LibGuides: Marketing: Demographics

Demographics Resources

American Community Survey
This annual survey is sent to a sampling of the population to estimate demographic data between decennial censuses.
Data.Census.Gov
A new website Data.Census.Gov is in development to combine all U.S. statistical data sites into a single, searchable portal. Per the Data.Census.Gov site FAQ, selected new data sets will be added every two months starting in September 2019 “with the 2017 Economic Census and 2018 American Community Survey released in September 2019, through data.census.gov. “
Current Population Survey
The CPS is the primary source of information on the labor force characteristics of the U.S. population. Estimates obtained from the CPS include employment, unemployment, earnings, hours of work, and other indicators.
Decennial Census
This census profiles U.S. national and local economies every five years. Data is available by industry or geography. Data is released over time.
ESRI Tapestry
Get quick demographic information by zip code.
Gale Business: Demographics Now
Database of U.S. Census data.
Oakland County Demographics
Facts and Stats on Oakland County
Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG)
Population, housing, economic, land use and transportation characteristics of all communities in Southeast Michigan.
Statistical Abstract
An authoritative and comprehensive summary of statistics on the social, political, and economic organization of the United States. Published annually since 1878.
Survey of Business Owners
Provides comprehensive information on selected economic and demographic characteristics for businesses and business owners by gender, ethnicity, and race.
United States Census Bureau
www.census.gov is the gateway to data available from the United States Census Bureau. Click on American Fact Finder to download data. Links to specific surveys are below.
City-Data.com
Detailed, informative profiles for every city in the United States.
U.S. Counties in Profile
Search all 50 states and their counties and cities for population, housing, income, labor, employment, wages, or earnings.
Data USA
Presents a visual overview of demographic data for geographic locations.

Consumer Behavior--Online Resources

The American Marketplace: Demographics and Spending Patterns
Documents America's demographics, spending patterns, and changing lifestyles. 2018, 14th ed. available in the Nexis Uni database. Older editions in print REF HA214.A6
Consumer Expenditure Survey
Provides information on the buying habits of American consumers, including data on their expenditures, income, and consumer unit (families and single consumers) characteristics. The survey data are collected for the Bureau of Labor Statistics by the U.S. Census Bureau.
My Best Segments
Claritas provides limited information on market segmentation free of charge by using the Zip code lookup feature on this Web site.
Nielsen News Center
Articles about consumer behavior and spending trends.
Trendwatching
An independent and opinionated trend firm, scanning the globe for the most promising consumer trends, insights and related hands-on business ideas.
Web News
Near real-time access to thousands of top news feeds from around the globe.
Psychology & Behavioral Sciences Collection
Full-text psychology journals.

Consumer Behavior--Reference Books

American marketplace by New Strategist
Publication Date: 2018
Documents America's demographics, spending patterns, and changing lifestyles. Available in Nexis Uni database
American Generations
Call Number: Ebsco E-book
ISBN: 9781937737450
Publication Date: 2018, 9th ed.
For decades, the U.S. population has been fragmented by generation. The ninth edition of American Generations: Who They Are and How They Live is the tool for piecing together those fragments and seeing the whole. It is the resource for those who want to stay on top of the dynamic generational mix—from the preschool Recession generation to the adolescent iGeneration, from young adult Millennials to middle-aged Generation X, from the “go-go” Baby Boomers to the “slow-go” Swing and World War II generations.
Consumer Behavior 2017-2018 by RKMA Market Research Handbook Series
Call Number: Ebsco E-Book
Publication Date: 2017
Consumer spending accounts for 70% of the U.S. gross domestic product, or $11.6 trillion. Consumer Behavior 2017-2018 assesses how this spending is distributed and the consumer behaviors that affect spending.
Millennials in America by Robert L. Scardamalia
Call Number: REF HN60.S287 2015
ISBN: 9781598887792
Publication Date: 2015-11-02
Provides a wide range of characteristics profiling the demographic, social, and economic status of the millennial generation.
Household spending: Who spends how much on what by New Strategist
Call Number: HC110.C6 O34
Publication Date: 2011
Based on the consumer expenditure survey, Household Spending contains tables of data on spending for everyday products and services by age, income, household size, region, education and ethnicity.
Best customers: Demographics of consumer demand (11th ed.) by New Strategist
Call Number: Ebsco E-Book
Publication Date: 2015
Identifies demographic groups who spend the most for products and services, based on age, income, household type, race and ethnicity, education,and region.
Older Americans: A Changing Market
Call Number: EBSCO E-book
Publication Date: 2012
Statistics on incomes, spending, and wealth of the 55-or-older age group.

Marketing Facts

Demographics: The characteristics of the size and structure of a human population, such as its distribution and age range.

Psychographics: What customers think and feel, how they buy, and associated way-of-life and life-cycle issues.

Source: Business, the Ultimate Resource, accessed through Credo Reference

Public Opinion

The polling sites below focus on lifestyle and behavior.

Gallup
Polls on politics, economy, well being and world issues.
Harris Interactive
Public opinion polls on a variety of subjects. Archives goes back 40 years.
Pew Research Center
A nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world.
Roper Center
Public Opinion Archives

Consumer Behavior - Recent News

Recent News About Consumer Behavior from The New York Times