Data Sources

Abstract

Demographic data are collected, produced, and distributed by a variety of federal, state, and local government agencies and private companies (e.g. Bryan 2004a; Murdock and Ellis: Chapter 3). These data are available as printed publications, unpublished reports, and electronic data files, with greater access and availability of data on the Internet. Table 3.1 shows the Web site addresses for commonly used public data sites. Data are often replicated in secondary sources such as professional journals, textbooks, and statistical abstracts. We will discuss the most important sources of demographic data used for population estimation in the United States.