2007 Economic Census

Using American FactFinder

How do I find my geography of interest?

In American FactFinder (AFF), one of the following situations may occur:

• I cannot find my geography of interest.
• I cannot find economic data for a city or town.
• I cannot find economic data for a ZIP code .

---

Issue 1: Why can I not find my geography?

AFF returns data for over 12 million different geographies. The Economic Programs account for nearly 80,000 of those geographies which cover the US, Region, Division, States, Metropolitan & Micropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) & Consolidated Statistical Area (CSA), County, Economic Place, and ZIP Codes. These geographies also include geographic parts for some entities (e.g. Parts of Bethlehem City, PA in Northampton and Lehigh Counties).

Currently in AFF there are over 1,700 economic data tables, each with a specific level of geographic coverage. Because of these specific constraints for economic data, here are two common causes of not being able to find specific geographies:

1. You may be attempting to search for a geography that may not be published in the economic programs. For example, if you search for a census tract, only demographic data will be available because the Census Bureau economic data are not published at that level. Other examples include Place and ZIP Code Tabulation Area .
2. You may be searching for a geography that does not match what is in Your Selections. For example, if you select Business Patterns from the Topics menu, then attempting to search for an Economic Place will return no results. (Business Patterns does not publish place-level data)

If you are still having issues finding a geography, see the Using AFF Help Guide [pdf] for more information.

---

Issue 2: I am looking for economic data for my town, but all I see is demographic data.

In AFF, Incorporated & Unincorporated areas can be considered a Place, Economic Place, or Estimates Universe Place.

The differences between the three are described below:

• Economic Place is a geographic concept for the Economic Census and Survey of Business owners, defined as data for:
  • Incorporated Places (cities, towns, villages and boroughs) with at least 5,000 inhabitants or reported at least 5,000 jobs as of the 2000 census.
  • Unincorporated Places (Census Designated Places or CDP) with 5,000 or more inhabitants.
  • Independent Cities in Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, and Virginia ( e.g St Louis, MO or Baltimore, MD) that are independent of any county organizations. These cities are also published at the county level.
  • Any Place (Incorporated & Unincorporated) that does not meet these requirements are included in the published Balance of County, State (e.g. Balance of Burlington County, NJ) data.
• Place is a geographic concept for most demographic programs (e.g. Decennial Census) which publishes data for all Incorporated & Unincorporated places.
• Estimates Universe Place is a geographic concept for the Population Estimates program. Unlike Place, this only publishes data for incorporated places. Unincorporated places are included in the published Balance of County, State (e.g. balance of Burlington County, NJ).

Here is what they look like in AFF

---

Issue 3: I am looking for the number of establishments for my ZIP Code but I am only getting demographic data.

Two different types of ZIP Codes exist in AFF. They are as follows:

1. ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) is a geographic concept from the Decennial Census. ZCTAs are generalized area representations of U.S. Postal Service (USPS) ZIP Code service areas. They represent the most frequently occurring five-digit ZIP Code found in a given area. They are different from Zip Codes found in Economic programs. Learn more »
2. ZIP Codes used in Economic Programs are the official ZIP Codes from the U.S. Postal Service. However:
   1. They do not coincide with the Census Bureau's geographic or political areas.
   2. They change according to postal requirements.
   3. They do not have specific boundaries.
   4. Their implied boundaries do not necessarily follow clearly identifiable physical features.
   5. They are not the same as a ZCTA.

Here is how they appear in AFF: