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Census 2000 Basics Issued September 2002 MSO/02-C2KB U.S. Department of Commerce U S C E N S U S B U R E A U Economics and Statistics Administration U.S. CENSUS BUREAU Helping You Make Informed Decisions 1902-2002 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This report was prepared by Andrea Sevetson under the general direction of John Kavaliunas, Chief, Marketing Services Office and Joanne Dickinson, Chief, Marketing Branch. Kim D. Ottenstein, Bernadette J. Gayle, and Laurene V. Qualls of the Administrative and Customer Services Division, Walter C. Odom, Chief, pro- vided publications and printing manage- ment, graphics design and composition, and editorial review for print and elec- tronic media. General direction and production management were provided by Gary J. Lauffer, Chief, Publications Services Branch. Census 2000 Basics Issued September 2002 MSO/02-C2KB U.S. Department of Commerce Donald L. Evans, Secretary Samuel W. Bodman, Deputy Secretary Economics and Statistics Administration Kathleen B. Cooper, Under Secretary for Economic Affairs U.S. CENSUS BUREAU Charles Louis Kincannon, Director SUGGESTED CITATION U.S. CENSUS BUREAU Census 2000 Basics U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington DC, 2002 ECONOMICS AND STATISTICS ADMINISTRATION Economics and Statistics Administration Kathleen B. Cooper, Under Secretary for Economic Affairs U.S. CENSUS BUREAU Charles Louis Kincannon, Director William G. Barron, Jr., Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer Cynthia Z.F. Clark, Acting Principal Associate Director for Programs Preston Jay Waite, Associate Director for Decennial Census Gloria Gutierrez, Assistant Director for Marketing and Customer Liaison CONTENTS I. Importance of the Census: What it is used for and why .......................... 1 II. Census 2000 Activities............................................................................ 2 III. Confidentiality ........................................................................................ 5 IV. Geographic Areas.................................................................................... 5 V. Census 2000 Data Releases .................................................................... 8 VI. Census 2000 Products and Assistance .................................................. 12 VII. Other Census Services .......................................................................... 12 Census 2000 Basics We’ve come a long way since get a snapshot of the state of In addition to apportionment, the first census in 1790 that the nation. the decennial census results are counted 3.9 million people. used to: Then the census was taken in I. Importance of the distribute almost $200 billion the 13 original states, plus the · Census: What it is annually in federal, state, local, districts of Kentucky, Maine, used for and why and tribal funds; Vermont, and the Southwest draw state legislative districts; Territory (of Tennessee). The U.S. Constitution, Article I, · Federal Marshalls asked six Section 2 mandates that an appor- · evaluate the success of programs questions: name of head of tionment of representatives among or identify populations in need of family and number of persons the states, for the House of services; Representatives, be carried out in household and the number and many other purposes. The every 10 years (decennially). · of persons in each household URL http://www.census.gov/ Apportionment is the process of of the following descriptions: dmd/www/content.htm has a dividing the 435 seats in the U.S. Free White males 16 years and comprehensive review of each of House of Representatives among the questions and why it upward, free White males the 50 states. Congress decides is asked. under 16 years, free White the method to carry out the appor- females, all other free persons tionment and, since 1940, has used While the federal government uses (by sex and color) and slaves. the method of ‘equal proportions’ in census data for many purposes, accordance with Title 2, U.S. Code. businesses, students, and many In the 210 years since the others also use census data. first census, the census has Using equal portions, each state is Businesses may use the data to grown to a sophisticated tool. assigned one congressional seat (as decide where to locate an outlet, or Census 2000, taken April 1, provided by the Constitution). The to select products for a specific 2000, counted 281,421,906 apportionment formula then allo- area. Students research neighbor- people in the 50 states and the cates the remaining 385 seats one hoods and cities for class projects at a time among the 50 states until and the local parent-teacher organi- District of Columbia. The ques- all 435 seats are assigned. zation may use data to track trends tionnaire included seven ques- in the local area. Historians, tions for each house- hold: name, sex, age, relationship, Hispanic Figure 1. origin, race, and Apportionment of the U.S. House of AK Representatives for the 108th Congress whether the housing 1 unit was owned or (For information on confidentiality protection, nonsampling