This will download Massachusetts (FIPS 25) tracts. For R you need to unzip. You can then read the shapefile into R using the sf package sf::st_read(<path to shapefile>) or other GIS package that you might use.
Original Message:
Sent: 10-05-2025 10:58 AM
From: Glenn Rice
Subject: Access to Census Bureau FTP
Got it, thank you David.
For others interested, use FTP (not SFTP) protocol, port 21, ftp2.census.gov, anonymous login. Password not required, but it's good practice to use your email address as the password for anonymous FTP connections.
------------------------------
Glenn Rice
Missouri Census Data Center
Original Message:
Sent: 10-04-2025 11:28 AM
From: David Dorer
Subject: Access to Census Bureau FTP
Dear Glenn,
The above mentions the url www2.census.gov (from a browser this would connect on port 80. Apparently they have messed the program that listens to port 80 - the usual http https protocol.. The standard port for ftp is port 21. The ftp sever seems to be working. Hope that they don't read this post and then block port 21
------------------------------
David Dorer
Dorer Community Service Foundation
Original Message:
Sent: 10-04-2025 11:20 AM
From: David Dorer
Subject: Access to Census Bureau FTP
Dear Glenn,
I have used it in the past. I use Linux but there is a free open source ftp program I use (on Ubuntu) at the command line: ftp ftp://ftp2.census.gov. This connects and gives a listing.
~/projects/census/BrooklineTown/source$ ftp ftp://ftp2.census.gov
Trying 148.129.75.35:21 ...
Connected to ftp2.census.gov.
220- **WARNING**WARNING**WARNING**WARNING**WARNING****WARNING**WARNING**
220-
220- This is a Census Bureau computer system. Census Bureau computer
220- systems are provided for the processing of official U.S. Government
220- information only. All data contained within Census Bureau computer
220- systems is owned by the Census Bureau, and may be monitored,intercepted, recorded, read,
220- copied, or captured in any manner and disclosed in any manner, by
220- authorized personnel. THERE IS NO RIGHT OF PRIVACY IN THIS SYSTEM.
220- System personnel may disclose any potential evidence of crime found
220- on Census Bureau computer systems to appropriate authorities. USE OF
220- THIS SYSTEM BY ANY USER, AUTHORIZED OR UNAUTHORIZED, CONSTITUTES
220- CONSENT TO THIS MONITORING, INTERCEPTION RECORDING, READING, COPYING,
220- CAPTURING, and DISCLOSURE OF COMPUTER ACTIVITY. Use of this computer
220- without authorization or for unauthorized purposes is a violation of
220- federal law and punishable by fines or imprisonment (Public Law 99-474).
220-
220- **WARNING**WARNING**WARNING**WARNING**WARNING****WARNING**WARNING**
220
331 Please specify the password.
230-Server: ftp2.census.gov
230-
230-Personal Identifiable Information (PII) shall not be placed on the FTP
230-server without prior special arrangement and in conjunction with ITSO.
230-
230-NOTE: The data available for anonymous FTP download on this FTP server are
230-also available over the Web:
230-http://www2.census.gov
230 Login successful.
Remote system type is UNIX.
Using binary mode to transfer files.
200 Switching to Binary mode.
ftp> ls
229 Entering Extended Passive Mode (|||48832|)
150 Here comes the directory listing.
drwxrwsr-x 2 844 i-admin 3864 Jul 01 11:30 2020Census
drwxrwsr-x 2 844 i-acso 3864 Jul 01 11:30 2025
lrwxrwxrwx 1 844 i-admin 18 Apr 15 09:41 CTPP -> /acstabs/docs/CTPP
drwxrwsr-x 15 844 i-acstabs 3864 Jul 01 11:30 EEO_2006_2010
