Web-based Resources for Rural Research

This guide lists selected general and specialized Web-based resources that provide demographic, economic and/or other information about rural areas of North America.

U.S. Census Bureau Censuses and Surveys

Government Portals and Databases

The U.S. Census Bureau and other federal, regional, state, and local government agencies offer a variety of Web-based portals and databases that provide public access to census and survey data as well as statistics from other miscellaneous sources. These include:

U.S. Census Bureau. American FactFinder. Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau, 2001-to date. http://factfinder.census.gov/home/saff/main.html?_lang=en (accessed August 17, 2009).
The U.S. Census Bureau's portal for population, housing, economic, and geographic data. The page also includes a community fact sheet generator.

U.S. Census Bureau. State & County QuickFacts. Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau, n.d.
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/index.html (accessed August 17, 2009).
State & County QuickFacts provides a clickable map and drop down lists to create profiles containing basic demographic, business, and geography statistics for individual states, counties, cities and towns with more than 25,000 people, as well as the nation as a whole.

U.S. Census Bureau. County and City Data Book: 2000. Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau, 2001. http://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/ccdb.html (accessed August 17, 2009).
The County and City Data Book provides state and county-level data, including population by age, sex, and race; group quarters and households; vital statistics and health; education, income, and poverty, crime, housing, and building permits; labor force and business establishments and employment; personal income and earnings; manufacturing; farm population, farm earnings, and agriculture; wholesale trade and retail trade; and more. It also includes selected demographic and other data for cities of 25,000 or more population as well as places/MCDs of 2,500 or more population.

U.S. Census Bureau. CenStats Databases. Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau, n.d.
http://www.census.gov/prod/www/ccdb.html (accessed August 17, 2009).
A portal to the following U.S. Census Bureau census databases:

Building Permits
http://censtats.census.gov/bldg/bldgprmt.shtml
Statistics on new residential and nonresidential construction; updated monthly

Census Tract Street Locator
http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/AGSGeoAddressServlet?_lang=en&_programYear=50&_treeId=420
Tool for finding census tract numbers for residential street addresses

County Business Patterns
http://censtats.census.gov/cbpnaic/cbpnaic.shtml

International Trade Data
http://censtats.census.gov/naic3_6/naics3_6.shtml
Exports and imports by Standard International Trade Classification (SITC); updated monthly.

Census 2000 Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)
http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DTGeoSearchByListServlet?ds_name=DEC_2000_PL_U&_lang=en&_ts=147964114927
Census of Population and Housing Public Law 94-171 data--age by race and Hispanic origin

USA Counties
http://censtats.census.gov/usa/usa.shtml
Demographic and economic data for states and counties; updated every two years

U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000 Data for the State of Pennsylvania. Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau.
http://www.census.gov/census2000/states/pa.html (accessed August 17, 2009).
T he U.S. Census Bureau's gateway to Census 2000 data for Pennsylvania; provides access to tables and maps containing demographic, economic, housing, and social characteristics.

U.S. Census Bureau. Consolidated Federal Funds Report. Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau.
http://www.census.gov/econ/overview/go1300.html (accessed August 17, 2009).
Provides “data on Federal government expenditures by state, county, and sub-county area. The United States Code, Titles 13 and 31, and a 1981 designation by the Office of Management and Budget, authorize this program and provide for mandatory responses. Other federal agencies provide the majority of the funding for the Census Bureau's work on this program” ( Consolidated Federal Funds Report [home page], http://www.census.gov/econ/overview/go1300.html ).

U.S. Government. FedStats. [Washington, DC: U.S. Government].
http://www.fedstats.gov/ (accessed August 17, 2009).
FedStats "provides access to the full range of official statistical information produced by...more than 100 [federal] agencies that provide data and trend information on such topics as economic and population trends, crime, education, health care, aviation safety, energy use, farm production and more" (About FedStats, http://www.fedstats.gov/aboutfedstats.html).

Pennsylvania State Data Center (PaSDC). The Pennsylvania State Data Center [home page]. Middletown, PA: Pennsylvania State Data Center.
http://pasdc.hbg.psu.edu/index.html (accessed August 17, 2009).
The Pennsylvania State Data Center (PaSDC) is the state's "official source of demographic and economic data." It also serves as "the official liaison to the US Census Bureau." The PaSDC website provides general information about the Center as well as data, information, and maps related to Pennsylvania.

Statistics on Children and Families

Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics. America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-being, 2009. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, July 2009.
http://www.childstats.gov/americaschildren/ (accessed August 17, 2009).
”The report presents 40 key indicators on important aspects of children's lives” (p. iii).

Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics. ChildStats.gov. [S.l.: Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics]. http://www.childstats.gov/index.asp (accessed August 17, 2009).
”This website offers easy access to statistics and reports on children and families, including: family and social environment, economic circumstances, health care, physical environment and safety, behavior, education, and health. The Forum fosters coordination, collaboration, and integration of Federal efforts to collect and report data on conditions and trends for children and families” (ChildStats.gov homepage).

Rogers, Carolyn C. Rural Children at a Glance. Economic Information Bulletin Number 1. Washington, DC: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, March 2005.
http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/EIB1/EIB1.pdf (accessed August 17, 2009).

Economic, Industry, and Labor Statistics

U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis. BEA: Local Area BEARFACTS. [Washington, DC]: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, last updated: April 26, 2007.
http://www.bea.gov/regional/bearfacts/countybf.cfm (accessed August 17, 2009).
Computer-generated narratives for states, counties, metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), and BEA Economic Areas. The narratives include: per capita personal income, total personal income, components of personal income (e.g., net earnings; dividends, interest, and rent; and personal current transfer receipts), and earnings by place of work. Note: Allows comparisons between "the year of your choice (1979–2005) with a year that falls ten years prior."

Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. Business Outlook Survey. Philadelphia, PA: Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. http://www.philadelphiafed.org/econ/bos/ (accessed August 17, 2009).
"The Business Outlook Survey is a monthly survey of manufacturers in the Third Federal Reserve District. Participants indicate the direction of change in overall business activity and in the various measures of activity at their plants: employment, working hours, new and unfilled orders, shipments inventories, delivery times, prices paid, and prices received. The survey has been conducted each month since May 1968" (Business Outlook Survey home page).

U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. ERS/USDA Briefing Room: Rural Income, Poverty, and Welfare [web page]. Washington, DC: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, updated July 17, 2006.
http://www.ers.usda.gov/briefing/IncomePovertyWelfare/ (accessed August 17, 2009).

U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis. Local Area Personal Income. [Washington, DC]: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, last updated: August 6, 2009.
http://www.bea.gov/regional/reis/ (accessed August 17, 2009).

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Bureau of Labor Statistics Home Page. Washington, DC: United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
http://www.bls.gov/ (accessed August 17, 2009).
"The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is the principal fact-finding agency for the Federal Government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics. The BLS is an independent national statistical agency that collects, processes, analyzes, and disseminates essential statistical data to the American public, the U.S. Congress, other Federal agencies, State and local governments, business, and labor. The BLS also serves as a statistical resource to the Department of Labor." (BLS Mission Statement, http://www.bls.gov/bls/blsmissn.htm). Types of data available from the BLS website include national, state, and local unemployment rates, earnings, as well as demographic characteristics of the labor force.

Education Statistics

Snyder, Thomas D., Sally A. Dillow, and Charlene M. Hoffman. Digest of Education Statistics. Washington, DC: U.S. Dept. of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics.
http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/ (accessed August 17, 2009).
A “series of publications initiated in 1962, the Digest's primary purpose is to provide a compilation of statistical information covering the broad field of American education from prekindergarten through graduate school." The Digest contains data on a variety of education-related topics, "including the number of schools and colleges, teachers, enrollments, and graduates, in addition to educational attainment, finances, federal funds for education, libraries, and international education ” (Digest of Education Statistics home page).. Note: Data is published approximately one year after it is collected.

Library Statistics

U.S. Dept. of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences. Library Statistics Program (List of Products). Washington, DC: Author.
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/getpubcats.asp?sid=041 (accessed August 17, 2009).
Provides links to full text electronic publications that provide statistical information about academic, public, school, and other libraries in the United States.

Local Governments

National Association of Towns and Townships. NATAT National Association of Towns and Townships Home Page. Washington, DC: National Association of Towns and Townships (NATAT).
http://www.natat.org/ (accessed August 17, 2009).
The purpose of the National Association of Towns and Townships (NATaT) " champion fair-share federal funding decisions and to promote legislative and regulatory policies designed to strengthen grassroots local government" (NATaT National Association of Towns and Townships About Us, http://www.natat.org/about_us.html).

Population Migration Statistics

U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. ERS/USDA Briefing Room: Rural Population and Migration [web page]. Washington, DC: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, updated November 7, 2008.
http://www.ers.usda.gov/Briefing/Population/ (accessed August 17, 2009).

Statistics on Rural Hispanic/Latino Populations

Kandel, William. Rural Hispanics at a Glance. Economic Information Bulletin Number 8. Washington, DC: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, December 2005.
http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/EIB8/eib8.pdf (accessed August 17, 2009).

