Using Census Information to Understand Your Region as a Realtor®

“There’s a variety of different use cases for why business owners might use census data,” said U.S. Census Bureau Survey Statistician Tyson Weister on yesterday’s PAR monthly webinar, where he went over the ways Realtors® can use data.census.gov to better understand the regions they serve. 

“One of the reasons could be to understand the market in your community and the people who you serve,” he noted. “You can generally get a sense of who your client base could be.” 

“If you want to take it a step further, a lot of businesses use our data to understand where their ideal customer might live, like different neighborhoods where they could use their limited marketing resources to more effectively reach their target clients.” 

Weister shared the example of a Realtor® wanting to find clients reaching homebuying age for the first time. Using census data, they can look at geographic areas where these clients may live and then target their marketing accordingly to make connections and develop relationships. 

What is the census? 

The census is conducted every 10 years and counts every American, but the American Community Survey is conducted every year and can provide more recent data. The U.S. Census Bureau contacts over 3.5 million households each year to participate in the ACS, and it is the largest household-based survey in the country. According to Weister, every household has a 1 in 35 chance of being selected for the ACS in any particular year. Answers are entirely self-reported.  

What does the ACS cover? 

The ACS provides data on various population demographics, as well as some housing-related information, including but not limited to: 

• Costs (mortgage, rent, taxes, insurance)
• Home value 
• Occupancy 
• Structure 
• Tenure (own/rent) 
• Utilities 
• Year built 
• Year moved in 

How do I search the ACS for region-specific data? 

Weister shared the following steps for doing a general search of the most popular data in a specific region: 

1. Go to data.census.gov. 
2. In the search bar, type: “ACS DP: __your county__, PA.” 
3. View data by geographies, topics and years on the left-hand side by clicking the item and then checking the desired box(es). 
4. View in table, map or chart format by selecting the options at the top. 
   • Table: Shows detailed data in a list format. Click the arrows to collapse or expand the categories.
   • Map: Allows viewing of smaller geographies.
   • Chart: Allows sorting in ascending or descending order. 

What about advanced searches, five-year estimates and sorting by ZIP code? 

Weister shared detailed instructions for conducting more advanced census data searches and ways Realtors® can further explore their regions. To learn more, view the webinar recording. Slides from his presentation are available online. 

Additionally, the U.S. Census Bureau offers various resources, such as customized trainings, one-on-one assistance, PDFs of step-by-step instructions, short videos, webinars and more.