Mapping Census 2000 Data

About 2000 Census Data...

• The U.S. Census is releasing data incrementally throughout 2000-2003 according to a flexible release schedule.  Sources will be updated as information becomes available.
• The language used in this page refers to "data" and "maps" as follows: "data" refers to the numbers gathered in the 2000 Census; "maps" refers to the three redistricting maps published. ("Redistricting" is the demarkation of legislative districts, which for the last 25 years been based directly on the population data gathered from the dicentiennial census.)   Redistricting maps do not display the demographic data itself.  These maps are are viewable on the web or downloadable as files.  See "Redistricting Data Maps" below for more info.
• Users may create maps of census data employing an online tool or software.  For instance, one may display demographic data that is gathered by the Census and released in tabular form, on a map.  The Census does provide the general online public with a tool to do this called American FactFinder.  It also makes raw data files available on the web for download, an option for those using a Geographic Information System, called "GIS"
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In summary, at this point in time: one has access to redistricting maps and some of the demographic results of the Census for mapping. For both, two methods of access are available: viewing Census 2000 data in map form on the web, or downloading data and image files for use in a GIS.

American Factfinder
http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/BasicFactsServlet

The U.S. Census' map generator, American FactFinder, makes available Census 2000 data in an interactive mapper.  This is the tool to use to map census population data on the web.  Unfortunately, the 2000 data is only available for mapping in a limited context: maps are displayed only state-by-state according to county boundaries, and the numeric ranges are unalterable.  The enhanced abilities available in the "Thematic Maps" option (bar on the left) display 1990 Census data.  The link to "Reference maps", including redistricting maps described above, however, contain 2000 Census tract and block group boundary maps. (It has been said that Explorer may be a preferable browser for using this tool.)

Contents: Allows user to create interval maps of data according to state and county subdivisions. Reference maps of 2000 Census Tracts and Block groups are also viewable.
Accessibility: interactive online mapping - results may be viewed directly on www
File format: html web pages (requires display resolution of 800 x 600 or higher; Internet Explorer version 5.0 or higher, or Netscape version 4.x; Browser set to accept cookies; Browser with JavaScript and style sheets enabled)
Directions: The initial mapping tool on this page is simple: indicate 'Maps' as the desired output and then build a query indicating type of data with state and county names.
Printing: Maps may be printed from the web; print area is only what is visible on the screen.

Redistricting Data Maps
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/tiger/rd_2ktiger/pl_maps/pl_maps.html

"...large scale maps depict the smallest geographic entities for which the U.S. Census Bureau presents data - the census block - by displaying the features that form block boundaries and the numbers that identify them."  These maps do not display demographic data. 

Contents: Redistricting maps: "Three types of maps were prepared to accompany the Census 2000 Redistricting Data:  County Block Maps (Census 2000), Voting District/State Legislative District Outline Maps (Census 2000), and Census Tract Outline Maps (Census 2000). "
Accessibility: may be viewed directly on the WWW.
File format: Portable Document Format (PDF) (requires Adobe® Acrobat® Reader Version 4.0 or above - a downloadable shareware)
Directions: After selecting the state, then the county, you'll need to look up the geographic code on an index map, which can be found  the first file in the Index (ending in "000.pdf").  Refer to this for a graphic of the boundaries.
http://ftp2.census.gov/plmap/pl_blk/
Printing: Heed the counsel of the Bureau re. these maps: "maps are designed for a paper sheet size of 33 inches by 36 inches because of the tremendous amount of detail that they must show for a given area"; in order to get an effective map using letter or legal-sized paper, try cutting and pasting a smaller portion of the map. More printing tips.

Downloading data and maps for use in a GIS

All of this stuff is called "Census TIGER/Line® 2000 files"; these are basically databases of geographic features and data that the Census Bureau prepares for public distribution.  Files, called TIGER®  for "Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing" contain information about geographic features "such as their location in latitude and longitude, the name, the type of feature, address ranges for most streets, the geographic relationship to other features, and other related information." 
You'll need  both data and map files, plus a GIS, to use them.  They can be used in ArcView, a compatible GIS that is available for public use in the John R. Borchert Map Library located in Wilson Library at UM-Minneapolis campus, or using ArcExplorer, a  "lightweight" GIS data viewer developed by ESRI and available free of charge.
 

DATA: Refer to the U.S. Census page to download tabular 'attribute data'. These will be merged with maps - see instructions below.

MAPS:
Download Redistricting Census 2000 TIGER/Line Files
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/tiger/rd_2ktiger/tgr2kweb.html

These data require processing to create map images. Files must be converted into the format compatible with the GIS software one intends to use.

Contents: Selected geographic and cartographic information from the Census Bureau's TIGER (Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing) database.
Accessibility: Files can be downloaded from the web, but require the use of mapping software to view and manipulate.
File format: Compressed (requires PK Ware's PK Zip software utility - downloadable shareware) ASCII text format files
Directions: Files for download are named according to state and county FIPS codes.  Codes can be searched via a database on the web at http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/fipsfinder/ or looked up on a PDF document posted on the web at http://www.census.gov/geo/tigerline/append_a.pdf (requires Adobe® Acrobat® Reader - a downloadable shareware).

Download Redistricting Census 2000 TIGER/Line Files
http://www.geographynetwork.com/data/tiger2000/

Geography Network, a project of ESRI on the web, is making Census 2000 shapefiles available for download. 'Shapefiles' are spatial databases formatted for use with ESRI products (such as ArcView).

Contents: Contained within are Line Features, such as roads and hydrography, Boundary Features such as census tracts and blocks, and Landmark Features such as parks, schools and churches.
Accessibility: Files can be downloaded from the web, but require the use of mapping software to view and manipulate.
File format: Compressed (requires PK Ware's PK Zip software utility - downloadable shareware) shapefiles
Directions: Requires user registration.

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Minnesota - Census 2000
Various state, county, and city government offices in Minnesota have compiled respective data in Census web pages.

Statewide Minnesota Legislature GIS Office
http://www.commissions.leg.state.mn.us/gis/html/gismaps.html#Population Maps