Telecommunications Statistics

Day, Jennifer Cheeseman, Alex Janus, and Jessica Davis. Computer and Internet Use in the United States: October 2007. Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau, June 2009.
http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/computer/2007.html (accessed August 17, 2009).

Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Industry Analysis and Technology Division, Wireline Competition Bureau. High-speed Services for Internet Access: Status as of June 30, 2008. Washington, DC: FCC, July 2009.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-292191A1.pdf (accessed August 17, 2009).

Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Statistics of Communications Common Carriers. Washington, DC: FCC. http://www.fcc.gov/wcb/iatd/socc.html (accessed August 17, 2009).
Publication provides data on revenues and earnings of local and long distance telephone companies as well as other related information.

Belinfante, Alexander. Telephone Subscribership in the United States (Data through November 2008). Washington, DC: Federal Communications Commission, June 2009.
http://www.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2009/db0604/DOC-291222A1.pdf (accessed August 17, 2009).
Provides data on telephone "subscribership levels by state, income level, race, age, household size, and employment status" (Executive summary).

Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Industry Analysis and Technology Division, Wireline Competition Bureau. Trends in Telephone Service. Washington, DC: FCC, August 2008.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-284932A1.pdf (accessed August 17, 2009).
"Contains summary information about the size, growth, and development of the telephone industry, including data on market shares, minutes of calling, number of lines, and telephone subscribership. The report also provides information about access charges, advanced telecommunications, consumer expenditures for service, infrastructure, international telephone traffic, local telephone competition, telephone rates and price changes, toll service providers, and universal service support" (Introduction, p. 1-1).

Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Wireline Competition Bureau Statistical Reports [home page](formerly FCC-State Link). Washington, DC: FCC.
http://www.fcc.gov/wcb/iatd/stats.html (accessed August 17, 2009) .
Provides access to the reports and data prepared by the Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau's Industry Analysis and Technology Division. The reports and data are arranged into the following categories: a) recent releases, b) statistical trends in telephony, c) local and long distance telephone industries, d) local telephone competition and broadband deployment, e) statistics of communications common carriers, f) telephone industry infrastructure and service quality, g) Federal-State Joint Board monitoring reports, h) National Exchange Carrier Association and Universal Service Administrative company data, i) international traffic data, and j) telephone numbering facts.

Pew Research Center. Pew Internet & American Life Project [website]. Washington, D.C.: Pew Research Center.
http://www.pewinternet.org/ (accessed August 17, 2009) .
The Pew Internet & American Life Project "produces reports exploring the impact of the internet on families, communities, work and home, daily life, education, health care, and civic and political life" (About Us, Pew Internet & American Life Project, http://www.pewinternet.org/About-Us.aspx).

Transportation Statistics

U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA). Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS)-- Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) [home page]. Washington, DC: U.S. Dept. of Transportation.
http://www.bts.gov/ (accessed August 17, 2009).
The website is a comprehensive source for data and statistical information on all types of transportation in the United States .

U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration. Office of Highway Policy Information. Highway Statistics Publications. Washington, DC: U.S. Dept. of Transportation. http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policy/ohpi/hss/hsspubs.cfm (accessed August 17, 2009).

Brown, Dennis M. Rural Transportation at a Glance. Economic Information Bulletin Number 795. Washington, DC: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, January 2005.
http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/AIB795/AIB795_lowres.pdf (accessed August 17, 2009).

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) [website]. Harrisburg, PA: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
http://www.dot.state.pa.us/ (accessed August 17, 2009).
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's official website.

Community Profiles

Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. Community Profiles. Philadelphia, PA: Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. http://www.philadelphiafed.org/cca/profiles/ (accessed August 17, 2009).
Profiles of metropolitan statistical areas (MSA) or portions of MSAs within the Third Federal Reserve District (the Third District is comprised of eastern and central Pennsylvania counties as well as the state of Delaware). The reports, prepared by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia's Community Affairs Department, include:

• "An Introduction – provides a geographical overview of the area and maps.
• Historical Information – provides a brief historical overview of the area and links to historical websites.
• Demographic and Economic Data – offers an overview on data pertaining to population, housing, income, poverty levels, the unemployment rate, education, and local industries. This section also provides links to websites that allow users to obtain additional demographic and economic data.
• Financial Institutions and Market Share Data – outlines the deposit share of FDIC-insured financial institutions and the market share of selected small-business, small-farm, and home mortgage lending.
• Community Organizations - provides information about affordable housing, social service, economic development, and community revitalization organizations in the area whose interests, activities, and initiatives improve the housing conditions and employment opportunities of residents. These groups represent potential partners for lenders seeking to more fully address the credit needs of each region's low- and moderate-income people and communities.
• Funding Sources – summarizes public sources of funds that support affordable housing, social service, economic development and community revitalization initiatives at the national, state, and local levels."
  

