The Minnesota Census Research Data Center (RDC) provides access to Census micro data for approved research projects (see proposal guidelines). These data sets are not a regular part of the Census Bureau data dissemination program. A detailed listing of available data sets is provided at the CES Data link which includes links to documentation and survey sponsors. Further information on the contents of the data sets listed can be found at the Census web page (www.census.gov). Researchers need to consult with a RDC Administrator on availability of particular data sets before writing research proposals.
Four groups of data sets are available:
Demographic Data: Censuses and surveys of households and individuals. These data are not public use files. Include complete geography (in many cases down to the block). Items such as income are not topcoded. Individual identifiers such as name, address, and social security numbers are not included.
Economic Data: Censuses and surveys of business establishments and firms. With very few exceptions, no public use files exist for these surveys.
Linked Business and Household Data: Uses modern statistical and computing techniques to combine federal and state administrative data on employers and employees with core Census Bureau censuses and surveys while protecting the confidentiality of people and firms that provide the data.
Public Health Data (Non-Census Data): The MnRDC now has access to data from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). A detailed description of the NCHS data and how to gain access through the RDC can be found at www.cdc.gov/nchs. Descriptions of the differences between NCHS RDC confidential data and public use versions of the data are given in this linked chart. A summary of NCHS surveys and data systems can be found here. A detailed description of AHRQ's MEPS-IC file and how to gain access through the RDC can be found on AHRQ's RDC web page. An informative health related research discussion paper can be found here: Health Related Research Using Confidential U.S. Census Bureau Data.
Demographic Data |
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| Database Name | Survey Unit | Frequency | Time Periods Available | Number of Observations | Description | Sponsor | |
| American Community Survey | Household | Annual | 1996-2011; yearly, 3-year, and 5-years files | Varies by year; by 2003, 3 million households surveyed annually | Annual updates of the social, economic, and housing characteristics of the population | Bureau of the Census | |
| American Housing Survey - Metropolitan Survey | Household | Biennial | Even-numbered years; rotating sample of metropolitan areas | Approx. 55,000 households in 41 metropolitan areas; each area surveyed every six years | Characteristics of housing units and their occupants | Department of Housing and Urban Development | |
| American Housing Survey - National | Household | Biennial, odd-numbered years | 1984-2009 | Approx. 55,000 households | Characteristics of housing units and their occupants | Department of Housing and Urban Development | |
| CPS Annual Demographics Survey (March Supplement) | Household | Annual | March 1967-2010 | 72,000 households | Work experience, sources of income, migration, household composition, health insurance coverage, and receipt of noncash benefits | Bureau of the Census, Bureau of Labor Statistics | |
| Decennial Census Long Form Data | Household | 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000 | One-in-six households | Social, economic, and housing characteristics of the population | Bureau of the Census | ||
| National Longitudinal Survey | Household | Annual | Around 1966-1999 depending on specific subset | Approximately 5,000 | Contains state fips codes for various cohorts for each survey year. Adds geographic information to the public use file. | ||
| Survey of Income and Program Participation | Household | Longitudinal panels | 1984-1993, 1996, 2001, 2004, 2008 | Sample sizes (by panel) range from 14,000 to 37,000 households | Economic situation of households including source and amount of income, labor force information, program participation and eligibility, and general demographic characteristics | Bureau of the Census | |
| SIPP-SSA Files (MBR, SSR, MEF and 831 Files) | Individual | Annual | 1984-1993, 1996, 2001 | SIPP-SSA matched files: Master Beneficiary Record, Supplemental Security Record, Master Earnings File, and 831 Disability Files | Bureau of the Census | ||
| Survey of Program Dynamics | Household | Annual interviews | 1992-1993 SIPP panel households | 1997:35,000 households 1998-2002: 18,500 households | This survey follows former SIPP respondents to measure the effects of welfare reform | Bureau of the Census | |
