The LOOKUP Server can easily provide you with:

• Census Tract-level data for any tract in the U.S.
• Block Group-level (a group of city blocks) data for any block group in the U.S.
• Zip Code-level data for any U.S. zip
• Congressional District-level data for any U.S. District

The data online are from STF3 and STF1. "STF" stands for "Summary Tape File." After the Census is taken, the data are tabulated in different ways. STF1 represents the tabulation from the 100% count of the population (a.k.a. The Short Form). It has very basic information. STF3 (a.k.a. The Long Form) provides far more information and is based on a 17% sampling of the population. Income, travel time to work and workforce data are all in STF3. STF3A provides data by Census Tract and block groups. STF3B provides data by zip code.

Please read the following instructions in their entirety before commencing with your data search. Print and/or save this page for future reference.

1. Choose one of the Lookup Servers to use. (As of 5/22/98 there are two.)
2. Choose the Summary Tape File of interest. If you want zip code data you must choose STF3B and then enter the zips yourself one per line (zip code maps are often in the front section of the Yellow Pages). If you simply want population and race (numbers of persons only), choose STF1A. For income and other "interesting" data, choose STF3A.
3. Next you'll choose the level. For Census Tracts and block groups start by going to the state--county level. Click the circle next to "Go to level State--County" and then select the state(s) of interest below (use the Shift or Control keys to select more than one at a time), then click on SUBMIT.
4. Just as you have to first go to the county level to find Census Tracts, you have to go to the Census Tract level to find block groups. For places (cities and CDPs - Census Designated Places) or MSAs, you can go there directly, you don't have to go to another level first.
5. Once you've navigated down to the level of geography you want, highlight the areas of interest and click in the circle next to "Retrieve the areas you've selected below" and click the SUBMIT button.
6. Click SUBMIT again to select the tables you'd like to retrieve.
7. Click in the box next to each table you want and click SUBMIT.
8. Select the format of the output (data retrieval option) and click SUBMIT. The default is HTML which is fine for viewing on-screen and later printing.
9. You can always hit the BACK button on your Web browser if you want more tables or wish to change the geographic area of interest. Good Luck!

If you have questions, read the technical documentation or email the LOOKUP Support Staff.