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Census
by
aiwithabidi
· GitHub ↗
· v1.0.0
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Install in OpenClaw
/install census
Description
US Census Bureau — population, demographics, ACS data, economic indicators, and geographic data.
README (SKILL.md)
📊 Census API
US Census Bureau — population, demographics, ACS data, economic indicators, and geographic data.
Requirements
| Variable | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
CENSUS_API_KEY |
✅ | Census API key (optional) |
Quick Start
# ACS 5-Year estimates
python3 {{baseDir}}/scripts/census.py acs-5yr --get "NAME,B01003_001E" --for "state:*"
# ACS 1-Year estimates
python3 {{baseDir}}/scripts/census.py acs-1yr --get "NAME,B01003_001E" --for "state:*"
# 2020 Decennial Census
python3 {{baseDir}}/scripts/census.py decennial --get "NAME,P1_001N" --for "state:*"
# Population estimates
python3 {{baseDir}}/scripts/census.py population --get "NAME,POP_2022" --for "state:*"
# County Business Patterns
python3 {{baseDir}}/scripts/census.py cbp --get "NAME,ESTAB,EMP" --for "state:*" --naics "72"
# Poverty data
python3 {{baseDir}}/scripts/census.py poverty --get "NAME,B17001_001E,B17001_002E" --for "state:*"
# Median household income
python3 {{baseDir}}/scripts/census.py income --get "NAME,B19013_001E" --for "state:*"
# Housing data
python3 {{baseDir}}/scripts/census.py housing --get "NAME,B25001_001E,B25002_002E,B25002_003E" --for "state:*"
# List available datasets
python3 {{baseDir}}/scripts/census.py list-datasets --year "2022"
# List ACS variables
python3 {{baseDir}}/scripts/census.py list-variables
# List available geographies
python3 {{baseDir}}/scripts/census.py list-geographies
Output Format
All commands output JSON by default.
Script Reference
| Script | Description |
|---|---|
{baseDir}/scripts/census.py |
Main CLI — all commands in one tool |
Credits
Built by M. Abidi | agxntsix.ai YouTube | GitHub Part of the AgxntSix Skill Suite for OpenClaw agents.
📅 Need help setting up OpenClaw for your business? Book a free consultation
Usage Guidance
This skill appears to implement Census API calls and only contacts the official api.census.gov endpoint, but there are mismatches you should resolve before trusting it with credentials. The metadata asks for CENSUS_API_KEY as the primary credential but the script does not attach that key to requests — either the author forgot to use the key (so providing one won't help) or the implementation is incomplete. The script also contains a helper that will read a .env file from WORKSPACE or ~/.openclaw/workspace (and reads WORKSPACE env) even though no config paths are declared; that behavior is currently unused but surprising. Recommendations: (1) Ask the publisher to clarify whether the CENSUS_API_KEY is required and to show how/where it is used (the script should add the key as the 'key' query parameter or equivalent). (2) Ask them to remove or document the .env / WORKSPACE lookup, or declare the config path in metadata. (3) Until clarified, avoid placing any high-privilege or unrelated secrets in the agent environment; only provide a Census API key if you trust the publisher and they demonstrate the key is used for the intended purpose. If you need the functionality but want to be cautious, run the script locally in an isolated environment and inspect network traffic to confirm it only calls api.census.gov.
Capability Analysis
Type: OpenClaw Skill
Name: census
Version: 1.0.0
The skill is designed to interact with the legitimate US Census Bureau API. All network requests are directed to `https://api.census.gov/data`. User inputs are properly handled as URL parameters and encoded, preventing injection vulnerabilities. The `SKILL.md` contains no prompt injection attempts. While the `scripts/census.py` defines a `get_env` function to retrieve `CENSUS_API_KEY` from environment variables or a `.env` file, the key is never actually used in the API calls, which is a functional oversight but not a security vulnerability or malicious act. There is no evidence of data exfiltration, malicious execution, persistence mechanisms, or obfuscation.
Capability Assessment
Purpose & Capability
The script implements Census API endpoints (api.census.gov) appropriate for the skill's name and description. However, the package declares CENSUS_API_KEY as the primary credential but the code never actually uses that key when building requests (no 'key' param or auth header). The SKILL.md even describes the key as 'optional' while metadata marks it required — inconsistent.
Instruction Scope
SKILL.md and Quick Start only instruct running the included script against the Census API (expected). The script contains a helper get_env() that will read an .env file from WORKSPACE or ~/.openclaw/workspace/.env if present — this file access is not documented in SKILL.md and the declared required config paths are 'none'. The get_env() helper is defined but never called, so the behavior is dead code today; nonetheless the presence of undocumented filesystem access is a scope concern and should be clarified or removed.
Install Mechanism
No install spec (instruction-only with a small Python script) and the script uses only Python stdlib and standard HTTPS calls. This is low-risk from an install mechanism perspective.
Credentials
The skill declares a single environment variable CENSUS_API_KEY (primary credential). The code does not consume that environment variable for API requests, and instead contains logic to look for env values inside a .env file under WORKSPACE or ~/.openclaw/workspace (WORKSPACE itself is read from environment). The declared env usage and actual env/file access are inconsistent — the skill asks for a credential it doesn't use and references additional environment/config paths that are not documented in metadata.
Persistence & Privilege
The skill does not request persistent/always-on presence (always:false). It does not modify other skills or system-wide settings in the provided code. No persistence/privilege escalation observed.
How to Use
- Make sure OpenClaw is installed (local or Docker)
- Run the install command in chat:
/install census - After installation, invoke the skill by name or use
/census - Provide required inputs per the skill's parameter spec and get structured output
Version History
v1.0.0
Census Skill v1.0.0 — Initial Release
- Adds support for querying US Census Bureau data: population, demographics, ACS data, economic indicators, and geographic data.
- Provides a single CLI tool for accessing multiple Census datasets (ACS, Decennial Census, Population, CBP, Poverty, Income, Housing).
- Outputs results in JSON format.
- Includes commands for listing available datasets, variables, and geographies.
- Requires a Census API key via the CENSUS_API_KEY environment variable.
- No external dependencies; uses Python 3.10+ standard library only.
Metadata
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Census?
US Census Bureau — population, demographics, ACS data, economic indicators, and geographic data. It is an AI Agent Skill for Claude Code / OpenClaw, with 496 downloads so far.
How do I install Census?
Run "/install census" in the OpenClaw or Claude Code chat to install it in one step — no extra setup required.
Is Census free?
Yes, Census is completely free (open-source). You can download, install and use it at no cost.
Which platforms does Census support?
Census is cross-platform and runs anywhere OpenClaw / Claude Code is available (cross-platform).
Who created Census?
It is built and maintained by aiwithabidi (@aiwithabidi); the current version is v1.0.0.
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