error, and definitions, see www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/pl94-171.pdf) rented. In addition to these seven questions, WEST about 17 percent of REGION MIDWEST REGION the households got a WA 9 NORTHEAST MT ME much longer question- ND REGION 1 2 1 naire including ques- OR MN VT 8 1 NHNH 5 ID NY SD WI 2 MA 10 tions about ancestry, 2 29 1 8 MI WY RI 2 1 15 income, mortgage, IA PA CT 5 NE 5 19 NV OH NJ 13 and size of the hous- CA 3 IL 3 UT IN 18 53 CO 19 9 3 WV VA DE 1 ing unit. Census 2000 7 KS MO KY 3 11 MD 8 4 9 6 not only counted the NC TN AZ 13 population, but also OK 9 8 NM 5 AR SC Change from 1990 to 2000 3 4 6 sampled the socio-eco- GA State gaining 2 seats in the House MS AL 13 State gaining 1 seat in the House nomic status of the 4 7 TX LA No change 32 population, providing 7 State losing 1 seat in the House FL State losing 2 seats in the House a tool for government, HI 25 2 Census Region Boundary educators, business SOUTH REGION Note: Numbers represent reapportioned owners, and others to totals of U.S. representatives. Total U.S. representatives: 435 1 writers, and other researchers use about grandparents who have pri- of work this person can do at a job census data to get a flavor of what mary responsibility for care of or prevents this person from work- the country looked like at a particu- grandchildren (Title 13, U.S. Code, ing at a job.” In 2000, the question lar point in time. Chapter 5, Section 141). Several was revised to inquire about blind- questions from the 1990 Census, ness, deafness, and the ability to including information about chil- perform physical and mental tasks. II. Census 2000 dren ever born, source of water, Also in 1990, the questions on dis- Activities sewage disposal, and condominium ability were asked for those 15 status, were dropped for Census years and older; while in 2000, the Taking the decennial census is a big 2000. data were collected for persons 5 project. For Census 2000, many years and over. people were hired to assist in One important change for Census counting the population; temporary 2000 was the question on disabili- Additionally, there was a revision to employment peaked at about ty. In 1990, the question was the question on race. Respondents 475,000 one week. In preparation “Does this person have a physical, were given the option of selecting for this effort, the U.S. Census mental or other health condition one or more race categories to Bureau developed operational plans which has lasted for more than 6 indicate their racial identities. that were evaluated by using the months and that limits the amount results of test censuses to find out how response would be affected. Figure 2. A. Questionnaire Census 2000 Content Deciding which subjects to include 100-percent characteristics (short form): A limited in Census 2000 was an interactive number of questions were asked of every person and hous- process involving the Census ing unit in the United States. Information is available on: Bureau, the Office of Management and Budget, and the U.S. Congress. · Name · Hispanic or Latino origin To balance concerns about the · Household relationship · Race intrusiveness of the decennial cen- · Sex · Tenure (whether the sus and the government’s need for · Age home is owned or rented) data, only those subjects having specific federal justification for Sample characteristics (long form): Additional ques- their inclusion were on the Census tions were asked of a sample of persons and housing units. 2000 questionnaire. Data are provided on: For Census 2000, as in several pre- Population Housing vious censuses, two forms were Social Characteristics used—a short form and a long Physical Characteristics form. The short form was sent to · Marital status · Units in structure every household, and the long · Place of birth, citizenship, · Year structure built form, containing the seven 100 per- and year of entry · Number of rooms and cent questions plus the sample · School enrollment and number of bedrooms questions, was sent to only a limit- educational attainment · Year moved into residence ed number of households. · Ancestry · Plumbing and kitchen · Residence 5 years ago facilities Generally, about one in every six (migration) · Telephone service houses nationwide received the · Language spoken at home · Vehicles available long form. The rate varied from and ability to speak English · Heating fuel one in two households in some · Veteran status · Farm residence smaller areas, to one in eight · Disability Grandparents as caregivers households for more densely popu- · Financial Characteristics lated areas. Value of home or monthly Economic Characteristics · rent paid Changes to the Questionnaire. · Labor force status · Utilities, mortgage, taxes, One new subject was added to the · Place of work and journey insurance, and fuel costs Census 2000 questionnaire: grand- to work parents as caregivers. This addi- · Occupation, industry, and tional question complied with legis- class of worker lation passed by the 104th · Work status in 1999 Congress requiring that the decen- · Income in 1999 nial census obtain information 2 of all households had USPS-deliv- Figure 3.