Census Tract Neighborhood Areas
An important feature of this St. Louis County senior web site is the 37 "Census Tract Neighborhood Areas" used to help explain the diversity of the senior population within the county. Census tracts are relatively small geographic areas whose boundaries are kept the same for each 10-year census. On average, tracts contain about 4,000 persons. Somewhat larger areas than tracts produce more stable estimates. Also, tracts grouped into larger areas represent recognizable places such as "Chesterfield" or "Jennings." Thus, a total of 37 such areas were created in 1990 for St. Louis County (View Map with Neighborhood Labels). These tract neighborhood areas are usually a little larger than a particular city and so they are labeled a "tract area."

Profile Reports
The "Profile Report" application presents tables of information formatted into web pages so they are easy to read on-line. They include information for the county and any one of the 37 Census Tract Neighborhood Areas. In the menu below you may select an area, a period of time and which tables you would like constructed. The hyperlinked tables include embedded links providing documentation about the sources of the data. Corresponding summary tables are available as links for the county overall. To access the information in a form for use in a spreadsheet or database go to the "Data Query" application.

Data Query
The "Data Query" application presents tables of information that will open in a spreadsheet or database. Most of the indicators highlighted in the subject sections have been organized into a single spreadsheet file with 28 worksheets. Comparative indicators for Missouri, St. Louis County and each of the 37 Census Tract Neighborhood Areas are included. The data query menu generates files for all the areas that include the detailed statistical indicators from which the summary files were created.

Population Pyramids
One of the most visually informative ways to understand the age structure of a population is to create a population pyramid. A population pyramid graphically shows the age structure for an area. For each five-year age cohort the percent of males and females is displayed with the young cohorts on the bottom and the older cohorts on the top. Usually there are more young people and fewer older persons - giving the pyramid its classic shape. Also, women have longer life expectancies than men so the female half of population pyramids usually "lean" to the right, especially at the top because there are proportionally more older women than older men. Population pyramids show how things are now, but also they make it easy to envision the future by imagining what will happen as the cohorts inevitably grow older and move upward in the pyramid. In "Age" subject section under "graphics" you can create such pyramids for the county and each of the 37 areas. You may also launch the application below.