census_geography_lookup
Look up Census FIPS codes by name. Supports state name or 2-letter code, ZIP code (5 digits), and (for state) substring matching. Use this to find the FIPS codes needed by other census_* tools.
This record as markdown: /tools/io-github-blackboxfoundry-livedatalink/census-geography-lookup.md
What census_geography_lookup does on Livedatalink
AI agents call census_geography_lookup to retrieve information from Livedatalink without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
level | string | — | Optional filter: state, county, zcta, place. |
limit | number | — | Max matches (default 10). |
query | string | Yes | Free-text: state name ('Texas'), state code ('TX'), or 5-digit ZIP ('77301'). |
Parameters from the server's own tool schema.
Why census_geography_lookup is rated Low
This is a straightforward lookup/query tool that retrieves publicly available Census geographical identifiers based on input parameters (state names, ZIP codes, substrings). It has no side effects, does not modify data, does not execute code or commands, and does not involve financial transactions. It is purely informational, making it a Read category tool with low severity.
From the tool's definition Tool description explicitly states it 'Look[s] up Census FIPS codes' and 'find[s] the FIPS codes needed by other census_* tools.' The verbs 'look up' and 'find' indicate data retrieval with no modification, deletion, or execution of external operations.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs census_geography_lookup safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Livedatalink, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For census_geography_lookup, this is the rule to start with:
census_geography_lookup is read-only, so it stays allowed. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect Livedatalink, apply this rule, and every census_geography_lookup call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about census_geography_lookup
Look up Census FIPS codes by name. Supports state name or 2-letter code, ZIP code (5 digits), and (for state) substring matching. Use this to find the FIPS codes needed by other census_* tools. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Livedatalink MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
census_geography_lookup accepts 3 parameters: level, limit, query. Required: query. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.
Register the Livedatalink MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for census_geography_lookup: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches Livedatalink. Nothing to install.
census_geography_lookup is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the census_geography_lookup rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for census_geography_lookup. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.
census_geography_lookup is provided by the Livedatalink MCP server (https://livedatalink.ai/mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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