API Developers Forum

Feature Requests : Browse Recent Ideas

Help us make the API better

• Recent Ideas (20)
• Popular Ideas (20)
• Hot Ideas (3)
• In Review Ideas (0)
• In Progress Ideas (0)
• Complete Ideas (0)

• Vote up

  Feedback Score

  0

  +0

  -0

  Vote down
  This idea is active.
  Feature Requests »

  More consistency between the Decennial API's

  I am working on a page drawing data from the 1990, 2000 and 2010 SF1 and noticed a lot of differences between them. Most importantly for me: - the variables that can be drawn from the Geographic header varies a lot, in 2010 only the Name, in 1990 and 2000 a whole slew of variables, including a very useful AREALAND, but NAME for one is missing in 1990 - in 2010 the list of available geographies is a lot longer than in ...more »

  I am working on a page drawing data from the 1990, 2000 and 2010 SF1 and noticed a lot of differences between them. Most importantly for me:

  - the variables that can be drawn from the Geographic header varies a lot, in 2010 only the Name, in 1990 and 2000 a whole slew of variables, including a very useful AREALAND, but NAME for one is missing in 1990

  - in 2010 the list of available geographies is a lot longer than in 2000 and 1990. For my page I am especially missing county subdivisions in 1990 and 2000.

  - If I ask for a list of states, Puerto Rico is included in 2010, not in 1990 and 2000

  - State IDs have a leading zero in 2010, not so in 1990 and 2000. Maybe other ID's as well, I didn't test that. The API seem to work both with and without the leading zero.

  Having more consistency in geographies and geographic header variables would be very helpful, the different table numbers and setups is hard enough to deal with.

  « less full details »

  1 comment for Idea: More consistency between the Decennial API's

  Submitted by Jan Vink 11 days ago

• Vote up

  Feedback Score

  0

  +0

  -0

  Vote down
  This idea is active.
  Feature Requests »

  Add Nation, Region and Division to Decennial Census API

  The ACS API includes geographic summary levels above the state level, the SF1 and SF3 API do not. I would like to see those levels added.

  1 comment for Idea: Add Nation, Region and Division to Decennial Census API

  Submitted by Jan Vink 12 days ago

• Vote up

  Feedback Score

  2

  +2

  -0

  Vote down
  This idea is active.
  Feature Requests »

  Remove the API Key Requirement

  API keys are a barrier to entry, and are somewhat pointless for web apps where anyone can view source and grab a key

  5 comments for Idea: Remove the API Key Requirement

  Submitted by calvin.metcalf 15 days ago

• Vote up

  Feedback Score

  -1

  +0

  -1

  Vote down
  This idea is active.
  Feature Requests »

  Census 2010 SF1 Request

  This is a request to add access to the Census 2010 SF1 113th Congressional District data scheduled for release on 4/11/13. Also repeating the request to add school district level access for existing Census 2010 SF1 data.

  Thank you!

  Add your comment for Idea: Census 2010 SF1 Request

  Submitted by Community Member 2 months ago

• Vote up

  Feedback Score

  1

  +1

  -0

  Vote down
  This idea is active.
  Feature Requests »

  School Districts

  Appears Census 2010 school districts not among data enhancements. Can these data be made accessible? Thank you.

  Add your comment for Idea: School Districts

  Submitted by Community Member 3 months ago

• Vote up

  Feedback Score

  -1

  +0

  -1

  Vote down
  This idea is active.
  Feature Requests »

  School District Type

  This is a request to simplify the school district API call structures to have only one replacing the three separate calls for unified, secondary and elementary. The school district codes are unique within state irrespective of the type (U, S, E). Most users are interested in a few districts by name/id, all districts in a state/region or all districts in the U.S. Also, just having the state+district code provides ...more »

  This is a request to simplify the school district API call structures to have only one replacing the three separate calls for unified, secondary and elementary.

