Health Data Website Guide: 

FedStats

Description: 

The gateway to statistics from over 100 federal agencies. Provides county-level data in a number of areas of interest to community health coalitions, and shows the statistics side-by side with NC statistics. Comments: Contains a number of statistics not available in County Data Book. Use when want comparisons to NC that are not in County Data Book.

Directions for reaching the following data: 

Go to MapStats, select and click on North Carolina. In MapStats select and click on county of interest to get key and some detailed 2000 Census stats on population, income/poverty, educational attainment, language spoken, housing. Also has key info on business, land area, and persons per square mile. Note: Sources are not listed for the individual statistics, but include: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Agricultural Statistics Service, National Center for Health Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau.

• Population: Demographic breakdown/ population: 2000 and 2001 (estimate), change from 1990, age, race, gender. Political unit(s): Each NC county vs. State of NC.
• Income: Demographic breakdown/ population: Median household income, per capita income, # and % below poverty. Political unit(s): Each NC county vs. State of NC.
• Educational attainment: Demographic breakdown/ population: high school and BA, # and %. Political unit(s): Each NC county vs. State of NC.
• Language spoken at home: Political unit(s): Each NC county vs. State of NC.
• Housing: Demographic breakdown/ population: # housing units, home ownership rate, median value of houses. Political unit(s): Each NC county vs. State of NC.
• Foreign-born: Demographic breakdown/ population: Persons of Hispanic descent, foreign-born residents. Political unit(s): Each NC county vs. State of NC.
• Travel time to work: Political unit(s): Each NC county vs. State of NC.
• Business statistics from 1997-99: Political unit(s): Each NC county vs. State of NC. Notes: Probably better sources for business data.
• Federal funds and grants, 2001: Content: total amounts. Political unit(s): Each NC county vs. State of NC.
• Notes: Might be useful for comparison with other counties on total federal dollars coming into county.
• Geography/ Land area: Political unit(s): Each NC county vs. State of NC.
• Geography/ Persons per square mile: Political unit(s): Each NC county vs. State of NC.

Directions for reaching the following data: 

From Fedstats, click on "Statistics by geography from US agencies," located on the left side of the page. This will take you to a page entitiled "Other international, state, county and local area statistics. "Under "Agriculture" click on "Farm Income and Expenses" (not really what it is), select and click on "North Carolina." Provides year-by-year comparisons for all of the following. Interactive: you select county and years to compare. Can look at any combination of years from 1969 to 2000. (Hold down "Control" key to select non-adjacent years.) Read notes at bottom of sections. Other statistics on this page are not recommended, as they are less relevant and/or intended for further analysis, rather than immediate use.

• "Personal income summary estimates": Content: Given with % changes and as % of US income over years. Political unit(s): State, country. Notes: These are estimates provided by US Bureau of Economic Analysis. To get to your county, select "North Carolina," click on "Display" and scroll down to your county.
• "Personal income summary estimates"/ "Detailed county annual tables": Political unit(s): State, country. Notes: Estimates of income by industry, employment by industry, detailed employment stats, breakdown of federal funds taken in by the county/category, and farm income and expenses/category.
• "Wage and salary summary estimates": Political unit(s): State, country. Notes: Estimates of number of jobs/county, total wages/county, average wage/job/county.

Directions for reaching the following data: 

While in MapStats, in your county, click on "Browse more data sets for X County, North Carolina." Data categories here are Agriculture (but none available); Population, Immigration, and Demographics (but all are better elsewhere); Business; Crimes (reported to police, 1998); Energy and Environment (covered elsewhere in this resource); Misc. (old data-disregard).

• Personal income: Political unit(s): County only. Notes: Income 1999-2000.Good summary information in a form not found elsewhere-summary sentences. Sources: Regional Economic Information System, Bureau of Economic Analysis, US Government.
• County Business Patterns, 1999: Demographic breakdown/ population: Number of employees and payroll by industry type (construction, retail trade, etc.). Political unit(s): County only. Notes: Source: US Census Bureau. Estimated.
• Economic Census, 1997: Demographic breakdown/ population: Similar information to above, but more detailed if you click on arrows to left of each industry. Political unit(s): County only. Notes: This is performed every five years(in years ending in 7 and 2) by the US Census Bureau. See http://www.census.gov/epcd/ec97/introgen.htm for background and definitions.
• Minority and Women-Owned businesses, 1997: Demographic breakdown/ population: Total minorities, plus each minority separately, women. Political unit(s): County, but cities and states are accessible from the site. Notes: Summary page provides access to details by clicking on underlined item. Site provides access to other NC counties and cities, and other states.
• Consolidated federal funds report, FY2000: Political unit(s): County and state. Notes: Lists amounts received by county by federal fund category (e.g., foodstamps, Medicare, highways).