New American FactFinder Workshops at Stamford and Torrington Campuses

Are you interested in learning more about using the New American FactFinder to access data from the 2010 U.S. Census? The Connecticut State Data Center is offering a series of workshops across the state to provide users with an opportunity to learn more about the New American FactFinder in a hands-on workshop environment. Included below are the upcoming workshops, and we will be offering additional workshops at more locations soon.

Locating Census 2010 Data using the NEW American FactFinder

The U.S. Census Bureau introduced a NEW American FactFinder online Census data tool with enhanced searching and data display capabilities in conjunction with the release of 2010 Census data. In this workshop you will learn how to use the new American FactFinder to locate and download data – and create thematic maps – from a wide variety of population, economic, and housing information in the 2010 and 2000 decennial Censuses. From information on individual neighborhoods or zip codes, to state- or national-level data, the new American FactFinder is a powerful tool for navigating the vast amounts of data made available by the U.S. Census Bureau. The new American FactFinder will also soon replace the legacy American FactFinder as the platform for retrieving data from the American Community Survey (the ongoing Census program which produces data on educational attainment, income, occupation, marital status, and other detailed social and economic characteristics), and will also deliver data from the Economic Census. Join us to learn more about how to effectively navigate the NEW American FactFinder.

University of Connecticut Stamford Campus

Wednesday 07/06/11 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM Stamford Campus – Computer Lab 306 12 4 Register

Wednesday 07/06/11 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM Stamford Campus – Computer Lab 306 12 2 Register

University of Connecticut Torrington Campus

Monday 07/11/11 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM Torrington Computer Lab (Room 126) 25 4 Register

Monday 07/11/11 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM Torrington Computer Lab (Room 126) 25 2 Register

More workshops coming soon!

To keep current on the latest Census, Mapping, and Workshop offerings check out the Connecticut State Data Center’s website (http://ctsdc.uconn.edu) and follow our blog (http://outsidetheneatline.blogspot.com)  

Housing is Top Reason People Moved Between 2009 and 2010

The U.S. Census Bureau announced on May 23, 2011 that among those who moved between 2009 and 2010, more than four out of 10 (16.4 million or 43.7 percent) did so for housing-related reasons, such as the desire to live in a new or better home or apartment, according to data from Geographical Mobility: 2010.

Among other reasons for moving, people cited family concerns (30.3 percent), such as a change in marital status, employment needs (16.4 percent) and other factors (9.5 percent).

In 2010, 37.5 million people 1 year and older changed residences in the U.S. within the past year. At 12.5 percent in 2010, the mover rate was not statistically different from 2009.

Check out the full details on this report at: http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/mobility_of_the_population/cb11-91.html

2011 Capital Spending Report: U.S. Capital Spending Patterns: 2000 – 2009

The 2011 Capital Spending Report provides a historical look at the capital spending patterns for structures and equipment by U.S. businesses with and without employees at the national level and for businesses with employees at the industry sector level. The data for this report come from the Annual Capital Expenditures Survey. To view this report visit: http://www.census.gov/econ/aces/report/2011/capitalspendingreport2011.pdf

To learn more about Annual Capital Expenditures Survey visit: http://www.census.gov/econ/aces/.

6/18/2011 – High Tech Treasure Hunting: Fun with GPS and Geocaching

The Connecticut State Museum of Natural History part of CLAS at UConn present:

High Tech Treasure Hunting: Fun with GPS and Geocaching

Cary Chadwick, Center for Land Use Education and Research (CLEAR)
College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, UConn

When: Saturday, June 18, 10 am to 12 noon

Where: Haddam, Connecticut

Registration: Advance registration required: $20 ($15 for Museum members) Adults and children ages 8 and above. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Originally, the Global Positioning System (GPS) was for military use as a navigational aid. Today, the general public has access to this satellite-based technology, and using hand-held GPS devices they can participate in geocaching, a high-tech treasure hunt. The idea behind geocaching is to locate outdoor hidden containers called geocaches by using GPS coordinates listed on the Geocaching website, and then share your experiences with others online. Currently, there are 1,310,416 active geocaches and over 5 million participants worldwide! Cary Chadwick will teach you to use a hand held GPS unit. Then, everyone will go outdoors and hunt for practice caches using the coordinates given to you. One of these will be an officially registered geocache that you can list online.

Part of the Museum’s Natural History of Play series – Exploring how physical and biological processes have shaped play behavior in animals and what human expressions of play reveal about our changing relationship to the environment.

For registration information please visit
www.cac.uconn.edu/mnhcurrentcalendar or call (860) 486-4460.

6/20/2011 – Census Bureau Webinar on the New American FactFinder

The U.S. Census Bureau will hold a webinar on the new data delivery tool, American FactFinder. During this comprehensive 30-minute tutorial, an expert on the use of American FactFinder will demonstrate how to locate, access, manipulate, map and download Summary File 1 for states and other previously released 2010 Census data.

