SafeGraph's open census dataset includes two components:
- All demographic data from the American Community Survey (2016) 5-year estimate on the Census Block Group level.
- All census block group boundaries formatted as a GeoJSON file.
The entire dataset is available for download for free at the SafeGraph Open Census Data page.
Check out the starter guide: Everything you need to know to get started with Census and American Community Survey Data
File Structure
The data is comprised of three directories:
/data/- Includes all Census attribute tables.
- All files are pipe-delimited CSVs where the Census Block Group number (
census_block_group) is the primary key. - Census attribute tables are identified by their Census table ID. For example,
cbg_b01.csvcontains the table IDs that begin withb01such asB01001.
/geometry/- Contains one GeoJSON file entitled
cbg.geojsonwith the polygons for all Census Block Groups.
- Contains one GeoJSON file entitled
/metadata/cbg_field_descriptions.csv: a mapping between census attribute name and table IDcbg_fips_codes.csv: a mapping between census block group numbers to cities and countiescbg_geographic_data.csv: statistics about census block group geometry (land/water %, interpolated lat/long).
Census Demographic Data
Census Attribute Tables (/data/cbg_[tableid-prefix].csv)
Every attribute table contains several Table ID columns. The specific number of Table ID columns in an attribute table depends on the table ID prefix.
| Column Name | Description | Type | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
census_block_group |
The unique 12-digit FIPS code for the Census Block Group. Please note that some CBGs have leading zeroes. | String | 010010201001 |
Table ID (e.g., B01001e1) |
The sample values associated with the table ID of interest. For example, if the table ID of interest was B01001e1 the value would be the SEX BY AGE: Total: Total population -- (Estimate) for the Census Block Group listed in census_block_group. |
Integer | For table ID B01001e1, a sample value would be 745 for Census Block Group 010010201001. |
| Table ID | As above | ||
| ... | As above | Integer | As above |
| [number of columns varies by file] |
Field Descriptions (/metadata/cbg_field_descriptions.csv)
The field descriptions table provides a mapping between the table ID used in attribute tables and the description of the field. A full list of table definitions can be found in the American Community Survey documentation.
| Column Name | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
TableID |
The Census Table ID as defined by the Census Bureau. | B23007e36 |
field_full_name |
The full name of the census attribute. | Presence Of Own Children Under 18 Years By Family Type By Employment: No children under 18 years: Married-couple family: Husband in labor force: Employed or in Armed Forces: Wife in labor force: Employed or in Armed Forces: Opposite-sex married-couple families and families maintained by women and men with no spouse present -- (Estimate) |
field_level_1 |
The first level of demographic focus for the selected attribute. | Presence Of Own Children Under 18 Years By Family Type By Employment Status |
field_level_2 |
The second level of demographic focus for the selected attribute. | No Children Under 18 Years |
field_level_3 |
The third level of demographic focus for the selected attribute. | Married-Couple Family |
field_level_4 |
The fourth level of demographic focus for the selected attribute. | Husband In Labor Force |
field_level_5 |
The fifth level of demographic focus for the selected attribute. | Employed Or In Armed Forces |
field_level_6 |
The sixth level of demographic focus for the selected attribute. | Wife In Labor Force |
field_level_7 |
The seventh level of demographic focus for the selected attribute. | Employed Or In Armed Forces |
field_level_8 |
The eighth level of demographic focus for the selected attribute. | Opposite-Sex Married-Couple Families And Families Maintained By Women And Men With No Spouse Present -- (Estimate) |
Other Reference Data
FIPS Codes (/metadata/cbg_fips_codes.csv)
The FIPS codes file provides a reference file to derive state and county for a census block group through the state and county FIPS codes. The first two digits of a Census Block Group represent the state_fips code and the next three digits represent a county_fips code.
| Column Name | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
state |
State Abbreviation | AL |
state_fips |
The state FIPS code that maps to the first 2 digits of a CBG. | 01 |
county_fips |
The county FIPS code that maps to the 3rd-5th digits of a CBG. | 013 |
county |
County Name | Butler County |
class_code |
Geographic Class Code representing types of geographies per Census documentation. | H1 |
Geographic Data (/metadata/cbg_geographic_data.csv)
| Column Name | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
census_block_group |
Census Block Group number | 010010203001 |
amount_land |
The amount of land in the Census Block Group in square meters. | 3866515 |
amount_water |
The amount of water in the Census Block Group in square meters. | 9054 |
latitude |
The interpolated center latitude coordinate of the Census Block Group. | 32.480175 |
longitude |
The interpolated center longitude coordinate of the Census Block Group. | -86.4607925 |
Census Data is made available under the CC0 license
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Updated 3 days ago