| National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) | Household | Annual | 2008-2010 | 40,000 householes (approx. 75,000 individuals) annually | Criminal victimization | Bureau of Justice Statistics | |
Economic Data |
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| Database Name | Survey Unit | Frequency | Time Periods Available | Number of Observations | Description | Sponsor | Sector |
| Annual Retail Trade Survey | Firm | Annual | 1999-2009 | sales, purchases, e-commerce, inventories for retail, food service and accomdation industries | Bureau of the Census | Business | |
| Annual Survey of Manufactures | Establishment | Annual | 1973-2009 | 55,000-70,000 per year | Collects 5-digit product detail | Bureau of the Census | Business |
| Annual Capital Expenditures Survey | Firm | Annual | 1993-2009 | 45,000-60,000 | Firm-level survey to collect industry-level data on capital investment in new and used structures and equipment | Bureau of the Census | Business |
| Auxiliary Establishment | Establishment | Every 5 years | 1977, 1982, 1987, 1992, 1997, 2002 | 30,000-40,000 per year | Auxiliary establishment geography, cost, and employment data | Bureau of the Census | Business |
| Business Expenditures Survey | Establishment | Every 5 years | 1992-2007 | 60,000 firms and EINs | Formerly the Assets and Expenditures Survey (AES). Data collected on operating expenses - fringe benefits, fees, computer expenses, etc | Bureau of the Census | Business |
| Census of Construction Industries | Establishment | Every 5 years | 1972-2007 | Approx 200,000 establishments. | The CCN covers all employer establishments primarily engaged in construction | Bureau of the Census | Business |
| Census of Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate | Establishment | Every 5 years | 1992-2007 | 656,000-696,0000 | Census of establishments primarily engaged in transactions involving the creation, liquidataion, or change in ownership of financial assets | Bureau of the Census | Business |
| Census of Manufactures | Establishment | Every 5 years |
1963, 1967-2007 |
about 400,000 per year | Collects 7-digit product detail | Bureau of the Census | Business |
| Census of Mining | Establishment | Every 5 years | 1987-2007 | 25,000-35,000 | Information about structure and function of mining sector. | Bureau of the Census | Business |
| Census of Retail Trade | Establishment | Every 5 years | 1977-2007 | 1.4-1.7 million per year | CRT covers domestic establishments with payroll that retail merchandise and related services | Bureau of the Census | Business |
| Census of Services | Establishment | Every 5 years | 1977-2007 | 1.2-2.2 million per year | Service-related establishments | Bureau of the Census | Business |
| Census of Transportation, Communications, and Utilities | Establishment | Every 5 years | 1987-2007 | 166,000-273,000 | Information about the Transportation, Communications, and Utilities industries | Bureau of the Census | Business |
| Census of Wholesale Trade | Establishment | Every 5 years | 1977, 1982, 1987, 1992, 1997, 2007 | 399,000-530,000, per year | Establishments engaged in wholesaling merchandise and rendering services incidental to the sale of merchandise | Bureau of the Census | Business |
| Survey of Business Owners | Firms & their owners | Every 5 years | 1982-2007 | 117,000-128,000 per year | Owner demographics, firm economic performance | Bureau of the Census | Business |
| Commodity Flow Survey | Shipment Record | 1993, 1997, 2002, 2007 | 5-10 million shipments from 140,000 establishments | Volume and weight of shipments between zip codes | Department of Transportation | Business | |
| Compustat-SSEL Bridge | Enterprise(firm) | 1981-2005 | Over 115,000 firm year records | The March 2001 Compustat file is linked to the 1981-2001 SSEL, providing firm level linkage | Bureau of the Census | Business | |
| Enterprise Summary Report | Establishment | Every 5 years | 1977, 1982, 1987, 1992 | 6,200-11,000 | Large company statistics including number of establishments, employees, annual payroll, sales and receipts, and some financial characteristics | Bureau of the Census | Business |
| Large Company Survey - Enterprise Summary Report | Establishment | Every 5 years | 1977, 1982, 1987, 1992 | 6,000-7,000 per year | Large firm geography, cost, and output data | Bureau of the Census | Business |
| Longitudinal Business Database | Establishment | Annual | 1976-2011 | 24 million unique establishments | All US business establishments with paid employees form 1976 to present | Bureau of the Census | Business |
| Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey | Establishment | Every 4 years | 1985, 1988, 1991, 1998, 2002, 2006 | 12,000-23,000 | Energy consumption and usage patterns | Department of Energy | Business |
