Finding Census Information

Census.gov
http://www.census.gov
The main Census Bureau home page, with links to a variety of data sources and tools, including updates on Census 2000 data.  

American FactFinder
http://factfinder.census.gov/
A new interactive database engine that provides access to facts and information about your community, economy and society. The system finds and retrieves the information you need for the geography of your choice from some of the Census Bureau's largest databases (the 1997 Economic Census, the American Community Survey, the 1990 Census, Census 2000 Dress Rehearsal, and Census 2000). 

Censtats Databases
http://censtats.census.gov/
This site gives information on the Building Permits, Census Tract Street Locator, County Business Patterns, International Trade Data, Occupation by Race and Sex, USA Counties, and Zip Business Patterns. Use this site for easy and basic demographic statistics using a zip code!

geostat: County Business Patterns
http://fisher.lib.Virginia.EDU/cbp/
The County Business Patterns data base provides county, state, and national level business data for 1977 to the most recent year available. Statistics include number of establishments, payroll (annual and 1st quarter), number of employees, and number of establishments by size class for 2 digit SIC industry groupings. The data is collected annually by the Bureau of the Census. For more recent data see the census site at http://www.census.gov.

Map Stats
http://www.fedstats.gov/mapstats/
Map Stats is an easy way to view profiles of states and counties. Select a state for more information by clicking on this colorful map. Information available includes a state profile, Congressional Districts, and State Data Centers. From the state maps you can select a county for a county profile, including Population estimates, Income and poverty, recent Economic Census, County Business Patterns Economic Profiles and USA Counties General Profiles. 

U.S. Gazetteer
http://www.census.gov/cgi-bin/gazetteer
Place, County Search Engine for retrieving 1990 Census data. This gazetteer is used to identify places to view with the TIGER Map Server and obtain census data from the 1990 Census Lookup server. You can search for places, counties or MCDs (minor civil divisions) by entering the name and state abbreviation (optional), or 5-digit zip code. This dataset does not contain unincorporated place names. 

Geographic Services and Information
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/
This page provides links to services such as the TIGER Page (descriptions of digital geographic products, downloads, and FAQs), and The TIGER Map Service for Online Mapping. The Census GSI is both a database for spatially-referenced (using a set of coordinates) data, as well as a set of operations for working with the data. This page also provides updates and information regarding new census geographical areas used in Census 2000. 

Geographic Areas Reference Manual
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/garm.html
The place to go to find out how Census geography is defined. The Geographic Areas Reference Manual describes in great detail the basic geographic entities the Census Bureau uses in its various data tabulations and documents the purposes, definitions, standards, criteria, and procedures used to select, define, delineate, and revise these geographic entities. 

GLOSSARY of the Geographic Areas Reference Manual
http://www.census.gov/ftp/pub/geo/www/GARM/glosGARM.pdf
This glossary is part of the Geographic Areas Reference Manual files. It is a separate PDF file that requires Adobe Acrobat in order to view it.