Maps and Charts

U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000 Urban and Rural Classification. Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/ua/ua_2k.html (accessed August 17, 2009).
U.S. Census Bureau's urban and rural classification Web page which provides "... information about the Census 2000 urban and rural delineation" and also provides the criteria used by the Census Bureau to "... delineate urban and rural areas based on the results of Census 2000."

City-data.com. City-data.com [website].
http://www.city-data.com/ (accessed August 17, 2009).
This site provides profiles on U.S. cities and towns of all sizes based upon data collected and analyzed from a variety of sources (including the US Census Bureau). Profiles include pictures, maps, satellite photos, statistics about residents (race, income, ancestries, education, employment, etc), geographical data, crime data, weather, hospitals, schools, libraries, airports, radio and TV stations, zip codes, area codes, similar cities list, comparisons to averages. Note: Pictures and satellite photos are included only in a limited number of profiles.

U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. ERS/USDA Research Emphasis--An Enhanced Quality of Life for Rural Americans: Rural Gallery [web page]. Washington, DC: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, updated October 12, 2007 . http://www.ers.usda.gov/Emphases/Rural/Gallery/ (accessed August 17, 2009).
Provides links to maps, charts, and tables, including county-level maps depicting nonmetropolitan and metropolitan counties, nonmetro population change, ethnic and racial groups as a percentage of the total population, net migration, unemployment, and more.

U.S. Government. MapStats. [Washington, DC: U.S. Government].
http://www.fedstats.gov/qf/ (accessed August 17, 2009).
A companion website to FedStats that provides "statistical profiles of states, counties, cities, congressional districts, and federal judicial districts."

NationalGeographic.com. National Geographic MapMachine.
http://plasma.nationalgeographic.com/mapmachine/index.html (accessed August 17, 2009).
A tool for making maps in categories such as world themes, U.S. themes, street maps, atlas maps, and historical maps.

U.S. Census Bureau. Quickfacts: Thematic Maps. Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau.
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/maps/thematic/index.html (accessed August 17, 2009).
An application that generates thematic maps for the United States and/or individual states. Themes available include: 1) Population, percent change, 1990 to 2000; 2) Persons under 18 years old, percent; 3) White persons, percent, 2000; 4) Black or African American persons, percent 2000; 5) American Indian and Alaska Native persons, percent 2000; 6) Asian persons, percent, 2000; and 6) Persons per square mile, 2000.

U.S. Census Bureau. Reference Maps--American FactFinder. Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ReferenceMapFramesetServlet?_lang=en (accessed August 17, 2009).
"A tool to view the boundaries of census geographies, such as counties, cities and towns, urban areas, congressional districts, census tracts, census blocks, and more."-- U.S. Census Bureau. Maps in American FactFinder.

U.S. Census Bureau. State and County Quickfacts [website]. Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau.
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd (accessed August 17, 2009).
Provides access to census data covering people, business, and geography at the national, state, and county level for the United States .

Rural Definitions

United States Department of Agriculture. Economic Research Service. ERS/USDA Data--Rural Definitions. [Washington, DC].: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, updated September 4, 2007.
http://www.ers.usda.gov/Data/ruraldefinitions/ (accessed August 17, 2009).
"We have selected a representative set of nine alternative rural definitions and compare social and economic indicators from the 2000 decennial census across the nine definitions. We chose socioeconomic indicators (population, education, poverty, etc.) that are commonly used to highlight differences between urban and rural areas."

Additional Resources

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. Rural America at a Glance. 2008 ed. Economic Information Bulletin Number 40. Washington, DC: United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, October 2008.
http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/EIB40/EIB40.pdf (accessed August 17, 2009).
Brief demographic and economic profile of rural America; includes sections on international migration, employment, and other issues.

U.S. Census Bureau. Availability of Census Records about Individuals. (Factfinder for the Nation, CFF-2). Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau, June 2008. http://www.census.gov/prod/2000pubs/cff-2.pdf (accessed August 17, 2009).

U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000 Basics. Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau, September 2002. http://www.census.gov/mso/www/c2000basics/00Basics.pdf (accessed September 10, 2007).

Tate, Marsha Ann. Finding Information about Rural America [PowerPoint presentation]. University Park, PA: Dept. of Plant Pathology, September 11, 2007. PowerPoint version; PDF version.

Page created and maintained by:

Marsha Ann Tate, Ph.D.
Librarian and Web Coordinator
Department of Plant Pathology
The Pennsylvania State University
222 Buckhout Laboratory
University Park, PA USA 16802-4507
Phone: 814-865-7736
Email: mat1@psu.edu