Social Explorer

Step 1: Go to libraries.olemiss.edu.

Scroll past the image until you see the UM Libraries search box. At the bottom of the box, the third option from the left is "Databases." Click on "Databases." 

Step 2: The database A-Z page.

Now that you are on the database A-Z page, click on "S" and scroll down the list of "S" databases until you find Social Explorer.

Step 3: Tables.

On the landing page, click Tables in the menu on the left.

Step 4: Choose your dataset.

The most popular datasets are the American Community Surveys and the U.S. Decennial Census, however, there are several additional dataset options.

For this example, click on the American Community Survey (5-Year Estimates).

Step 5: Click Begin Report by the dataset year you want to use.

Step 6: Now create the report.

First, choose the geographic area. Click the arrow in the box to see the drop down menu of geographies. Keep in mind that you can mix your geographic types (i.e. choose a state, Mississippi, a county, Lafayette county, and a place, Oxford).

For this example, click States, click on a state, and click the ADD button.

Once you have the geographies you want in the box, click Proceed to Tables.

Step 7: Select tables.

Choose the tables you want and click add. You can add as many tables as you like.

After you've added your tables to the box, click Show Results.

Step 8: Scroll down to see the results table.

To download and save your data click the Excel tab at the top of the screen.

Step 9: Select your options and download.

You are welcome to share any of this information with others. If you are a librarian or educator, you are welcome to use this guide and its contents for your own purposes.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.