
to find a statistic quickly,
or for experienced data users
that know their table ID
or NAICS code.
You can enter search terms
for various topics, common types
of geographies, year of data,
table IDs, groups of tables,
or industry codes.
You don't have to search
for one search term
at a time either,
you can use a combination
of keywords like your topic
of interest
and a single geography.
The single search bar supports
geographies at the national,
state, county, city/town,
congressional district,
school district, tribal area,
and ZIP code levels.
If you're new
to Census Bureau data,
here are a few
of the high-level topics covered
in data.census.gov.
The single search bar allows you
the flexibility
to attempt a search
for any keyword,
but these are a few
recommendations
if you're not sure
where to start.
Now let's see how simple is
to use the single search bar
to find a quick statistic.
To start, let's say you are
interested in finding the
average commute
in Lakewood City, Colorado.
Click into the single search
bar, type COMMUTING
IN LAKEWOOD CITY, COLORADO
and press enter.
This takes you
to the ALL RESULTS page.
In this case, you will see
in the upper left
that the site found a match
for two filters: a topic filter
for commuting
and a geography filter
for Lakewood city, Colorado.
You will also notice a featured
statistic at the top
of the page.
It shows that the average travel
time to work
in Lakewood City was 27.2
minutes according
to the 2020 American Community
Survey 5-year estimates.
To explore the available data
in more detail,
simply click TABLES tab
at the top.
The list of table results shows
there are 174 other tables
to explore on this topic.
One helpful tip is
to look closely at your results
for table IDs and keywords
in the table names.
This is a great way
to improve your use
of the SINGLE SEARCH BAR
and get the most
out of the data platform
in future searches.
For our second example,
let's see how you can search
by table ID.
It's the most direct way
to get back
to a table result once you've
went through the steps
to find a table
that has data you are
interested in.
Simply click
into the single search bar
and type in your desired table
IDs separated by a space.
In this example,
we'll type 'DP02 DP03 DP04 DP05'
and press enter.
From here we can select each
table individually
to view the data.
If you're ever feeling
overwhelmed by the number
of table results you are
getting, I recommend checking
out these Data Profiles.
They cover the most popular
statistics across all topics
of the American Community Survey
in just a few tables.
Now let's click the U.S. Census
Bureau logo in the upper left
to clear out our search
and take us back
to the landing page.
Keep in mind
that when you use the single
search bar,
the system is making its one
best guess to interpret all the
text you typed.
We try to perfect the single
search functionality,
but our best guess may not
always match your intent
or expectations.
The good news is
that we offer another easy way
to choose pre-defined search
options using the
advanced search.
Now when you hear the word
"advanced," you may be wondering
"Is this the right search
for me?"
The ADVANCED SEARCH is
for all types of data users,
regardless if you are new
to Census data
or an experienced data user.
We recommend it anytime you want
to select topics, geographies,
years, surveys, programs,
or codes, especially
if you're having trouble finding
something through the single
search bar.
I love the advanced search
for three reasons.
First, it provides a guided
approach to select your
search criteria.
This allows you
to browse the available options
without requiring you
to have any knowledge
about Census Bureau data.
The second benefit is
that the advanced search is more
precise than the single
search bar.
All you have
to do is mark the check boxes
for any filters that you want
to include in your search.
You do not have to come
up with your own words
to describe your search or rely
on us to interpret them exactly
as you intended.
The third benefit
of the advanced search is
that it allows you
to access all available search
options including the full set
of geographies,
topics, and codes.
For example,
some types of geographies are
only available
through the advanced search,
such as metro areas,
census tracts, block groups,
and blocks.
Now let's see how easy it is
to find data using the
Advanced Search.
Imagine you want
to find the POPULATION
FOR ALL CENSUS TRACTS
IN SARATOGA COUNTY NEW YORK.
To get started,
click the ADVANCED SEARCH link
located directly below the
single search bar.
You'll see the phrase
"Find a Filter" on the left side
of the page.
We will click through a couple
of these categories.
I like to think the site is
asking us a series of questions
as we go along
and that our answers will guide
us to check boxes
that match our interests.
We're always looking
for a check box
as a final selection.
Any words or phrases you click
that do not have check boxes
provide more detailed options
to choose from.
Now we'll start using the
filters to select our geography.
Here we'll click Geography.
It asks us for the type.
We'll choose Tract.
It asks for a state.
We'll click New York.
Now it asks for a county.
Select Saratoga County,
New York.
Then click the check box
for ALL CENSUS TRACTS
WITHIN SARATOGA COUNTY
at the top of the list,
and make sure it's been added
to your selected filters
in the upper left.
Next we'll choose our topic.
Click Topics on the left
and select POPULATIONS
AND PEOPLE> COUNTS, ESTIMATES,
AND PROJECTIONS >
and then check the box next
to POPULATION TOTAL.
Once again make sure this
selection appears
in the upper left.
Click the SEARCH button
in the lower right,
and then click Tables
at the top.
Now we see our results.
The first table shows total
population from the 2020 Census
in the first row.
As we follow the row across,
we get these data
for each census tract
in Saratoga County.
As a final tip,
before you start selecting
filters, think
about what's the most critical
piece of information you need
to find.
If you absolutely need data
for a specific topic,
it's best to find
that filter first and add it
to your search.
From there you can add the
geography you need based
on what is available
for that topic.
On the other hand,
if the geography is most
important, you should start
with that filter instead.
So remember,
use the SINGLE SEARCH BAR
when you want
to find a key statistic quickly,
or when you know exactly what
data table you want to find;
Use the ADVANCED SEARCH
as a guided approach
to access all available search
options, or when you need a more
precise way
to select your search criteria.
Thank you for tuning
into this video.
For more helpful resources
on how to navigate
data.census.gov, apply filters,
create a map, or download data,
please visit the data.census.gov
Help website.