Access to Excel software
Some statistical sources offer download options for data in Excel format. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign students, faculty, and staff can download a free copy of Microsoft Office, which includes Word and Excel, using the link and instructions at https://webstore.illinois.edu/shop/product.aspx?zpid=2816
VIDEO: Finding Religion Data and Statistics
General Statistics
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US Census BureauProvides a wide range of information about the population. Use the Browse by Topic section to find information on education, families and living arrangements, fertility, income, marriage and various other subjects. Use the Explore Census Data search tool to to find data in tables, maps, and other visualizations; topics in the Advanced Search option include education, employment, race and ethnicity, and much more
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Statistical Abstracts of the United StatesA compilation of important and useful data from several government agencies on a wide range of topics. The web version has selected features, including USA Statistics in Brief and State Rankings. The government stopped producing the Statistical Abstracts in October 2011, relying on data through the Census Bureau website instead.
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Public Religion Research InstituteA nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that conducts research on religion as it relates to social and political issues and trends in the United States. Topics include immigration, law & criminal justice, LGBTQ+ issues, politics & elections, race & ethnicity, and religion & culture.
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Social Explorer This link opens in a new windowSocial Explorer is an online research tool designed to provide quick and easy access to current and historical census data and demographic information. The easy-to-use web interface lets users create maps and reports to better illustrate, analyze and understand demography and social change. In addition to being a comprehensive data resource, Social Explorer also offers features and tools to meet the needs of both demography experts and novices.;This interactive website includes the entire US census history from 1790 to 2010, the American Community Survey (ACS) from 2005 to 2012, the Religious Congregations and Membership Study (RCMS) from 1980 to 2010 (the most complete census available on religion in the US), InfoGroup data on religious congregations in the US for 2009 and 2010, and carbon emissions data for 2002 from the Vulcan Project. Overall, the site contains 39 billion data points, 200,000 variables, and 15,000 interactive maps.
When using Social Explorer, hit the Explore button to start looking at data and creating maps.
Education
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The Almanac of American Education 2021 byCall Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2021Compare statistics by national, state, and county
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The Chronicle of Higher Education AlmanacCall Number: Q. 378.73 C468 SSHEL and Oak StreetPublication Date: 1988-Prepared by the editors of the Chronicle of Higher Education, this almanac provides numerous statistics in three sections: nation, states, and enrollment by race.
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Digest of Education Statistics(published by NCES) Compilation of American education statistics from prekindergarten through graduate school. It’s possible to view the full text or tables by year, level of education and / or education topics.
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National Center for Education StatisticsGreat starting place for various statistics about education in the United States. NCES Fast Facts organizes data by topic and education level. Look at each area and their sub-categories. NCES Surveys & Programs has links to more detailed reports about specific subjects or education level. Common Core of Data collects information about public schools, school districts and state education agencies. The Condition of Education is an annual report that discusses important developments and trends in education.
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UNESCO Institute for Statistics: EducationIncludes data from over 200 countries and territories and covers all education levels (prekindergarten to university). Also available in print.
Families, Marriage & Divorce
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Marriage & Divorce (US Census Bureau)Excellent information about marriage and divorce from the American Community Survey (ACS), Current Population Survey (CPS), Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), and the Decennial Census.
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Families & Living Arrangements (US Census Bureau)Characteristics of households and families with detailed tables. Data is collected annually.
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National Center for Health StatisticsIncludes information about health and insurance, but also has information about marriage and divorce.
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FastStats: Statistics by TopicThe FastStats site provides quick access to statistics on topics of public health importance and is organized alphabetically. Links are provided to publications that include the statistics presented, to sources of more data, and to related web pages.
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National Survey of Family GrowthProvides statistics and datasets about family life, marriage, divorce, and related health issues. Offered by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Labor
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Bureau of Labor StatisticsData about income, spending, unemployment, and employment.
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Current Population SurveyThe Current Population Survey is a joint effort between the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Bureau of the Census to collect, analyze and disseminate information on labor force characteristics in the United States for policy makers, legislators, researchers and students. The site is searchable and also provides links to related surveys and supplements.
