U.S. Census Bureau refreshes Microdata Access Tool with streamlined interface, group and recode features

Maria Valdisera, presenter, demonstrated the U.S. Census Bureau’s refreshed Microdata Access Tool (MDAT), saying the site adopts the look and feel of data.census.gov and shortens table URLs to make saved tables easier to open. "The new URL is data.census.gov/app/mdat," she said, and showed how a 'microdata' button on data.census.gov links directly to MDAT.

The refresh is intended to simplify the table-creation workflow for researchers and data users, Valdisera said, by removing redundant steps and consolidating controls. She used the American Community Survey (ACS) 1-year estimates for 2024 as an example dataset and walked through selecting variables, geographies and creating a custom recode for age. "You will need to create a group or recode in order to include the AGEP variable on your table," she said, demonstrating a pop-up that flags continuous variables.

Valdisera demonstrated geography selection with Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) from Virginia, adding Norfolk and Virginia Beach to the selection. She showed a new group function that combines multiple PUMAs into one named group; in the tutorial she created a group labeled "Norfolk and Virginia Beach Pumas" that appears in the table view. She also highlighted a Select All option for adding entire collections of geographies quickly.

On the cart tab, Valdisera created a custom recode from the AGEP variable, renaming the default group to "under 18 years old" and editing the end range from 99 to 17, then saving subsequent groups for "18–24," "25–40," "41–55," and "56 and older." She said the tool saves the recode as a new variable (recode name shown in the tutorial).

The refreshed table view consolidates layout, geography, cell-value options and weighting on a single page, Valdisera said, and now displays data automatically in the preview rather than showing question marks or zeros as in the beta. She demonstrated moving geographies into columns and recoded variables into rows to improve readability and noted that information about the universe and selected geographies now appears in a "View Universe" pop-up to reduce clutter.

Download and share functions remain available: a bottom-right download/share button opens a pop-up with separate tabs for download (CSV and JSON) and share (table and API URLs). Valdisera noted a URL migration feature that converts long beta MDAT table URLs into the refreshed MDAT format so previously saved tables can be opened in the new site.

For users seeking guidance, Valdisera directed viewers to the MDAT resources page for additional instructions and closed the tutorial.