The State Census Data Center (SCDC) was established on January 1, 1979, to serve as the central point for the dissemination of census data in California. The SCDC program was instituted by the U.S. Census Bureau to increase and improve public access to census data products.
The SCDC provides services to state and local government agencies and to the general public. The Center processes machine-readable data files; prepares customized reports; and provides user consultation, data analysis, mapping, and training workshops upon request. The SCDC library houses publications and maps from the decennial censuses, the American Community Survey, the Current Population Survey, and other special and periodic surveys.
The SCDC local network is composed of five regional and 36 affiliate centers located throughout the State. Working with the SCDC, these regional and
affiliate centers provide census-related products and services to the 58 California counties. Download a list of the SCDC regional and affiliate centers.
Census Bureau Data
- American Community Survey – A nationwide survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau to provide communities with demographic, social, economic, and housing data every year.
- Census (Decennial) 2030, 2020, 2010, 2000 – The U.S. Census counts every resident in the United States. It is mandated by Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution and takes place every 10 years. The census has been conducted every 10 years in the United States since 1790.
- Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Data – Custom tabulation of data from the U.S. Census Bureau that is designed to measure the effects of and compliance with Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) laws.
Reports and Research
More Resources
- California State Census Data Center Network
- The Data Source Handbook, January 2015
- Tract to Tract Equivalency: 2010-2000 2000-1970
External Sources for Accessing Data
- Data.Census.Gov (data.census.gov) An online tool from the Census Bureau that replaces American FactFinder. It provides access to Census Bureau digital content and census data products from 2000 (Decennial Census SF1 only) and 2010 onward.
- National Historical Geographic Information System (NHGIS) (www.nhgis.org) A data project run by the Minnesota Population Center at the University of Minnesota to provide aggregate census data and GIS-compatible boundary files for the United States from 1790 and onward.
- Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS) (www.ipums.org) Harmonized historical population data at the individual-level (microdata) provided by the Minnesota Population Center at the University of Minnesota.
- Missouri Census Data Center (mcdc.missouri.edu) This site contains online applications for browsing census data of all kinds. The applications include Census data and archives for the entire United States at all geographic levels.
- Yearbook of Immigration Statistics (www.dhs.gov/yearbook-immigration-statistics) Reports and tables of legal migration from the Department of Homeland Security.
Comments, suggestions, or questions? Please email ficalpop@dof.ca.gov.