The Pennsylvania State Data Center serves as Pennsylvania's official source of population and economic statistics. In addition to acting as Pennsylvania's liaison to the Census Bureau, the PaSDC is the state's representative to the Federal-State Cooperative Programs for Population Estimates and for Population Projections.
The PaSDC was established in 1981 by executive order of the governor. It is housed within the Institute of State and Regional Affairs at Penn State Harrisburg.
The U.S. Census Bureau provides demographic data that are used to ensure compliance with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other antidiscrimination laws such as the Voting Rights Act and the Fair Housing Act.