Diversity in Other Countries
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The World FactbookWide range of information and statistics about countries around the world
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Demographic Yearbook - Annuaire DemographiqueAnnual United Nations compilation of international demographic information for 230 geographic areas of the world. Topics covered include population, natality, mortality, marriage and divorce.
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Library of Congress Country StudiesDiversity information of all types, e.g., race, ethnicity, language, religion, etc., for individual countries outside the United States. Published in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the information is useful for historical background.
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United Nations Statistical DivisionStart here first for international statistics. The UN collects, analyzes and disseminates a wide range of statistical information to the general public. Links to information on statistical methods, links to data and reports, and other sources. See the site UNdata for UN statistical databases.
Racial / Ethnic Specific Statistics
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American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes (2020 Census)Provides information about demographic, social, economic, and housing characteristics.
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Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Island Groups (2020 Census)Portrait of the Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander population in the United States. Provides information about demographic, social, economic, and housing characteristics.
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The Asian Alone Population in the United States: 2023This collection of tables provides information about age, sex, martial status, occupation, educational attainment, and more.
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The Black Alone Population in the United States: 2023This collection of tables provides information about age, sex, marital status, occupation, educational attainment, and more.
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The Hispanic Population in the United States: 2019This collection of tables provides information about age, sex, marital status, occupation, educational attainment, and more.
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Profiles on Lawful Permanent Residents: 2022 (U.S. Department of Homeland Security)Lawful permanent residents (LPRs) are foreign nationals who have been granted the right to reside permanently in the U.S. View data by region or country.
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Race and Ethnicity in the United States: 2010 Census and 2020 CensusThis interactive visualization contains population statistics on race and ethnicity at the local, state, and national level. You can also use it to directly compare statistics from the 2010 and 2020 censuses.
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Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the United States: 2010 Census and 2020 CensusThis interactive visualization contains maps and tables measuring the diversity index and race and ethnicity prevalence at the county, state, and national level for both 2010 and 2020 censuses.
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US Census Bureau Topics: RaceContains press releases, publications, working papers, and datasets published by the United Status Census Bureau on the topic of race.
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The White Population (2020 Census)Discusses the distribution of the white population at the national level and at lower levels of geography.
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Who We Are: Blacks
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ISBN: 1937737306Publication Date: 2016-01-19Who We Are: Blacks brings you the facts you need about the size and characteristics of this fast-growing and politically powerful minority. Its 11 chapters examine Black attitudes, education, health, housing, income, labor force status, living arrangements, population, spending, time use, and wealth. -
Who We Are: Hispanics
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ISBN: 9781937737337Publication Date: 2016-01-18Who We Are: Hispanics brings you the facts you need about the nation's largest minority--the 55 million Hispanics in the United States, or one in six Americans. Its 11 chapters examine Hispanic attitudes, education, health, housing, income, labor force status, living arrangements, population, spending, time use, and wealth.
Religious and Other Group Specific Statistics
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American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS)A nationally representative survey of U.S. adults that tracks changes in religious loyalties over time. Latest report is from 2014.
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ARDA (The Association of Religion Data Archives)Formerly American Religious Data Archive. Compiles statistics, maps, and directories on religious activities around the world, with an emphasis on the United States.
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Pew Research CenterA nonpartisan organization that conducts public opinion and demographic polling and provides data for social science research.
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Religious Landscape StudyThe Religious Landscape Study from Pew Research Center surveys Americans across all 50 states about their religious affiliations, beliefs, and practices as well as their social and political views and demographic characteristics. Find religious data by city, state, or region. Additionally, you can find data on specific beliefs, practices, and social & political views by religious affiliation and demographic.
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World Religion Database: International Religious Demographic Statistics and Sources (WRD)Contains detailed statistics on religious affiliation for every country of the world. WRD provides source material, including censuses and surveys, as well as best estimates for every religion at multiple dates for the period 1900 to 2050.
HINT: The US Census Bureau releases many reports about racial ethnic groups. You can find these reports by searching Google. Many of these reports are PDFs and you can limit your search by file type. For example, Hispanic US Census filetype:pdf . Change the racial ethnic group to match your research needs and add other keywords if necessary (e.g. marriage, education, etc.)