| National Employer Survey | Establishment | 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998 | 1,000-5,500 per year | Employer practices and expectations concerning education and training, and wordforce quality. | Department of Education | Business | |
| Owner Change Database | Establishment | Every 5 years | 1963-2002 | 7,200-21,000 per year | Tracks change in ownership of manufacturing establishments between consecutive census year. | Bureau of the Census | Business |
| Quarterly Financial Report | Firm | Quarterly | 1977-2009 | 15,000 per quarter | Balance sheet and income statement data |
Bureau of the Census Internal Revenue Service |
Business |
| Services Annual Survey | Firm | Annual | 2002-2010 | 72,000 | Service activity in the United States | Bureau of the Census | Business |
| Standard Statistical Establishment List | Establishment | Annual | 1975-2010 | ~7 million employers; ~17 million non-employers (1997) | Business register - economic survey universe; underlies longitudinal links | Bureau of the Census | Business |
| Survey of Industrial Research and Development and Business Research Development and Innovation Survey | Firm | Annual | 1972-2009 | 4000-13,000 per year | Research and development expenditures | Bureau of the Census | Business |
| Survey of Manufacturing Technology | Establishment | 1988, 1991,1993 | 10,000 | Use of 17 advanced manufacturing technologies | Bureau of the Census | Business | |
| Survey of Plant Capacity Utilization | Establishment | Annual, Quarterly | 1974-2011 | 17,000 | Current data on the rates of capacity utilization in U.S. manufacturing plants. | Bureau of the Census | Business |
| Survey of Pollution Abatement Costs and Expenditures | Establishment | 1974-78, 1979-82,1984-86, 1988-94, 1999, 2005 | 16,500 to 21,000 per year | Operating and capital expenditures on pollution abatement | Bureau of the Census | Business | |
| Foreign Trade Exports and Imports | Shipments | Continuously | thru 2010 |
Shipping information: value, weight, origin/distination, customs port, method of transportation |
Bureau of the Census | Business | |
| Survey of Busniess Owners | Firm | Every 5 years | 1982-2007 | The SBO data include demographic and economic information about business owners and their business activities. | Bureau of the Census | Business | |
Linked Business and Household Data |
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| Database Name | Survey Unit | Frequency | Time Periods Available | Number of Observations | Description | Sponsor | |
| LEHD Employer Characteristics File (LEHD-ECF) | Establishments, Companies and/or Enterprises | Quarterly | 1989-2008 | Several million establishments from 31 states (as of 2007) | Quarterly measures of payroll and monthly employment (LEHD Data Documentation) | Bureau of the Census | |
| LEHD Geocoded Address List (LEHD-GAL) | Establishments, Companies and/or Enterprises | Irregular | 1990-2008 | Varies by State | Unique commercial and residential addresses in a state geocoded to the Census Block and latitude/longitude coordinates. | Bureau of the Census | |
| LEHD Employer Quarterly Workforce Indicators (LEHD-QWI) | Establishments, Companies and/or Enterprises | Quarterly | 2008 | Approximately 4 million establishments from more than 20 states | Quarterly measures of workforce composition and worker turnover at the establishment level for selected states (LEHD Data Documentation) | Bureau of the Census | |
Public Health Data |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Database Name | Survey Unit | Frequency | Time Periods Available | Number of Observations | Description | Sponsor | |
| Medical Expenditure Panel Survey - Insurance Component(MEPS-IC) | Establishment | Annual | 1996-2002, 2008-20011 | Approximately 25,000 establishments per year | Data on employer-provided health insurance | Bureau of the Census | |
| National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) | Household | Annual | 1969-2004 | 43,000 Households (approximately 100,000 people) | Basic health and demographic, health conditions and utilization, health status, health care services, and behavior | NCHS | |
| National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) | Household | Annual | Periodic 1971-74, 1976-80, 1988-94; Continuous beginning in 1999 | 7,000 individuals interviewed & 5,000 complete health exam component | Health and nutritional status of adults and children, demographics, examinations, lab tests, & personal interviews | NCHS | |
| National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) | Individuals | Continuous | 12,000+ | Family life, marriage and divorce, pregnancy, infertility, use of contraception, and men's and women's health | NCHS | ||
| Medical Expenditure Panel Survey - Household Component (HC) | Household | Annual | Annual | 12,000 | Health conditions and status, medical services, charges and payments, access to care, insurance coverage | AHRQ | |