Understanding the CensusA Hands-On Training Workshop

Vanderbilt Census Information Center

March 23, 2003

U.S. Census Bureau

The world’s largest and most comprehensive data collection and analysis organization!!!

200 annual surveys

Decennial Census

Economic Census

Census of Governments

Why Should I Care?Statistical snapshot of the country as a whole, its cities, and its neighborhoodsIt affects our lives in ways we don’t often realize

The road you take to work each dayThe schools your children attend/will attendThe products your grocery store stocksThe hospital that serves your community

Who Uses the Census

National, State, & Local GovernmentBusinessesEducators & ResearchersNon-profit OrganizationsReligious OrganizationsPolitical OrganizationsCommunities

Census 2000 Overview

• Census Geography• Census Basics• Census Terminology • Data Products• Census.gov

Understanding Census Geography

Census BlocksSmallest geographic unit Bounded by streets or legal boundaries

Census Block GroupsCollection of census blocks within a census tract

Census TractsSmall, relatively permanent subdivisions of a countyUsually between 2,500-8,000 persons

Census 2000 ShortCensus 2000 ShortForm QuestionnaireForm Questionnaire

7 Questions7 QuestionsNameNameSexSexAgeAgeRelationshipRelationshipHispanic OriginHispanic OriginRaceRaceOwner/RenterOwner/Renter StatusStatus

Long Form Census Questionnaire

Population HousingMarital Status Units in Structure

Place of Birth & Citizenship Year Structure Built

School Enrollment & Attainment Number of Rooms

Ancestry Monthly Rent

Employment Value of Home

Income & Poverty Pluming/Phone

Disability

What’s New

Hispanic question asked before raceGrandparent as caregiverDisability• Blindness & deafness added• Persons 5 & older (instead of 15 & over)

Race• Option to select one or more race categories• Asian and Pacific Islander category split

Census 2000 Data Products

• Demographic Profiles• Quick Tables• Geographic Comparison Tables• Summary Files (1-4)• Maps/Tiger Files• Printed Reports & Briefs

State & County QuickFacts

• Quick access to facts about geography, business & people

• Population Estimates• Selected short and long-form data• Contains data most often requested

Demographic Profiles

• Demographic Profile• Social Characteristics• Economic Characteristics• Housing Characteristics

***Lowest level of geography: Census Tract

Census Briefs & Reports

• Special topics of interest• Comparison by region, state, and citiesEXAMPLES:•• StateState--toto--State Migration Flows: 1995State Migration Flows: 1995--20002000•• MarriedMarried--Couple and UnmarriedCouple and Unmarried--Partner Partner

HouseholdsHouseholds•• Educational AttainmentEducational Attainment•• Grandparents Living with Grandchildren Grandparents Living with Grandchildren

Summary File 1

• Contains data from short form census• Counts for 5 major races, “other race”,

2 or more races, & hispanic/latino• Lowest level of geography: Census

Block• Contains about 300 tables

Summary File 2

• Contains data from short form census (same data as SF1)

• Data available for 336 race, hispanic/latino, American Indian/Alaskan native & ancestry categories

• Lowest level of geography: census tract• Population threshold: 100

Summary File 3

• Includes data from long-form census• Counts for 5 major races, “other race”,

2 or more races, & hispanic/latino• Census block group lowest level of

geography available• Contains about 800 tables of data

Summary File 4

• Includes same data as available in SF3• Census tract is lowest level of geography• Data available for 336 race, Hispanic/Latino,

American Indian/Alaskan & ancestry categories

• Population threshold (50 unweighted sample cases)

• Lowest Level of Geography: Census Tract• Population threshold:100

Other Census Bureau Products

• Economic Census• American Community Survey• Census Briefs• Statistical Abstract of U.S.• City & County Data Book

Economic Census

• Every 5 yrs (ending in 2 &7)• Sent to 20 million businesses in Dec.

2002• Compliance required by law• Forms are tailored to the business size

& industry• Result will be released beginning this

month

The Economic Census is Important

# Paid employees/annual payroll# Establishments by sectorSalesSurvey of business owners Zip code statisticsSalesE-Commerce swtatistics

American Community Survey

• Replace long-form census in 2010• Provide data every year instead of every 10

years (states, counties, cities, metro. areas & population groups of 65,000+)

• Smaller portion of the population surveyed each year

An individual address has a chance of selection only once in a 5 yr.period!!

QUESTIONS???