U.S. Census Bureau updates data.census.gov landing page to make data search easier

Sam Patton, a presenter for the U.S. Census Bureau, outlined a series of user-facing updates to data.census.gov in a tutorial video. The changes are designed to make the site’s search and help resources easier to find and use.

Patton demonstrated that clicking the U.S. Census Bureau logo now opens census.gov, the agency’s main homepage. "Now when users click on the Census Bureau logo, it takes them directly to census.gov, the agency's main home page," he said, and noted the site includes a separate data.census.gov button to clear searches and return users to the platform’s landing page.

The site’s navigation was reorganized so links to tables, maps, charts, profiles and microdata appear together near the logo on the top left. Patton said this centralizes data exploration tools and provides consistent placement when navigating search results. "The addition of the microdata button streamlines your experiences and takes you directly to the microdata access tool or MDAT," he said, describing a shortcut to the Census microdata access tool.

The top-right area of the page now emphasizes resources meant to help users rather than toolbox items. Patton described three resource menus: "Getting Started," offering a basic tutorial on using the single search bar versus filters; "Releases," which links to recent and upcoming data releases and site updates; and "Help," which points to video tutorials, FAQs and contact email for user questions and feedback.

Several interface changes target discoverability. Patton said the search bar is now centered on the landing page for a cleaner experience, and what was previously labeled "Advanced search" has been renamed "Explore Filters." "The new language, explore filters, is more inviting and accurately describes what this feature does," he said, adding that the functionality — filtering by geography, topic, survey and year — remains the same.

Patton also showed the search-by-address feature moved from a drop-pin icon inside the search bar to a standalone button under the bar to make location-based searches more visible. When a search is active, the new data.census.gov button clears results so users can start fresh, and the apps button links to other U.S. Census Bureau tools such as MDAT and population pyramids.

Patton framed the changes as responses to data user feedback and encouraged users to explore the updated homepage and submit comments on whether the updates improved their experience. "We look forward to hearing from you," he said. The video ends with a thank-you and an invitation to continue exploring Census data.