1. Using Census Bureau Data at the Federal Statistical Research Data Centers
UT-Austin FSRDC Grand Opening
December 13, 2017
Barbara Downs, FSRDC Director
Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau

2. Agenda Research Environment Census Bureau Data at FSRDCs
Economic
Demographic
Projects Using Census Bureau Data

3. FSRDC Environment

4. FSRDC Environment Physical Security
Secure Census facility within host institution
Census employee on-site at all FSRDCs
Authorized personnel only
Researcher Special Sworn Status
Requires moderate level background check
Oath of confidentiality is for life
Data accessed via secure connection from thin client device to Census data facility in Bowie, MD
Printing strictly controlled
No internet access

5. FSRDC Environment Collaboration
Each project has “home” FSRDC
Researchers may collaborate across FSRDCs
Projects may move “homes” as researchers relocate
FSRDC Administrator
Coordinates project access across FSRDCs
Coordinates review of output

6. FSRDC Environment Collaboration

7. Census Bureau Data Economic
Economic data
Collected at establishment and/or firm level, admin data is at the Employer Identification Number (EIN)
Detailed geography (latitude/longitude for later years, address for all)
Linking or Matching data
Across censuses or surveys
Over time
Across entities (establishment to firm)
To external data (e.g., Compustat, patent data) via business name and address matching or EIN

8. Census Bureau Data Popular Economic Data
Economic Censuses (EC)
, every 5 years
Covers most industries at detailed levels
Industry-specific questions on sporadic basis
Census and Annual Survey of Manufactures (CMS, ASM)
Detailed information about manufacturing establishments
Measures costs and revenues, calculate productivity
Detailed materials and product information
1963, 1967,
Longitudinal Business Database (LBD)
All US establishments with at least 1 employee
Covers most industries
Possible to aggregate to firm level
Identifies establishment births, deaths, and continuers

9. Census Bureau Data Popular Economic Data

10. Census Bureau Data Economic Data Products
Integrated Longitudinal Business Database (iLBD)
Merges non-employer with employer (LBD) data
Enhances study of entrepreneurship
Linked Foreign Trade Transactions Database (LFTTD)
Shipment level information for imports/exports
Link to import/export enterprises
Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD)
Link UI and QCEW data with Census demographic and economic data
Lehd.did.census.gov/led/library/tech_user_guides.html

11. Census Bureau Data Economic Research
A QJE article from February by Giroud and Mueller that combines data from the LBD with Zillow and Compustat data to examine firm leverage, consumer demand, and employment losses during the Great Recession.
September AER article by Antras, Fort, and Tintelnot that uses our import transaction data, together with the Economic Census and LBD, to examine firms’ decisions to import.
June JPE article that uses LEHD data to examine the long-term impacts of early childhood exposure to air pollution on labor force participation and earnings in adulthood.
Forthcoming JPE article by Akcigit and Kerr that uses our LBD and R&D databases, as well as data on patents, to examine firm size and the nature of innovation.

12. Census Bureau Data Demographic
More details than Public Use Files
No top-coding
Uncollapsed variables
Finer geographic detail
Match to external sources
Other public use or macro-level data
Link by geography or PIKs

13. Census Bureau Data Popular Demographic Data
Decennial Census ( )
Short and Long Form data through 2000 (not sample)
Finer geographic detail
No personally identifiable information
American Community Survey
Similar to Decennial Long Form; smaller sample size
Produce more timely information than Decennial
Survey of Income and Program Participation
Current Population Survey
Annual Social and Economic Supplement (March Supplement)
Food Security (December Supplement)
American Housing Survey

14. Census Bureau Data Demographic Research
“Legacies of the War on Poverty” Martha J. Bailey, Sheldon Danziger, Editors
Inside the Labyrinth: Segregation and the Path to Fair Housing, ” Richard Sanders, Jonathan Zasloff, Yana Kucheva
2017 Demography article “America’s Churning Races: Race and Ethnic Response Changes between Census 2000 and the 2010 Census.” Liebler, Porter, Fernandez, Noon, Ennis

15. Thank you! More Information www.census.gov/fsrdc Contact
Barbara Downs