RALEIGH - According to the US Census Bureau, Cary grew nearly 7% last year and is the third-fastest growing community with a population over 100,000 in North America (based on rate of gain). Raleigh ranks eighth, with a population increase edging toward 4%. Of the top ten fastest growing metropolitan areas in the United States, two are in North Carolina: Raleigh (1st) and Charlotte (7th).
“In a state that is changing at such a rapid pace, historic census data is one way to gain insight into just how dramatic these changes are and how they might impact North Carolina’s future” said State Librarian Mary Boone.
The latest digital collection from the State Library of North Carolina, North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources is NC Census Data: 1960-1980. This on-line resource makes North Carolina demographic data from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s full-text searchable for the first time at: http://statelibrary.ncdcr.gov/dimp/digital/census/index.html
Historical and sociological researchers, urban planners, news editors, government agencies, and businesses that need statistical demographic information for their work will bookmark the collection.
The original collection of paper documents and maps, housed in file folders at the State Data Center at the Office of State Budget Management since it was created from federal census files decades ago, contains invaluable county- and state-level demographics information and enumeration district maps from 80 of North Carolina’s 100 counties.
Digitization took about nine months says Amy Rudersdorf, Director of the Digital Information Management program in the State Library, who notes that “with access to the all hand colored maps you can see the difference in growth when you compare areas to maps of today.”
The majority of the demographic information dates from the 1980 Census. The maps, as well as population counts and housing data are available from the 1960 Census, and “selected characteristics” for 99 of 100 counties are available from the 1970 Census.
This digital collection was produced in partnership with the NC State Data Center and was funded through a Library Services and Technology Act Statewide Leadership Grant.
Access the collection online at: http://statelibrary.ncdcr.gov/dimp/digital/census/index.html
The State Library of North Carolina is a division of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources. The State Library of North Carolina works in partnership with communities to develop service, coordinates statewide programs for all types of libraries, and offers direct library service to state employees, genealogy researchers, and people who have visual and physical handicaps.