Census Basics

Census Basics

Description:By gaining an understanding of the basic structure and content of the United States census, students will be able to decide which data needs can be met by the census and how to start locating useful data.

Objectives/Outcomes

Student(s) will understand what types of information can be found in U.S. Census data products.

Student(s) will understand structure of the U.S. Census and its data products.

Student(s) will locate information in U.S. Census data products in multiple ways.

Presentation Outline

Part I: Census Introduction1) Census Basics Description2) Objectives/Outcomes3) Presentation Outline4) Census Introduction

a) Definitionb) Importance

5) Historya) Questions vary over timeb) Grid of questions

6) Historical Costs7) Practical Applcations

a) Question 1: What are you planning to use it for?8) Logistics and Structure

a) Collection of Data9) Logistics and Structure

a) Structure Before and after 2010b) Addition of ACSc) Question 2: Why the changes?

10) Census Geography11) Census Geography Map

Part II: Where and How to Find Census Data (Slides 12-27)1) Overview of Main Sources

a) Demographic Profilesb) American Factfinderc) Social Explorer (subscription)

2) Demographic Profilesa) Advanced Topic: Beware of Sampling Errors

3) American Factfinder Overview4) American Factfiner: Factsheets

a) Guided Practice 1b) Practice Search 1

5) American Factfinder: Summary Filesa) Guided Practice 2b) Practice Search 2

6) American Factfinder: Where to Locate Info.7) American Factfinder: Custom Tables

a) Advanced Topicb) Guided Practice 3

8) Social Explorer: Overview9) Social Explorer: Guided Practice

a) Guided Practice 4: Mapb) Guided Practice 5: Report

10) Other Sources of Census Info.a) Special Tabulations

11) Other Sources of Census Info., cont. Products available at Penn

12) Other Sources of Census Info., cont.a) Producrs Freely Available

13) Other Research Guides and Tutorials14) Other Research Guides and Tutorials, cont.15) Questions?16) References

Census Introduction

Def. – A census “is an enumeration of … important items in a particular country or region at a particular time” (Encyclopedia Britannica).

The U.S. Census counts every resident and is required by the Constitution to occur decennially (2010 being next).

Why is it important? Determines: seats in House, distribution of federal $,

redistricting. Used by researchers, comm. activists, etc. The Supreme Court has stated that the census “is the

linchpin of the federal statistical system” (as cited in U.S. Census Bureau. “Census in the Constitution.”)

History

Questions vary over timeQuestions vary over time Grid of questions (1790-2000)

Slavery last asked in 1860 Feeble-minded in 1840-1890 Income first asked in 1940 Televisions surveyed, 1950-70 Detailed ancestry beginning 1980 Multiple races and grandparents as caregivers in

2000 From York (2008).

Historical Costs

Census year Population ` Census cost 1790 3,929,214 $44,377 1800 5,308,483 $66,109 1810 7,239,881 $178,445 1820 9,633,822 $208,526 1830 12,866,020 $378,545 1840 17,069,458 $833,371 1850 23,191,876 $1,423,351 1860 31,443,321 $1,969,377 1870 38,558,371 $3,421,198 1880 50,155,783 $5,790,678 1890 62,979,766 $11,547,127 1900 76,303,387 $11,854,000 1910 91,972,266 $15,968,000 1920 105,710,620 $25,117,000 1930 122,775,046 $40,156,000 1940 131,669,275 $67,527,000 1950 151,325,798 $91,462,000 1960 179,323,175 $127,934,000 1970 203,302,031 $247,653,000 1980 226,542,199 $1,078,488,000 1990 248,718,301 $2,492,830,000 2000 281,421,906 $4,500,000,000

From Gauthier (2002).

Practical Applications

Reapportioning seats in House of Rep. Used to distribute federal $ Used by researchers, marketers, grant

writers Used by urban planners and public health

professionals Question 1: What are you planning to use it

for?

Logistics and Structure of the Census Collection of Data

Form is mailed to every U.S. household. Questions are ideally answered about all living in

household (citizens and non-citizens alike) If form is not returned, a census taker must follow-

up with every address. The 2010 form is short, consisting of only ten

questions, available here. For comparison, Census 2000’s sample form

8 Questions for “person 1”.

Logistics and Structure of the Census, cont. Structure

Before 2010 Approx. 1 in 6 households received a “long form” (a.k.a.

“sample” questionnaire) collecting further data Now, American Community Survey (ACS) collects

sample information Replaces decennial “long form,” collects info. monthly,

releases tabulations of data annually Some (Ron Paul incl.) argue this is unconstitutional Question 2: Why the change?

Census Geography

Census-Designated Areas Metropolitan Statistical Area (definition/list) Urbanized Area (50,000+) and Urban Cluster (2500-

50,000, can be outside MSA) Census Tract (about 4000 people, approx. neighborhoods) Block Group (2-8 per tract, smallest area for sample data)

Began in 1940, in Philly 1970 Question 3: Does anyone know why?

Block (In 2000, 4 digit numbers) Zip Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) PUMAS/Super-PUMAS Traffic Analysis Zones

From York (2008).

Census Geography Map

From York (2008).

Where and How to Find Census Data Overview of Main Sources of Information

Demographic Profiles Summary stats. for 1990 and 2000 Census.