drwxrwsr-x 6 844 i-acso 3864 Jul 01 11:30 EEO_2014_2018
drwxrwsr-x 6 844 i-acstabs 3864 Jul 01 11:30 EEO_Disability_2008-2010
drwxrwsr-x 4 844 i-epcd 3864 Jul 01 11:30 Econ2001_And_Earlier
drwxrwsr-x 22 844 i-cnmp 3864 Sep 26 10:30 about
drwxrws--- 3 844 i-admin 3864 Jul 01 11:30 abs
drwxrwsr-x 5 844 i-acso 3864 Jul 01 11:30 acs
drwxrwsr-x 6 844 i-acso 3864 Jul 01 11:30 acs2002
drwxrwsr-x 5 844 i-acso 3864 Jul 01 11:30 acs2003
drwxrwsr-x 5 dang0004 i-acso 3864 Jul 01 11:30 acs2004
drwxrwsr-x 3 695 i-acso 3864 Jul 01 11:30 acs2005
lrwxrwxrwx 1 844 i-acso 11 Apr 15 09:41 acs2005_2007_3yr -> acs2007_3yr
lrwxrwxrwx 1 844 i-acso 11 Apr 15 09:41 acs2005_2009_5yr -> acs2009_5yr
drwxrwsr-x 4 695 i-acso 3864 Jul 01 11:30 acs2006
lrwxrwxrwx 1 844 i-acso 11 Apr 15 09:41 acs2006_2008_3yr -> acs2008_3yr
drwxrwsr-x 3 695 i-acso 3864 Jul 01 11:30 acs2007_1yr
lrwxrwxrwx 1 844 i-acso 12 Apr 15 09:41 acs2007_2009_3yr -> acs2009_3yr/
drwxrwsr-x 3 844 i-acso 3864 Jul 01 11:30 acs2007_3yr
drwxrwsr-x 3 695 i-acso 3864 Jul 01 11:30 acs2008_1yr
drwxrwsr-x 3 695 i-acso 3864 Jul 01 11:30 acs2008_3yr
drwxrwsr-x 3 695 i-acso 3864 Jul 01 11:30 acs2009_1yr
drwxrwsr-x 3 844 i-acso 3864 Jul 01 11:30 acs2009_3yr
drwxrwsr-x 3 844 i-acso 3864 Jul 01 11:30 acs2009_5yr
drwxrwsr-x 3 844 i-acso 3864 Jul 01 11:30 acs2010_1yr
drwxrwsr-x 3 844 i-acso 3864 Jul 01 11:30 acs2010_3yr
drwxrwsr-x 3 844 i-acso 3864 Jul 01 11:30 acs2010_5yr
drwxrwsr-x 4 844 i-acso 3864 Jul 01 11:30 acs2010_SPT_AIAN
drwxrwsr-x 4 844 i-acso 3864 Jul 01 11:30 acs2011_1yr
drwxrwsr-x 3 844 i-acso 3864 Jul 01 11:30 acs2011_3yr
drwxrwsr-x 3 844 i-acso 3864 Jul 01 11:30 acs2011_5yr
drwxrwsr-x 3 844 i-acso 3864 Jul 01 11:30 acs2012_1yr
drwxrwsr-x 3 844 i-acso 3864 Jul 01 11:30 acs2012_3yr
drwxrwsr-x 3 844 i-admin 3864 Jul 01 11:30 acs2012_5yr
drwxrwsr-x 3 844 i-admin 3864 Jul 01 11:30 acs2013_1yr
drwxrwsr-x 3 844 i-admin 3864 Jul 01 11:30 acs2013_3yr
drwxrwsr-x 3 844 i-admin 3864 Jul 01 11:30 acs2013_5yr
lrwxrwxrwx 1 844 i-admin 20 Apr 15 09:41 acs_latest_data -> programs-surveys/acs
drwxrwsr-x 3 844 i-acso 3864 Jul 01 11:30 acs_special_tabs
drwxrwsr-x 9 844 i-adrm 3864 Jul 01 11:30 adrm
-rw-rw-r-- 1 844 i-admin 8347 Feb 08 2013 akamai-sureroute-test-object.htm
drwxrwsr-x 13 844 i-acso 2048 Jul 01 11:30 api-documentation
drwxrwsr-x 5 844 i-cnmp 3864 Jul 01 11:30 cac
drwxrwsr-x 2 844 i-adrm 3864 Jul 01 11:30 census_1940
drwxrwsr-x 10 stewa338 i-acsd 3864 Jul 01 11:30 census_1980
drwxrwsr-x 103 stewa338 i-acsd 2048 Jul 01 11:30 census_1990
drwxrwsr-x 5 stewa338 i-acsd 3864 Jul 01 11:30 census_2000
drwxrwsr-x 17 844 i-acs-dec 3864 Jul 01 11:30 census_2010
drwxrwsr-x 15 844 i-ces 3864 Jul 01 11:30 ces
drwxrwsr-x 7 844 i-cnmp 3864 Jul 07 08:45 data
drwxrwsr-x 3 844 i-acso 3864 Jul 01 11:30 dec
drwxrwsr-x 7 moren004 i-admin 3864 Jul 01 11:30 decennial
drwxrwsr-x 3 844 i-admin 3864 Jul 01 11:30 dssd
drwxrwsr-x 10 844 i-admin 3864 Jul 01 11:30 econ
drwxrwsr-x 6 844 i-epcd 3864 Jul 01 11:30 econ1977
drwxrwsr-x 6 844 i-epcd 3864 Jul 01 11:30 econ1982
drwxrwsr-x 17 844 i-epcd 3864 Jul 01 11:30 econ1987
drwxrwsr-x 20 844 i-epcd 3864 Jul 01 11:30 econ1992
drwxrwsr-x 4 844 i-epcd 3864 Jul 01 11:30 econ1997
drwxrwsr-x 10 844 i-epcd 3864 Jul 01 11:30 econ2002
drwxrwsr-x 6 844 i-epcd 3864 Jul 01 11:30 econ2003
drwxrwsr-x 8 844 i-epcd 3864 Jul 01 11:30 econ2004
drwxrwsr-x 8 844 i-epcd 3864 Jul 01 11:30 econ2005
drwxrwsr-x 8 844 i-epcd 3864 Jul 01 11:30 econ2006
