Where people live, age and belong

What does a family and communities reporter cover?

A family and communities reporter covers how people live day to day, from children and caregiving to retirement, housing costs, neighborhoods and getting around. The beat also covers race and ethnicity and the public programs that shape family life.

Anchor each story in federal data or peer-reviewed research, then add the people living it. Many of the loudest voices on this beat are membership or advocacy groups, so check their figures against the agency source.

Start here

Family and children

Check the year and the definition behind any child well-being indicator.

• ChildStats.gov: Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics. Indicators on births, health, food insecurity and more.
• Annie E. Casey Foundation: Private foundation focused on children and youth at risk. Its Kids Count work tracks child well-being indicators.
• National Center for Children in Poverty: Research and state policy profiles on early childhood, SNAP, TANF and family economic security.
• Add Health: National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. Documentation plus public-use and restricted data.
• Nemours KidsHealth: Physician-reviewed children's health information for parents, kids, teens and educators, in English and Spanish.
• National Center for Missing and Exploited Children: Nonprofit clearinghouse on missing and exploited children. Missing child search, AMBER Alert information and CyberTipline data.

Aging and retirement

Several of these groups lobby on benefits. Quote them as interested parties.

• Center for Retirement Research at Boston College: Issue briefs and data on Social Security, pensions, household saving and the labor force.
• AARP (Advocacy): Membership organization open to anyone 18 or older, with a focus on people 50 and older. Research, policy positions and consumer information.
• National Council on Aging (Advocacy): Resources and advocacy on benefits, falls prevention, caregiving and aging in place.
• National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (Advocacy): Represents current and retired federal workers. Bill tracker and news on federal benefits.
• National Indian Council on Aging (Advocacy): Advocates for American Indian and Alaska Native elders. Newsroom and program information.
• American Society on Aging (Trade group): Membership group for professionals who work in aging. Conferences and a source for expert contacts.

Race, ethnicity and immigration

Match community sources with Census Bureau figures for the same group and place.

• Asian-Nation: Independent site on Asian American history, demographics and issues. Check its statistics against Census data.
• NativeWeb Resources: Directory of resources on Indigenous cultures around the world, indexed by nation and region. Confirm each linked site before you rely on it.
• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services: Federal agency for citizenship, green cards and other immigration benefits. Newsroom, forms and policy updates.

Housing, cities and suburbs

Note the geography and survey year for any housing figure. Rents and values change fast.

• HUD Data Sets: Datasets from HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research, hosted on the HUD User portal.
• HUD research periodicals: Research reports and periodicals from HUD's policy research office, hosted on the HUD User portal.
• Urban Institute: Social and economic policy research on housing, family finances, health and communities.
• The Color of Money: Text of Bill Dedman's 1989 Pulitzer-winning Atlanta Journal-Constitution series on racial discrimination in mortgage lending. A model for lending data stories.

Transportation

• Factors affecting gasoline prices (EIA): Energy Information Administration explainer on what makes up the price at the pump.
• OPIS: Commercial price reporting service for gasoline, diesel and other fuels, now part of Dow Jones Energy. Ask how any figure you cite was collected.
• AviationDB: Privately run database of aviation accidents, incidents, on-time performance and airline data. Confirm figures with the NTSB, FAA or DOT.

Reporting checks for this beat

• Is the household, family or age definition in your data the same one your source uses?
• Does the housing or cost figure match the geography and year you describe?
• When you report on a racial or ethnic group, whose categories are you using and who is left out?
• Did a membership or advocacy group supply the number, and can you trace it to agency data?
• For a trend on aging or retirement, are you looking at counts, shares or rates?
• Have you talked with the people affected, not only the officials and advocates who speak for them?

Links were checked in September 2026 for a live page from the same organization. Advocacy groups, trade groups and party sites are labeled and should be treated as interested parties. Verify ownership, date and context before publication.