The webinar will consist of a simultaneous audio conference and online presentation. Reporters will be able to ask questions during the audio conference once the tutorial is complete.

When: June 20, 2011 at 1:00pm

Audio conference — access information

Toll free number: 888-982-4690
Participant passcode: CENSUS
Note: Stay on the line until operator asks for the passcode. Do not key in passcode.


Online presentation — access information
Please login early, as some setup is required.

URL: <https://www.mymeetings.com/nc/join/>
Conference/meeting number: PW7855267
Conference/meeting passcode: CENSUS

If closed captioning is required:
<http://livewrite.nccsite.com/view/cb0611>

Full details available at: http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/miscellaneous/cb11-cn145.html

Census Bureau Reports More Young Hispanic Adults Have High School Diplomas

Proportionately more young Hispanic adults are completing high school and fewer are dropping out than were doing so a decade ago, according to an analysis of enrollment trends by the U.S. Census Bureau. Among Hispanic 18- to 24-year-olds, 22 percent were not enrolled in high school and lacked a high school diploma or equivalent in 2008, compared with 34 percent in 1998.

These statistics come from a new analysis, School Enrollment in the United States: 2008, [PDF] which examines a number of trends among the U.S. population enrolled in school. The analysis focuses particularly on the issue of enrollment below modal grade, resulting from students being held back or made to repeat a grade.

Among Hispanics who had been enrolled in high school in October 2007, 5 percent reported being out of school with no diploma or equivalent in October 2008, compared with 6 percent for blacks. The percentage for non-Hispanic whites was 2 percent, and for Asians it was 4 percent. The percentage of Asians who left school without a high school diploma is not statistically different from the percentage of non-Hispanic whites, blacks and Hispanics.

Fourteen million Hispanics were enrolled in schools at all levels in 2008 out of a total enrollment of 76 million students across the United States. The Hispanic portion of all students (18 percent in 2008) increased by 5 percentage points from a decade earlier (13 percent in 1998).

Learn more about school enrollment data in this report visit: http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/education/cb11-106.html

NEURISA Day 2011 Call For Presentations – Submit your proposals by July 1, 2011

This conference proposal announcement is posted on behalf of our colleagues at NEURISA. Please excuse any duplication of this announcement.

The New England Chapter of Urban & Regional Information Systems Association (NEURISA) will host its annual conference on Monday, October 3rd at the Old Sturbridge Village, Sturbridge, Massachusetts. This one day conference will include keynote sessions, vendor demonstrations, and presentations from your colleagues in the geospatial and information technology community.

NEURISA invites you to submit an abstract proposal for a 20-minute presentation in the following categories:

  • Mobile Technologies
  • Gov 2.0/Emerging Technologies/IT/311
  • Census 2010 – Redistricting
  • Asset Management/Compliance Solutions
  • Enterprise GIS

Abstract submission requirements:

  • Abstracts should be less than 300 words.
  • Abstract must be submitted by July 1st, 2011.
  • Presentations cannot be product marketing.
  • Please submit your presentations online at: www.neurisa.org/neurisaday2011abstract

Questions? please contact Steve Sharp, steves@vcgi.org or Randi Pickford rpickford@hartford.gov

USA Counties Reference Resource now includes ACS and 2010 Census Data

The USA Counties reference resource includes demographic, economic and governmental data from the Census Bureau and other federal agencies, presented for the purpose of multi-county comparisons or single county profiles. National- and state-level data are presented as well.

The data files cover topics such as agriculture, crime, education, health, retail trade and vital statistics. New in this update are 2010 Census race data, additional statistics from the American Community Survey 2005-2009, Internal Revenue Service statistics on individual taxes, and 2007 Economic Census data, including statistics from the Survey of Business Owners.

To check out the latest edition of USA Counties visit: http://censtats.census.gov/usa/usa.shtml

U.S. Census Current Population Survey: 2010

The Current Population Survey 2010 includes several sets of table packages that include detailed statistics about age and sex by five year age groups, the older population (55 and older), the Hispanic population (includes data from 2009), the black population and the Asian population.

The tables provide a wide range of demographic characteristics about the U.S. labor force, such as marital status, educational attainment, nativity, employment status, occupation, poverty and housing tenure.

Where topics overlap, the U.S. Census Bureau recommends using the American Community Survey (ACS) data, unless the data are needed for national historical time series analyses. Included below are the tables available from the Population Survey 2010:

Note: These data are not from the 2010 Census. Additionally, these estimates should not be confused with similar estimates from the American Community Survey (ACS) <http://www.census.gov/acs/www/>.

Westchester County GIS Newsletter – 2011 Spring Edition

Westchester County’s GIS Newsletter – 2011 Spring Edition is now available online.

The newsletter can be downloaded from the county’s GIS homepage at http://giswww.westchestergov.com.

This edition includes articles on topics such as:

  • Public Water Distribution System Mapping
  • Adaptive Deer Management Program in County Parks
  • Vehicle Tracking System Migration
  • Local Government User Group Meeting