Census Data is data collected and compiled from the U.S. Census, which is a questionnaire that goes out to households in the United States once every year. By collecting this data, the U.S. government gets a good idea of what the United States population looks like at the time it was collected and it also gives data analysts the ability to predict what the country will look like in the following years.
That data is used to do lots of things-- it impacts how many seats in Congress a state has, it can redraw congressional districts, and it can help us get a better understanding of the communities we live and work in. The census provides not just population counts, but also ask questions about race, ethnicity, age, gender, and household makeup. This is called "demographic" data.
The first step to finding census data is to identify a census tract, which is a geographical area like a county or a city. To find the census tract you're interested in, you can use a tool called Census Reporter to search for an address like a school or community center. Below you'll find a video on how to use Census Reporter and a link to the tool.
Once you've found your census tract, click on the highlighted area on the map to find demographic data including age, sex, race, educational attainment, and more.