Elder Economic Security Standard™ (Elder) Index

The Elder Economic Security Standard™ Index (Elder Index), was developed by the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The Elder Index is a measure of the income that older adults need to meet their basic needs and age in place with dignity. The Elder Index is specific to household size, location, housing tenure, and […]

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State/County Fact Sheets (USDA)

Looking for recent demographic data and current information on farming and the economics of farming? Try these easy to use State Fact Sheets from the USDA Economic Research Service (ERS). You don’t have to wait until the release of the next Census of Agriculture for timely data. Much of the data is very current as […]

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STATS America

STATS America is an easy to use resource for a wide variety of data from many different sources (i.e. U.S. Census, Bureau of Economic Analysis, and Bureau of Labor Statistics). Data profiles on population, housing, income and labor are easily accessible at the state, county, and metro levels. Not only does STATS America compile data from many public and […]

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US Statistical Abstract

The U.S. Census Bureau terminated the collection of data for the Statistical Compendia program effective October 1, 2011. Historical data is still available. ——————————————————– Often overlooked in the scramble to find data, the Statistical Abstract of the United States was one of the best places to start looking for information. From 1878-2012, the Statistical Abstract […]

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Data on Religious Affiliation by County

Detailed county-level data on the number and of religious congregations and the number of members by church type is available free online. The data includes twelve major religions (i.e. Roman Catholic, Hindu, Islamic, Pentecostal) and 233 specific religious groups (i.e. Evangelical Methodist Church, Christian Science Churches, and Baha’i Faith). A new map-based exploration tool is also available. […]

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Historical U.S. Census Data (1790 to 2010)

Looking for historical U.S. Census data?  The U.S. Census provides easy access to historical population, housing, and agricultural data from 1790 to 2010.  Most of the of the data is available at the state and county levels.

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Defining Rural

The question “What is rural?” seems to be the subject to a never-ending debate. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service (ERS) provides some guidance. The ERS has identified nine different categories for classifying counties by their degree of urbanization. These nine Rural-Urban Continuum Codes are below: The ERS also has more […]

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American Human Development (HD) Index

The Human Development (HD) Index, a unique and valuable tool developed by the American Human Development Project, is a quality of life indicator comprised of three elements: health, knowledge, and standard of living. The three components are based on over 100 variables ranging from typical demographic data such as education, income, and employment to health […]

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American Community Survey

The U.S. Census American Community Survey (ACS) is the source for detailed demographic data at the national, state, and local levels. The ACS was provides more timely demographic, social, economic, and housing data than the decennial census. The ACS provides one-year estimates for geographic areas with populations of 65,000 or more. Three-year estimates are available […]

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USA Counties

Though the US Census Bureau no longer supports its old USA Counties database, the remaining page features a source file and other data files on many topics.

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