Information about my community
Who Lives in My Community? (population data)
Families in Pennsylvania - County profiles, state trends, fact sheets, Rural Education Youth Project, Educational Materials, and Informational Maps
State and County QuickFacts - Quick profiles of Pennsylvania, calculated by U.S. Census, including population, business, and geography. (U.S. Census Bureau)
Detailed 2000 Census Data - Interactive lookup tables by U.S. Census. (U.S. Census Bureau)
American Community Survey - An annual nationwide survey designed to provide communities a fresh look at how they are changing (not all PA counties are currently included in the survey). (U.S. Census Bureau)
Volunteering in America: 2007 State Trends and Rankings in Civic Life - A detailed breakdown of America’s volunteering demographics, habits, and patterns
DataPlace.Org; One-Stop Housing and Demographics Data Engine - Need to know your area’s average income? Wondering what the population breakdown is in a certain location? Maybe you want to know about the statistics of mortgage lending before you buy a house.
Youth Out-Migration from Pennsylvania - Pennsylvania’s economic renewing difficulty and loss of young residents (age 25-34) is partly due to local government fragmentation.
Rural America at a Glance - employment slowed, unemployment is rising, areas are affected by high energy prices and tightening credit, children fare poorly on indicators of health and welfare, the majority of counties have lost population, and minority growth is decelerating.
Fast Facts: The New CED 'HotReport' Interface - This resource is a quick and reliable way for community leaders such as policy makers, development experts and business leaders to find information about their communities that can assist in their decision-making needs.
For more information:
Population Reference Bureau - County and state profiles from the 1990 census and the ongoing Current Population Surveys, County Business Patterns, Economic Profiles, highlights from the 1992 Agricultural Census, State profile from the Statistical Abstract of the US, profiles of every
Where do People Work? What are the Biggest Industries? (jobs & employment data)
Employment by Industry - Total full-time and part-time employment by industry at the the state or county-level, for 2001-2004. (U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis). From the web site screen, select "Pennsylvania" in the 'Major Area' field, and then county and year.
Personal Income by Major Source & Earnings by Industry - Income and earnings by industry at the the state or county-level, for 2001-2004 (U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis). From the web site screen, select "Pennsylvania" in the 'Major Area' field, and then county and year.
Census Journey to Work - Information about county-to-county commuting patterns, including total number of workers commuting between counties of residence and counties of work for 2000, and commuting patterns by major industry. (U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis)
Personal Income - Narrative about a county's personal income using current estimates, growth rates, and a breakdown of the sources of personal income for 1979 through 2004. (U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis)
State and County QuickFacts - Quick profiles of Pennsylvania, calculated by U.S. Census, including population, business, and geography.
U.S. Economic Census, 2002 - U.S. Census Bureau's profile of American businesses
Workforce Education and Development Initiative - The economic impact of a change in the number of jobs in an industry in a Pennsylvania county or group of counties.
Small Business Creates America's Jobs - Small business continued to create America’s new jobs in 2004, according to the latest data.
Self-Employment in Rural America: The New Economic Reality - This publication provides a broad discussion of a wide range of issues related this increasingly important segment of the economy.
For more information:
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis - Housed in the U.S. Department of Commerce, the BEA produces economic accounts statistics that enable people to follow and understand the performance of the Nation's economy. The BEA collects source data, conducts research and analysis, develops and implements estimation methodologies, and disseminates statistics to the public.
How Many Farms are There? What do they Produce? (agricultural data)
State and County Profiles - County-level profiles of agriculture, from the U.S. Census of Agriculture
2002 Census of Agriculture - Detailed tables from the 2002 Census of Agriculture
1997 Census of Agriculture - Detailed tables from the 1997 Census of Agriculture
1992 Census of Agriculture - Detailed tables from the 1992 Census of Agriculture
U.S. State Fact Sheets - How are farms faring economically in each state?
Pennsylvania Annual Statistics - Annual estimates of production, developed by the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service Pennsylvania Field Office.
Economic Impacts of Agriculture - The role of production agriculture in the local economy (Penn State Cooperative Extension)
The 2005 American Community Survey - A data source that is fast becoming one of the most important resources for information at the national, state and local levels.
