Click on "Install Server".
Wait a few minutes for the server to deploy. Once ready, it will show a "Started" state.
In the chat, type
@followed by the MCP server name and your instructions, e.g., "@Census API MCP ServerShow me the median household income for all states in 2022"
That's it! The server will respond to your query, and you can continue using it as needed.
Here is a step-by-step guide with screenshots.
Census API MCP Server
Access U.S. Census Bureau data including demographics, population, income, housing, and more.
Data Available
American Community Survey (ACS) - Detailed demographic and socioeconomic data
1-year estimates (
acs/acs1) - Areas with 65,000+ population5-year estimates (
acs/acs5) - All areas, more reliable for small populations
Decennial Census (
dec/pl) - Official population counts every 10 yearsEconomic Census - Business and industry statistics
Population Estimates - Annual population estimates between censuses
Setup
Get a free API key at: https://api.census.gov/data/key_signup.html
Add to your MCP config:
Tools
query
Fetch Census data with full control over variables and geography.
Parameter | Required | Description |
year | Yes | Data year (e.g., "2022") |
dataset | Yes | Dataset path (e.g., "acs/acs1", "acs/acs5", "dec/pl") |
variables | Yes | Comma-separated variable codes (e.g., "NAME,B19013_001E") |
forClause | Yes | Geography to fetch (e.g., "state:", "county:", "state:06") |
inClause | No | Parent geography for nested queries (e.g., "state:06" when getting counties) |
Example: Get median household income for all states
list_datasets
List available Census datasets for a given year.
Parameter | Required | Description |
year | Yes | Year to list datasets for |
list_variables
Search for variables in a dataset. Useful for finding the right variable codes.
Parameter | Required | Description |
year | Yes | Data year |
dataset | Yes | Dataset path |
search | No | Keyword to filter (e.g., "income", "population") |
limit | No | Max results (default 50) |
Example: Find income-related variables
list_geographies
List available geographic levels for a dataset.
Parameter | Required | Description |
year | Yes | Data year |
dataset | Yes | Dataset path |
get_fips
Get FIPS codes for states, counties, or other geographies.
Parameter | Required | Description |
year | Yes | Data year |
dataset | Yes | Dataset path |
geography | Yes | Level (e.g., "state", "county") |
inClause | No | Parent geography filter |
Example: Get all county FIPS codes in California
Common Variables
Variable | Description |
B01003_001E | Total Population |
B19013_001E | Median Household Income |
B25077_001E | Median Home Value |
B23025_005E | Unemployed Population |
B15003_022E | Bachelor's Degree holders |
B25064_001E | Median Gross Rent |
Rate Limits
No strict rate limit with API key
Without key: 500 requests/day
Documentation
API Documentation: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/guidance.html
Variable Search: https://api.census.gov/data.html