  The school district codes are unique within state irrespective of the type (U, S, E). Most users are interested in a few districts by name/id, all districts in a state/region or all districts in the U.S. Also, just having the state+district code provides a unique tie-back to the U, S, E status.

  Thank you.

  « less full details »

  8 comments for Idea: School District Type

  Submitted by Community Member 4 months ago

• Vote up

  Feedback Score

  -1

  +0

  -1

  Vote down
  This idea is active.
  Feature Requests »

  Metros & ACS 2010/2011 1 Year Data

  This adds to my note re the need for 113th Congressional District data (minimally from ACS 2011 1 year data corresponding to easystats). Since all but 2 MSAs are included in the ACS 1 year estimates, most users would benefit from having most recent (ACS 2011 1 year) data for MSAs, unless comparing the MSA with subMSA geography. This is a request to add MSA ACS 2011 1 year (also ACS 2010 and Census 2010 even better) ...more »

  This adds to my note re the need for 113th Congressional District data (minimally from ACS 2011 1 year data corresponding to easystats).

  Since all but 2 MSAs are included in the ACS 1 year estimates, most users would benefit from having most recent (ACS 2011 1 year) data for MSAs, unless comparing the MSA with subMSA geography.

  This is a request to add MSA ACS 2011 1 year (also ACS 2010 and Census 2010 even better) API calls for single MSAs and US wildcarded. Setting the call for all CBSAs and metropolitan divisions might be better.

  Thank you.

  « less full details »

  1 comment for Idea: Metros & ACS 2010/2011 1 Year Data

  Submitted by Community Member 4 months ago

• Vote up

  Feedback Score

  -1

  +0

  -1

  Vote down
  This idea is active.
  Feature Requests »

  113th Congressional District Data

  The App Gallery shows Easystats using the API operations. Easystats is presently the only source of ACS 2011 1 year data for 113th Congressional Districts. Can those same data be available to us via API calls? If so, 1) the same scope of ACS 2011 1 year items should be available minimally for the US 010 & states 040 (not supported by easystats) and 2) there needs to be a minimal expansion of another 50-60 subject ...more »

  The App Gallery shows Easystats using the API operations. Easystats is presently the only source of ACS 2011 1 year data for 113th Congressional Districts. Can those same data be available to us via API calls? If so, 1) the same scope of ACS 2011 1 year items should be available minimally for the US 010 & states 040 (not supported by easystats) and 2) there needs to be a minimal expansion of another 50-60 subject matter items. Will recommend which items if you want; all ACS 2011 1 year tables better yet! Thank you.

  « less full details »

  Add your comment for Idea: 113th Congressional District Data

  Submitted by Community Member 4 months ago

• Vote up

  Feedback Score

  -1

  +0

  -1

  Vote down
  This idea is active.
  Feature Requests »

  School District Data

  Have reviewed access to the ACS 2011 data by school district. Looks good. Very much need the same for ACS 2010 and Census 2010 SF1 (particularly the single year of age by gender tables iterated by race/origin, but pretty much all of it).

  Thanks to all of you who have been working to make the API resources available.

  6 comments for Idea: School District Data

  Submitted by Community Member 4 months ago

• Vote up

  Feedback Score

  -1

  +0

  -1

  Vote down
  This idea is active.
  Feature Requests »

  Language Speaker Search

  Since United States is a diversity country. People speak different languages over here. Different language represent different culture, and different market. We need language speaker map.

  2 comments for Idea: Language Speaker Search

  Submitted by lwjct 6 months ago

• Vote up

  Feedback Score

  2

  +2

  -0

  Vote down
  This idea is active.
  Feature Requests »

  Search for disability

  I'm working on a project that would be greatly enhanced by offering the ability to query the database for the number of disabled individuals in a given area.

  This data can be found by clicking through the census site, so I wonder why it's not available via the API?

  I wish I didn't have to tell users they needed to do their own clicking on this, I'd much rather grab that data for them automatically.

