Using a Data Visualization to Display Select Characteristics of the Population 65 Years and Older

Megan Rabe , U.S. Census Bureau
Andrew Roberts, U.S. Census Bureau
Stella U. Ogunwole, U.S. Census Bureau
Laura Blakeslee, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Given the importance of effective data dissemination, the U.S. Census Bureau has created an interactive data visualization to allow users to easily explore selected demographic, social, housing, and economic characteristics of the 65 years and older population. Using the 2016 1-year American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample, the tool displays topics including marital status, living arrangement, nativity, English ability, educational attainment, Internet access, disability, labor force participation, and receipt of retirement income. Along with showing the distribution across the nation, the visualization also enables users to distinguish detailed statistics for males and females and people ages 65 to 74, 75 to 84, and 85 and older at the state level. Using an interactive visualization to display this data works both to engage the public and to allow decision-makers to quickly recognize patterns and act accordingly.

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 Presented in Session 3. Population, Development, & the Environment; Data & Methods; Applied Demography