How do I use mcp-census?

1. Click on "Deploy Server". 2. Wait a few minutes for the server to deploy. Once ready, it will show a "Started" state. 3. In the chat, type @ followed by the MCP server name and your instructions, e.g., "@mcp-census What's the median household income in California by county?" 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.

mcp-census

Query the US Census Bureau API for demographic, economic, and geographic data.

Free API — No API key required.

Tools

Tool	Description
`search_datasets`	Search available US Census Bureau datasets by keyword (e.g. 'acs', 'decennial', 'business patterns')
`get_variables`	List variables available in a Census dataset. Use to discover variable codes before querying data.
`get_geographies`	List supported geography levels for a Census dataset (state, county, tract, etc.)
`query_data`	Query Census Bureau data. Returns tabular data for specified variables and geography. Requires CENSUS_API_KEY.
`get_population`	Convenience tool: get total population (B01001_001E) for a geography. Defaults to ACS 5-year 2022.

Related MCP server: Open Census MCP Server

Installation

git clone https://github.com/PetrefiedThunder/mcp-census.git
cd mcp-census
npm install
npm run build

Usage with Claude Desktop

Add to your claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "census": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/path/to/mcp-census/dist/index.js"]
    }
  }
}

Usage with npx

npx mcp-census

License

MIT

This server cannot be deployed

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Maintenance

ActivityInactive

ResponsivenessNo issues

Resources

GitHub Repository

Need Help?

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