  2 comments for Idea: Search for disability

  Submitted by p.e.noonan 7 months ago

• Vote up

  Feedback Score

  1

  +1

  -0

  Vote down
  This idea is active.
  Feature Requests »

  API SUMLEV 101 place query capability

  It would be nice if the API query could capability include SUMLEV 101 place fields. The Census SF1 documentation does include place fields for SUMLEV 101, but I assume the API only has a subset of 101 implemented.

  These 2 API queries do NOT work.

  get=P0010001,NAME&for=place:*&in=state:06+county:91

  get=P0010001,NAME&for=place:*&in=state:06+county:91+tract:010000

  Add your comment for Idea: API SUMLEV 101 place query capability

  Submitted by Ingles_Kevin 7 months ago

• Vote up

  Feedback Score

  2

  +2

  -0

  Vote down
  This idea is active.
  Feature Requests »

  Feature Requests

  Having used these APIs for a while, I find them very useful and working well. Thank you. Among needed additions/extensions are these items ... APIs structured somewhat like these to access the underlying data as used in the new Census "Americas Economy" app is very much needed ... with as much geographic drill-down as feasible. The two geographies most needed for ACS are CBSAs and school districts. Is it feasible ...more »

  Having used these APIs for a while, I find them very useful and working well. Thank you. Among needed additions/extensions are these items ...

  APIs structured somewhat like these to access the underlying data as used in the new Census "Americas Economy" app is very much needed ... with as much geographic drill-down as feasible.

  The two geographies most needed for ACS are CBSAs and school districts. Is it feasible to add these soon?

  Hopefully the ACS 2011 1-year data can be made available next month for the U.S., states, MSAs and congressional districts.

  « less full details »

  Add your comment for Idea: Feature Requests

  Submitted by Community Member 10 months ago

• Vote up

  Feedback Score

  2

  +2

  -0

  Vote down
  This idea is active.
  Feature Requests »

  Add datatable restrictions to XML

  In another thread I read about an updated version of the available ACS tables. It would be very handy if table restrictions and Block Group availability would be included in that list. (As in Appendix E of the technical documentation http://www2.census.gov/acs2010_5yr/summaryfile/ACS_2006-2010_SF_Tech_Doc.pdf). In the XML document those restrictions could be attributes of the "concept"

  Add your comment for Idea: Add datatable restrictions to XML

  Submitted by Jan Vink 10 months ago

• Vote up

  Feedback Score

  2

  +2

  -0

  Vote down
  This idea is active.
  Feature Requests »

  Optional Latitude and Longitude Returned

  It would be nice to be able to pass in an optional parameter like &coordinates=1 and have the latitude and longitude points of each result returned in a new variable. For example, a state (or block group, tract, etc) would have a coordinate field with the array of lat/lon points of the state outline. Yes it would be a larger amount of data being returned, but it's optional. To save size, the coordinates could be ...more »

  It would be nice to be able to pass in an optional parameter like &coordinates=1 and have the latitude and longitude points of each result returned in a new variable. For example, a state (or block group, tract, etc) would have a coordinate field with the array of lat/lon points of the state outline.

  Yes it would be a larger amount of data being returned, but it's optional. To save size, the coordinates could be encoded and save 3-5 times the data, like here: https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/utilities/polylinealgorithm

  « less full details »

  1 comment for Idea: Optional Latitude and Longitude Returned

  Submitted by yourmapper 10 months ago

• Vote up

  Feedback Score

  2

  +2

  -0

  Vote down
  This idea is active.
  Feature Requests »

  ACS XML

  I have used an XML reader to put the ACS variables into a tree structure. However, because the variables in the XML file are not in order (after the first level), it is not particularly easy to find the variable you want--particularly when there are over 60,000. Am I missing something?

