Census MCP Server - install, status & alternatives [2026]

01 · Install Census MCP Server

before you install - you'll need

Set MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE, MCP_LOG_LEVEL, CENSUS_API_KEY before connecting.

Claude Code

claude mcp add cyanheads-census-mcp-server --transport http https://census.caseyjhand.com/mcp

Claude Desktop / Cursor / VS Code - add to config

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "cyanheads-census-mcp-server": {
      "url": "https://census.caseyjhand.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Same JSON for Cursor. For VS Code, rename the top-level key from `mcpServers` to `servers`.

Using another client? Same JSON, different key

Claude Desktop · mcpServers

Cursor · mcpServers

VS Code · servers

Windsurf · mcpServers

Zed · context_servers

Cline · mcpServers

Roo Code · mcpServers

Continue · mcpServers

LibreChat · mcpServers

Gemini CLI · mcpServers

Codex CLI · mcp_servers

Full setup guides: every client.

02 · Evidence

https://census.caseyjhand.com/mcp

transport: streamable-http

endpoint alive - responded to MCP initialize · probed 2026-09-30

Security posture

What to check before giving this server access to your agent - from the registry, GitHub, and our own probes. We don't score safety; we show what's verifiable.

runs as local process (stdio) - runs on your machine with your user's permissions · remote - your agent's requests go to census.caseyjhand.com

endpoint auth accepted our unauthenticated MCP initialize - no credentials needed to connect

license Apache-2.0 - declared in the repository

npm package @cyanheads/census-mcp-server - published under the repo owner's npm scope (@cyanheads)

registry namespace io.github.cyanheads is GitHub-verified and matches the repo owner

03 · What Census MCP Server can do

Prose above is summarized from the project's README and registry record - no invented capabilities.

What you can build

With this server connected, an agent can list the geography levels supported by a dataset and year, with parent requirements and example FIPS values, list the codes a filter dimension accepts (EMPSZES, LFO, POPGROUP, NAICS2017…), from the dataset dictionary or a live wildcard enumeration, and convert place names (e.g., "King County, WA"), ZIP codes, or street addresses to Census FIPS identifiers via TIGERweb and Census Geocoder.

The 8 tools it gives your agent

Extracted from the project's README - what census-mcp-server lets an agent do.

census_list_datasets: - Browse available Census Bureau datasets (ACS5 and ACS1 with their profile, subject, and comparison tables, ACS Supplemental Estimates and Selected Population Pr
census_list_geographies: - List the geography levels supported by a dataset and year, with parent requirements and example FIPS values.
census_search_variables: - Keyword search across variable labels and concept groups. On ACS, returns estimate and margin-of-error codes together.
census_get_variable: - Fetch full metadata for one or more variable codes - label, concept, predicate type, universe, MOE sibling - including the annotation and flag columns the data
census_list_predicate_values: - List the codes a filter dimension accepts (EMPSZES, LFO, POPGROUP, NAICS2017…), from the dataset dictionary or a live wildcard enumeration.
census_resolve_geography: - Convert place names (e.g., "King County, WA"), ZIP codes, or street addresses to Census FIPS identifiers via TIGERweb and Census Geocoder.
census_query_data: - Query a Census dataset for variables at a specific geography. Returns estimates with MOE, Census sentinel values and withheld business values resolved to their
census_compare_geographies: - Rank and compare variables across multiple geographies - all counties in a state, all states nationally, or a named set. Sorted table output, with the same pred

Latest releases

v0.6.0 · 2026-09-25

Ranked variable search, dataset shorthand, eight new datasets · census_search_variables matches every query word as a whole word and ranks by one rule: phrase position, then fewer !! segments, shorter concept, code; a…

v0.5.0 · 2026-09-25

Broader geography resolution: CDPs, ZCTAs, economic places · economic place geography type: a name resolves to the 8-digit ecnbasic 2022 code, county (000 across counties) + place (#22) · The place level searches…

v0.4.0 · 2026-09-25

Row paging, suppression flags, and stricter data-tool inputs · census_query_data pages wildcard rows: limit (default 50, max 500) and offset, in GEOID order, with totalCount and truncated (#35) · ACS sentinel values…

04 · Who maintains Census MCP Server

census-mcp-server is maintained by cyanheads. We track 137 MCP servers from cyanheads - 131 actively maintained, 1,856 combined GitHub stars, oldest repo from Dec 2024. Full record: all servers from cyanheads.

05 · Facts

repository: github.com/cyanheads/census-mcp-server
category: other - ranked #198 of 998 actively-maintained other servers as of 2026-09-30.
release cadence: 10+ releases in the last 90 days (latest 2026-09-25)
registry: io.github.cyanheads/census-mcp-server (active, first published 2026-05-25 · 21 versions)
packages: npm:@cyanheads/census-mcp-server · npm:@cyanheads/census-mcp-server

06 · Census MCP Server FAQ

Is Census MCP Server still maintained?

Yes - as of 2026-09-30, its last commit was 2026-09-25 and it shipped 10+ releases in the last 90 days. We re-verify nightly.

What can Census MCP Server do?

With this server connected, an agent can list the geography levels supported by a dataset and year, with parent requirements and example FIPS values, list the codes a filter dimension accepts (EMPSZES, LFO, POPGROUP, NAICS2017…), from the dataset dictionary or a live wildcard enumeration, and convert place names (e.g., "King County, WA"), ZIP codes, or street addresses to Census FIPS identifiers via TIGERweb and Census Geocoder.

How do I install Census MCP Server?

Run `npx -y @cyanheads/census-mcp-server`. The README documents 3 environment variables (MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE, MCP_LOG_LEVEL, CENSUS_API_KEY) to set first. Set MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE, MCP_LOG_LEVEL, CENSUS_API_KEY before connecting. You can also paste the ready-made client config above.

Does Census MCP Server require authentication?

No - the endpoint accepted our unauthenticated MCP initialize when probed on 2026-09-30; you can connect without credentials.

07 · Alternatives to Census MCP Server

Alternatives to Census MCP Server

Maintained other servers if Census MCP Server isn't the fit.

More MCP servers to compare · Clipboard MCP Server · Courtlistener MCP Server · Docgen MCP Server · Eur Lex MCP Server · Git MCP Server

More TypeScript MCP servers · Clinicaltrialsgov MCP Server · Crossref MCP Server · DevOps Status MCP Server · see all