LibGuides: Researching a Market: Demographics

Demographics

Demographics are statistics regarding the characteristics of a population. Common characteristics are: age, gender, race, education level, and income level.

Market research involves investigating your target audience and identifying demographic attributes of that audience is an important aspect of this. In addition to databases the library provides for market research, here are some other popular sources of demographics.

United States

Free Resources:

Data.Census.Gov
This is the U.S. Census Bureau’s new dissemination platform. After July 1, 2019, all new data (previously released on American FactFinder) will be released on this new data platform. This platform will be the primary way to access data from the 2018 American Community Survey, 2017 Economic Census, 2020 Census, and more.
ESRI Tapestry: ZIP Lookup
Enter a U.S. ZIP Code and select a maximum of two topics (lifestyle and income information are automatically provided). Explore the results including descriptions of the top three segments in the selected ZIP code.
Mapping the Measure of America
Measure of America of the Social Science Research Council offers tools for understanding opportunity and well-being in America. Interactive maps, charts, and stacks reflecting health, education, and income indicators at varying levels of geography and population segments as well as demographics, housing and transportation statistics, and more. Also includes a City Explorer tool for the ten most populous areas in the U.S. (which includes Philadelphia).
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Requires Adobe Flash.
Social Explorer: Demographic Profiles
The free version of Social Explorer includes Demographic Profiles, an overview of the most popular demographic and socio-economic topics for a given geography. (Data source: American Community Survey)
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
Part of the U.S. Department of Labor, the BLS provides various labor market demographics including employment, unemployment, compensation, benefits, and consumer expenditures. The Current Population Survey (CPS) and Consumer Expenditure Survey (CE) are two popular surveys conducted by the BLS.
Zoom Prospector
Choose the best site for your business using the latest commercial real estate, GIS, demographics, population, income & labor data. Search, analyze, and rank communities, locate properties, and find economic development offices.
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This service is sponsored by state & regional economic development agencies around the United States.

Licensed Resources:

ESRI Business Analyst Online This link opens in a new window
Web-based tool from the geographic information system market leader ESRI, offering the ability to create maps, infographics, or reports from business, crime, demographic, lifestyle, behavioral, consumer spending, and U.S. traffic data. Contains data and reports for more than 135 countries, designed to inform market planning, site selection, and consumer segmentation decisions. Registration required for access.
Link will lead to a page that provides instructions for ESRI access.
ESRI Community Analyst This link opens in a new window
Web-based tool from the geographic information system market leader ESRI, offering the ability to create maps, infographics, or reports from business, crime, demographic, lifestyle, behavioral, consumer spending, and U.S. traffic data. Contains data and reports for more than 135 countries, enabling a greater understanding of communities from a policy or social issue perspective. Registration required for access.
Link will lead to a page that provides instructions for ESRI access.
Mergent Intellect This link opens in a new window
Select "Demographics" on the Mergent Intellect home page, then choose your Criteria (County, ZIP Code, Place/City), enter relevant information, and click the "Search for Demographics" button to view relevant U.S. Census Bureau and/or Claritas demographic data.
PolicyMap This link opens in a new window
An online (no software installation needed) U.S. national data and mapping tool and analytics platform with multidisciplinary applications for college students and faculty. It is used in undergraduate and graduate curricula and research related to social sciences, urban studies, real estate and housing analysis, community and economic development, public administration, public health, policy and political science, education, business, economics, statistics, and geography, among others. Users can leverage thousands of U.S. data indicators in PolicyMap to perform demographic and socioeconomic analysis, from a neighborhood census block group in many cases, up to a national level, as well as create custom regions, for their research and studies.
Statista This link opens in a new window
Statista offers data from their Global Consumer Survey of more than 400,000 consumers in 46 countries, focusing on consumption and media usage. Global Consumer Survey covers more than 50 industries, more than 5,000 brands, and various topics. Use the Global Consumer Survey data tool to choose demographics and other dimensions for target audience analysis. To learn more, read the Global Consumer Survey Step-by-Step Tutorial and watch this Global Consumer Survey tutorial video:

Statistical Abstract of the United States This link opens in a new window
Authoritative and comprehensive summary of statistics on the social, political, and economic conditions of the United States. Content includes more than 1,400 individually indexed tables (with attached spreadsheets) that are searchable and browsable. Includes the following editions: 2013 to present. For the 1878 to 2012 editions, visit the U.S. Census Bureau website.
Keywords: statistic, census

International

United Nations Statistics Division: Demographic and Social Statistics
The United Nations Statistics Division publishes a variety of demographic and social statistics. UN Data is a collection of dozens of statistical databases, many of which include demographic statistics.
U.S. Census Bureau: International Data Base
The International Data Base (IDB) was developed by the U.S. Census Bureau to provide access to accurate and timely demographic measures for populations around the world. The database includes a comprehensive set of indicators, as produced by the U.S. Census Bureau since the 1960s. The IDB provides estimates and projections for 228 countries and areas which have populations of 5,000 or more and as recognized by the U.S. Department of State.
The World Bank DataBank
The World Bank DataBank contains time series data on various topics including demographic characteristics. Use this tool to generate customized tables, charts, and maps.

Researching a Market

Company/Brand Social Demographics

Census Business Builder

Demographics