According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Cary grew nearly seven percent last year and is the third-fastest growing community in North America (based on rate of gain), with a population over 100,000. Raleigh ranks eighth, with a population increase edging toward four percent. Of the top 10 fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States, two are in North Carolina: Raleigh (first) and Charlotte (seventh).

“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, www.ncculture.com), 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 is 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. It 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, said 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; “selected characteristics” for 99 of 100 counties are available from the 1970 Census.

This digital collection was produced in partnership with the N.C. 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.