drwxrwsr-x 12 844 i-epcd 3864 Jul 01 11:30 econ2007
drwxrwsr-x 8 844 i-epcd 3864 Jul 01 11:30 econ2008
drwxrwsr-x 8 844 i-epcd 3864 Jul 01 11:30 econ2009
drwxrwsr-x 8 844 i-epcd 3864 Jul 01 11:30 econ2010
drwxrwsr-x 8 844 i-epcd 3864 Jul 01 11:30 econ2011
drwxrwsr-x 14 844 i-epcd 3864 Jul 01 11:30 econ2012
drwxrwsr-x 13 844 i-epcd 3864 Jul 01 11:30 econ2013
drwxrwsr-x 14 844 i-epcd 3864 Jul 01 11:30 econ2014
drwxrwsr-x 13 844 i-epcd 3864 Jul 01 11:30 econ2015
drwxrwsr-x 12 844 i-epcd 3864 Jul 01 11:30 econ2016
drwxrwsr-x 4 844 i-epcd 3864 Jul 01 11:30 econ2017
-rw-rw-r-- 1 844 i-admin 318 May 15 2001 favicon.ico
drwxrwsr-x 13 844 i-policy 3864 Jul 01 11:30 foia
drwxrwsr-x 9 844 i-geo 3864 Jul 01 11:18 geo
drwxrwsr-x 27 844 i-govs 3864 Jul 01 11:32 govs
drwxrwsr-x 4 844 i-dis 3864 Jul 01 11:32 hhes
drwxrwsr-x 7 844 i-acso 3864 Jul 01 11:32 historical
drwxrwsr-x 2 844 i-acso 3864 Jul 01 11:32 img
lrwxrwxrwx 1 844 i-admin 12 Apr 15 09:41 incoming -> pub/incoming
drwxrwsr-x 12 844 i-cnmp 3864 Jul 01 11:32 indicators
drwxrwsr-x 13 844 i-cnmp 3864 Jul 01 11:32 library
drwxrwsr-x 12 844 i-admin 3864 Jul 09 15:30 main
drwxrwsr-x 3 844 i-acso 2048 Jul 01 11:32 marts
drwxrwsr-x 6 844 i-media 3864 Jul 01 11:18 media
drwxrwsr-x 4 844 i-mrtr 3864 Jul 01 11:32 mtis
-rw-rw-r-- 1 root i-admin 0 Nov 21 2013 mytouch
drwxrwsr-x 6 844 i-cnmp 3864 Jul 01 11:32 news
lrwxrwxrwx 1 844 i-admin 12 Apr 15 09:41 outgoing -> pub/outgoing
drwxrwsr-x 5 844 i-geo 3864 Jul 01 11:32 plmap
drwxrwsr-x 34 844 i-acsd 3864 Jul 01 11:32 prod2
drwxrwsr-x 101 844 i-cnmp 2048 Jul 08 09:15 programs-surveys
drwxrwsr-x 4 844 i-admin 3864 Jul 01 11:33 pub
drwxrwsr-x 3 844 i-acso 3864 Jul 01 11:33 pums
-rw-rw-r-- 1 root i-admin 0 Mar 28 2011 qwertyuiop.test
drwxrwsr-x 4 844 i-retail 3864 Jul 01 11:33 retail
-rw-rw-r-- 1 844 i-admin 398 May 14 2024 robots.txt
drwxrwsr-x 7 844 i-services 3864 Jul 01 11:33 services
-rw-rw-r-- 1 844 i-acso 27334 Jul 01 11:18 sim.html
drwxrwsr-x 14 844 i-cnmp 3864 Jul 01 11:33 software
drwxrwsr-x 4 844 i-admin 3864 Jul 01 11:33 tms_data
drwxrwsr-x 22 844 i-cnmp 3864 Jul 01 11:33 topics
drwxrwsr-x 2 844 i-ftd 3864 Jul 01 11:33 trade
drwxrwsr-x 16 844 i-acso 3864 Jul 01 11:33 training-workshops
drwxrwsr-x 2 844 i-acso 3864 Jul 01 11:33 volume-14
drwxrwsr-x 2 844 i-admin 3864 Jul 01 11:33 w3c
drwxrwsr-x 2 844 i-acso 3864 Aug 04 10:00 wdob
drwxrwsr-x 8 844 i-mwts 3864 Jul 01 11:33 wholesale
drwxrwsr-x 4 844 i-acso 3864 Jul 01 11:33 www
226 Directory send OK.
ftp>
cd /programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData
This gives the summary files. One file for each (5 year period in this case) The summary file for a table is in the file with the table "group" in the name such as B01001.
The summary file give the data for that table (in rows ?) for (I think) all geographies.
On windows you can use the ftp program the putty programs or the Windows version of filezilla.
You should be able to use wget to do a bulk download (unless the website has a "no robots" file.
You don't need a password.
Best
Dave Dorer
------------------------------
David Dorer
Dorer Community Service Foundation
Original Message:
Sent: 10-03-2025 11:54 AM
From: Glenn Rice
Subject: Access to Census Bureau FTP
Has anyone here used an (S)FTP client to connect directly to the Bureau's data archive? (i.e. instead of the web interface / browser)
Thanks
------------------------------
Glenn Rice
Missouri Census Data Center
------------------------------