  4 comments for Idea: ACS XML

  Submitted by gio 10 months ago

• Vote up

  Feedback Score

  2

  +2

  -0

  Vote down
  This idea is active.
  Feature Requests »

  ZCTA-level data for ACS

  Any chance of getting this through the API? I'm mashing up Census data with FEC campaign contribution data, and it would be really interesting to have access to attributes on education, income, etc. at the ZIP level.

  4 comments for Idea: ZCTA-level data for ACS

  Submitted by alanj 10 months ago

• Vote up

  Feedback Score

  11

  +11

  -0

  Vote down
  This idea is active.
  Feature Requests »

  Skip a level in the geographic hierarchy and add GEOID

  I am trying to make something for all block groups in a county and noticed that I have to make separate requests for each tract. A block group looks like: ?get=P0010001&for=block+group:*&in=state:2+county:170+tract:000101 but it would be nice if we could request: ?get=P0010001,GEOID&for=block+group:*&in=state:2+county:170 so without specifying the tract. The added GEOID (just like NAME) would make make each record unique. ...more »

  I am trying to make something for all block groups in a county and noticed that I have to make separate requests for each tract.

  A block group looks like:

  ?get=P0010001&for=block+group:*&in=state:2+county:170+tract:000101

  but it would be nice if we could request:

  ?get=P0010001,GEOID&for=block+group:*&in=state:2+county:170

  so without specifying the tract.

  The added GEOID (just like NAME) would make make each record unique.

  « less full details »

  Add your comment for Idea: Skip a level in the geographic hierarchy and add GEOID

  Submitted by Jan Vink 1 year ago

• Vote up

  Feedback Score

  9

  +9

  -0

  Vote down
  This idea is active.
  Feature Requests »

  Variable Description APIs would be useful

  As a developer, I think an API to describe and search for SF1 variables will be very useful. Sample API: http://thedataweb.rm.census.gov/data/2010/sf1/desc/(parameters) Usages: 1. http://thedataweb.rm.census.gov/data/2010/sf1/desc/all returns a JSON array of all SF1 variables and their descriptions. 2. http://thedataweb.rm.census.gov/data/2010/sf1/desc/P0010001 returns information about P0010001 (its name, concept, ...more »

  As a developer, I think an API to describe and search for SF1 variables will be very useful.

  Sample API:

  http://thedataweb.rm.census.gov/data/2010/sf1/desc/(parameters)

  Usages:

  1. http://thedataweb.rm.census.gov/data/2010/sf1/desc/all

  returns a JSON array of all SF1 variables and their descriptions.

  2. http://thedataweb.rm.census.gov/data/2010/sf1/desc/P0010001

  returns information about P0010001 (its name, concept, etc)

  3. http://thedataweb.rm.census.gov/data/2010/sf1/desc/Asian

  returns a list of variables related to Asian.

  « less full details »

  1 comment for Idea: Variable Description APIs would be useful

  Submitted by feng.gao 1 year ago

• Vote up

  Feedback Score

  2

  +2

  -0

  Vote down
  This idea is active.
  Feature Requests »

  Which datasets do you want to see?

  Happy Friday! Part of the reason for our requesst that you participate in our testing period is to gather feedback on ways to increase the value of Census API service to you. I saw in another thread a mention of using SAIPE rather than ACS for Jan's app. It would be helpful to know which datasets are your highest priorities. Please respond here to suggest which datasets would be most valuable to you as we extend API ...more »

  Happy Friday!

  Part of the reason for our requesst that you participate in our testing period is to gather feedback on ways to increase the value of Census API service to you.

  I saw in another thread a mention of using SAIPE rather than ACS for Jan's app. It would be helpful to know which datasets are your highest priorities.

  Please respond here to suggest which datasets would be most valuable to you as we extend API access to more of our statistics. We may have to make things available in a different order for reasons technical, regulatory, or other, but knowing your priorities will help us direct our energies.

  Thanks,

  Joe

  « less full details »

  2 comments for Idea: Which datasets do you want to see?

  Submitted by Joe Gilvary 1 year ago

Displaying all 20 Ideas