Demographics

							                   Demographics: A Research Guide
Demographics are the characteristics of the population that influence consumption of products
and services. Information to create demographic profiles originate from a variety of sources, both
private and governmental. Characteristics include population trends, age, gender, race or
ethnicity, education, income, crime rates, voting statistics, and occupations. Sources of
information can be found readily in print and online sources. Researchers use this information in
order to understand market trends to introduce new products or businesses to a group or
geographic area. The terms and phrases listed in the subject headings below can be used to
search for more materials in the library’s catalog and research databases. If you need further
assistance, please ask a librarian.

Reference Books
Editor & Publisher Market Guide. New York: Editor & Publisher, 1924– . Annual. ISSN: 10820779.
Business and demographic data on 1,600 U.S. daily newspaper cities. Includes spending data
and demographic trends.

Rand McNally Commercial Atlas & Marketing Guide. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1983– . Annual.
This atlas provides current information on demographics for marketing. Maps and tables show
populations, income, and housing and sales data (with projections) for the United States.

Sourcebook of ZIP Code Demographics, 17th ed. Vienna, VA: ESRI Press, 2003. Annual. ISBN:
   1589480570.
Provides detailed information about every ZIP Code and county in the United States. Contains
more than 70 demographic variables including Census 2000 information and updated
demographics, spending potential data, and business data for every United States ZIP Code and
county.
Reports and Data Sources
American Community Survey
www.census.gov/acs/www/
Demographic, social, economic, and housing data for over 800 geographical areas in narrative
and tabular formats.

American Factfinder
http://factfinder.census.gov
U.S. Department of Commerce statistics on population, housing, industry, and business. Includes
the entire 2000 Census of Population and Housing.

Ameristat
www.ameristat.org
Provides summaries—in graphics and text—of the demographic characteristics of the U.S.
population.

Ersys
www.ersys.com
Statistical information on American cities and metropolitan areas in all fifty states, there is
information on education, transportation, ethnicity, and more.

The International Data Base (IDB)
www.census.gov/ipc/www/idbnew.html
Computerized data bank that contains statistical tables of demographic and socioeconomic data
for 227 countries and areas of the world.
School District Demographics
http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/sdds/index.asp
Provides access to school district geographic and demographic data useful for describing and
analyzing characteristics of school districts, children, and K–12 education.
Journals
American Demographics. American Demographics; Dow Jones. Stamford, CT: Cowles Business
  Media, 1979– . Monthly.
Covers American demographics and consumer trends.
Associations
American Marketing Association
www.marketingpower.com
With over 38,000 members worldwide, AMA is the largest professional association for marketers.
Provides relevant marketing information, journal publications, research, case studies, and the
best practices in marketing.
Subject Headings
•   brand choice—United States
•   consumers—United States
•   consumers’ preferences—United States
•   income—United States—statistics
•   market surveys—United States
•   purchasing power—United States—statistics
•   United States—commerce—statistics
•   United States—population—statistics