Is Agriculture Pennsylvania’s “Number One” Industry? - No matter agriculture’s rank in Pennsylvania compared to other industries, for a variety of reasons it is a vitally important part of the Commonwealth.
For more information:
Census of Agriculture - Detailed tables from the Census of Agriculture for the years 1982, 1987, and 1992.
What Does My Local Government Spend Money On? Where do They Get Their Money? (local government financial data)
Municipal and county government spending & revenues - Annual information from local audit reports filed annually with the Commonwealth, and collated by the Governor's Center for Local Government Services. 1986-1997, 1998-2005, 2006
Local government and school tax rates - official register from the Governor's Center for Local Government
Basic assessment information, by county - Collected by the State Tax Equalization Board
Taxbase breakdown by land types - Gives detailed information about the composition of the local real property tax base, as collected by the PA State Tax Equalization Board from county tax assessment offices. To get this information from the site, you MUST check-mark the 'County's Assessed Values' radio button, and select a specific county and year;
Pennsylvania State Data Center -Provides regular data user’s workshops for the U.S. census data and also workshops for using economic and workforce development data for anyone with interests.
Pennsylvania's Official Public Access Geospatial Information Clearinghouse Pennsylvania Spatial Data Access (PASDA) - Developed as a service to the citizens, governments, and businesses of the Commonwealth.
For more information:
Local Government Financial Statistics from the Governors Center for Local Government Services - Township, borough, city & county expenditures and revenues, by category. Includes tax rate information. Based on local audit reports filed annually with the Commonwealth.
Where Does My School District Get Their Money? How Much Do They Spend?
(school district financial data)
School district spending & revenues - Annual expenditure and revenue information, collected from annual audit reports by the PA Department of Education. This information is also available as Excel data files.
Enrollment, graduation rates, home education - Annual reports on varied K-12 education factors, assembled by the PA Department of Education.
State, District & School "Report Cards" - Annual accountability reports in compliance with the federal No Child Left Behind.
Population information by School District - The National Center for Education Statistics has converted U.S. Census information so it conforms directly to school district boundaries (rather than to the more commonly reported county or municipality). This interactive web site allows you to download detailed population and housing Census information collated for your school district. The reports correspond directly to standard Census tables, so some familiarity with the U.S. Census is very helpful.
Education Statistics - Common Core Data - Collected annually by the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES), the CCD provides detailed information on all public schools and school districts in the United States.
The Center for Rural Pennsylvania - Aa source of valuable information on Pennsylvania’s rural and urban counties, school districts, and municipalities.
The 2007 State New Economy Index: Benchmarking Economic Transformation in the States - A comprehensive look at the components and benchmarks of the new economy and what communities, regions and states can do to compete in this rapidly changing environment.
For more information:
National Center for Education Statistics
Land Use
Land Areas of the National Forest System - Listed by region, state, and county. Includes national grasslands, national wilderness areas, national wild and scenic rivers, and national volcanic monument areas.
Farmland Acres Preserved in Pennsylvania - Purchase of Conservation Easement acres by county, collected by the PA Department of Agriculture.
Taxbase breakdown by land types - Gives detailed information about the composition of the local real property tax base, as collected by the PA State Tax Equalization Board from county tax assessment offices. To get this information from the site, you MUST check-mark the 'County's Assessed Values' radio button, and select a specific county and year;
Maps and images - The Pennsylvania Spatial Data Access collection of web-based map and GIS resources.
Historical aerial photographs of Pennsylvania - a collection of detailed historical aerial photographs from Pennsylvania counties, which allow you to see how your community has changed. Penn Pilot currently has photos on-line from 1938-1942, and 1968-1971, and they are working on posting photos from the 1940s and 1950s.
Pennsylvanian’s Knowledge of Agriculture - Designed to assess the level of agricultural knowledge of Pennsylvanians
eXtension Launches New Web Resource for Entrepreneurs and Their Communities - Focusing on a wide range of information, tools and research related to entrepreneurial development and what communities can do to support and strengthen this increasingly important sector of many community’s overall economy
Hometown Competetiveness Presents a Unique Approach to Rural Community Development - Provides a comprehensive strategy for long-term rural community sustainability.
