Data Sources.Although data on the 
smallest local units of analysis (such as the neighborhood or census tract) are certainly 
powerful in terms of supporting the argument that something must be done, data on the 
same conditions or problems at the county, state, or national levels can also be useful in 
providing a basis of comparison against which local figures can be judged.Additional statis-
tical references based on census data include USA Counties, Statistical Abstract of the United 
States, and the State and Metropolitan Area Data Book, all of which can be accessed online.Other sources include local social service agencies, the United 
Way, community councils, centralized data-collection resource centers, centralized in-
formation and referral agencies, law-enforcement agencies, hospitals, and school district 
offices.This resource includes such data categories (for both 
counties and cities) as racial/ethnic breakdown, age, gender, the number of people with 
less than a high school education, and the number of people in poverty.