The Department yesterday said finding key government-wide statistical data and information about cities, counties, states and the nation became markedly simpler with the recent activation of an enhanced MapsStats section of FedStats (www.fedstats.gov), a one-stop site for community stakeholders, journalists, researchers, students and everyday data users.

MapStats provides information on births and deaths, income, poverty, housing, crime, employment, retail sales, education levels, travel time to work, minority owned firms, weather and a host of other community indicators.

MapStats, in conjunction with the Department's State of the Cities Data System, provides users with a powerful tool for accessing detailed demographic and business information for cities. Data from the State of the Cities Data System are available for four decades, enabling users to research trends.

MapStats is produced by the Department's Office of Policy Development and Research.