What is Demographic Data?
Demographic data provides information about basic human characteristics of a market or population. These web resources support demographic research. Demographic segmentation divides consumers into groups based on variables such as age, gender, income, occupation, stage in lifecycle, generation, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, and social class.
REMEMBER: Psychographic data may also be located in these resources so be sure to understand the definitions of demographic and psychographic data.
Demographic Data Sources
- American Community SurveyPremier source for detailed information about the American people and workforce.
- American FactFinderCensus Bureau's primary vehicle for the dissemination of data. Use it to view, print and download statistics about population, housing, industry and business.
- Census Business BuilderThe Census Business Builder is a suite of services that provides selected demographic and economic data from the Census Bureau tailored to specific types of users in a simple to access and use format. This suite currently includes the Small Business Edition (SBE) and the Regional Analyst Edition (RAE).
- Census ExplorerU.S. Census Bureau’s interactive map series
- CensusScopeAn easy-to-use tool for investigating U.S. demographic trends, brought to you by the Social Science Data Analysis Network (SSDAN) at the University of Michigan.
- City-Data.comA collection of data from numerous sources that create profiles of U.S. cities.
- Data.govHome of the U.S. Government’s open data.
- Federal Reserve Beige BookCollection of anecdotal information on current economic conditions from each of the twelve Federal Reserve District Banks gathered from reports from Bank and Branch directors and interviews with key business contacts, economists, market experts and other sources. This resource summarizes information by District and sector. Published eight times per year.
- LIU Post - Institutional ProfileDocument that provides an encapsulated overview of important institutional statistics.
- New York State Data CenterNew York State's primary and most comprehensive source for economic and demographic data.
- State Data Center (SDC) ProgramThe SDC lead agencies organize a statewide network of coordinating and affiliate agencies. This network works in partnership with the Census Bureau through the Data Users Branch (DUB) and the Census Bureau's Regional Offices for data dissemination at the local level.
- Statista This link opens in a new windowStatista is a statistics, market research and business intelligence portal. It provides access to data from market and opinion research institutions, as well as from business organizations and government institutions.
- U.S. Census Bureau Monthly & Annual Retail TradeBegin here to locate the Advance Monthly and Monthly Retail Trade Surveys (MARTS and MRTS), the Annual Retail Trade Survey (ARTS), and the Quarterly E-Commerce Report.
- U.S. Census Bureau QuickFactsProvides easy access to facts about the people, business and geography of the U.S.
- U.S. Census Bureau State Data Center ProgramThe State Data Center Program is a cooperative effort of the US Census Bureau and the states to improve public access to census statistics and information. All states participate.
- U.S. Department of Labor: Bureau of Labor StatisticsInformation about consumers arranged in various demographic categories, including annual consumer expenditure reports, the consumer price index, and employment information.
- U.S. Small Business AdministrationReliable sources for free customer and market data and trends, including demographics.
Demographic Data in e-Books
Consumer Behavior 2017-2018Surveys analyzing consumer spending characteristics, behavioral responses, and preferences. Integrates the full spectrum of applied consumer psychology, demographics, and purchasing influences with major consumer surveys. This is only one title in the RKMA Market Research Handbook series.
American Marketplace: Demographics and Spending PatternsISBN: 1937737217Demographics and spending patterns of American consumers in one handy volume.
Best Customers: Demographics of Consumer DemandBased on unpublished data from the Consumer Expenditure Survey—you can't find this on the Internet—Best Customers identifies which households spend the most on a product or service (the best customers) and which control the largest share of spending (the biggest customers).
Household Spending: Who Spends How Much on WhatBased on unpublished data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, this resource provides dollar-for-dollar answers to the questions Who buys? What do they buy? How much do they spend? It also gives you market shares and spending indexes.
Market Share Reporter (In Business Insights: Essentials database)Presents comparative business statistics. Each entry features a descriptive title; data and market description; a list of producers/products along with their market share; and cites original sources.
Proquest Statistical Abstract of the United StatesComprehensive summary of statistics on the social, political, and economic organization of the United States. Sources for statistical tables are identified below each table.
Racial and Ethnic DiversityProfiles diversity of U.S. population.
Who’s Buying ApparelExamines how much Americans spend on apparel, organized by demographics. Also provides data on the best and biggest customers of various types of apparel.
Who’s Buying by AgeBased on unpublished data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Expenditure Survey. For anyone who needs to know spending patterns by age - the most important predictor of spending. A unique source for weekly and quarterly spending data. Along with in-depth annual spending data, it provides a full picture not only of what households buy and how much they spend, but how often they buy certain items.
Who’s Buying by Race and Hispanic OriginPresents detailed product-by-product household spending statistics for Asians, blacks, Hispanics, and non-Hispanic whites.
Who’s Buying EntertainmentExamines how much Americans spend on amusing themselves by demographics: age, income, high-income households, household type, race and Hispanic origin, region of residence, and education.
Who’s Buying Health CareExamines how much Americans spend out-of-pocket on their health by demographics. Products and services examined include health insurance, medical services, drugs, and medical supplies.
Who’s Buying: Executive Summary of Household SpendingThis reference is designed to give researchers insights into consumer spending trends and patterns and how the patterns differ by demographic characteristics.