American Factfinder Factsheets, Detailed info. (maps/geographies), slight

learning curve Census 1990, 2000, ACS, PR, Pop. Estimates, et al.

Social Explorer (subscription via Penn Libraries) Fast, easy, good for maps, reports (export, copy or print) Good for 1990. 2000, ACS, Hist. Census

Hist. Census – Data normalized!

Where and How to Find Census Data,Demographic Profiles Coverage: summary statistics from the 100% and

sample data sets for Census2000, 1990 Demographic, Social, Economic, and Housing

Characteristics For Census 2000, can be searched here:

Demographic Profiles ex. Haddonfield Borough, NJ

Harder to find for 1990 Census Steps: Select 1990 Tab, STF-1 or STF-3, Quick Tables

Advanced Topic: Beware of sampling errors Information on data use

Where and How to Find Census Data,American Factfinder Coverage:

Census 1990, 2000, ACS, Population Estimates, PR Community Survey and Island Surveys

Detailed Geographies Complex queries: Create detailed maps,

custom tables Can save queries to load at later time Can download to Excel (sometimes), .RTF; dl

zip files

Where and How to Find Census Data,American Factfinder Choosing a Data Source

For a simple variable for U.S., or one: state, county, place or zip code (1990-Today) Use Fact Sheets in American Factfinder –

http://factfinder.census.gov (could also use DPs) Guided Practice:

2006-2008, what was the difference in percentages for families below the poverty level in the city of Philadelphia vs. the United States as a whole?

Practice Search 1: Using Census 2000 data, what percentage of persons 25 and

older in zip code 19104 have a high school degree or higher? Try out the map and brief functions if you complete early.

Where and How to Find Census Data,American Factfinder Choosing a Data Source (cont.)

For all other requests(1990-Today), choose a relevant data file based on your topic (subject) AND the geographic area (use address search if you need to determine) you are looking to cover.

For detailed information, see the University of Michigan Library’s Census Toolkit, page 2.

Guided Practice 2: What % of hh’s pay 50% or more of their income in gross rent in Kensington?

Practice Search 2: For Census Tract 6018 in Camden, NJ, how many males are 18-24 y/o?

Where and How to Find Census Data,American Factfinder

From York (2008).

Where and How to Find Census Data,American Factfinder Advanced Topic: Custom Tables

Allows you to choose what elements you want in a table Guided Practice 3: Compare # of Black or African American

Alone, Female, PhDs in Philadelphia County, Northampton County, PA, and U.S.

GEONAME Black or African Am. Alone, Female PhDs

United States 36663

Pennsylvania 1425

Northampton County, Pennsylvania

15

Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania

619

Where and How to Find Census Data, Social Explorer Subscription via Penn Libraries Coverage:

1940 to 2000 Census Tract Info Historical Data: 1790-2000 Census Data American Community Survey Information

Great for Maps & Reports Can create slideshows, export images to PPT,

export data to Excel Data is already normalized – Advantages

Where and How to Find Census Data, Social Explorer Guided Practice 4:

Map Slideshow – What percentage of homes had a television in Major Cities in 1950?

Guided Practice 5: Report – Compare the “colored population” in

Maryland, Virginia, and the Overall United States in 1860.

Other Sources of Census Info. Census 2000 Special Tabulations Cannot be found via American Factfinder

Can be extremely useful, if relevant to your topic Not standard Census Data products

Usually sponsored by another org. (public or private) Examples:

School District Data File Equal Employment Opportunity File Others: Worker Flows, Trans. Planning, Aging

List: http://www.census.gov/mp/www/spectab/specialtab.html

Usu. avail. a few years after decennial Census.

Other Sources of Census Info., cont. Products available at Penn Libraries

PolicyMap Combines Census info with other sources of info., over

10,000 indicators Datasets currently available

Ancestry Library Edition (Ancestry.com) Census Images and Indexes from 1790 to 1930

ICPSR – Census Data Search “ICPSR” in FindIt! bar Most popular study: Persistent URL

Advanced: Download for Stata s/w, manipulate

Other Sources of Census Info., cont. Products Freely Available

Social Explorer Extremely limited public version

Census Scope Data trends over last few decades

Historical Census Browser Coverage: 1790-1960 // Geographies: State, County Quick comparisons over decades

NHGIS Coverage: 1790-2000 // Good geographical coverage No queries, many tables to choose from Must create a free account

Public Use Microdata Samples Create your own table using data Steps - American Factfinder – Reference & Tools – Tools Use IPUMS or PDQ Explore

Other Research Guides and Tutorials Penn Census Research Guide

Includes location of in-print resources, incl. statistical publications, microfilm

Links/location to writings on history of the Census University of Michigan Research Guides

Many sections, incl. “Historical Census Publications” Using the Census Presentation

Using “Products Freely Avail.” in more detail 2000 Census Toolkit

Referenced in this presentation

Other Research Guides and Tutorials, cont. American Factfinder Tutorials

How to Search, Work with Tables, Create Custom Tables, Create and Use Maps, Work with Economic Data

Social Explorer Help Page Tutorial Videos, other helps topics Link to University of Buffalo’s guide to Social

Explorer Census Bureau’s Public Use Presentations

Questions?

Please feel free to ask now! Or, feel free to contact the presenters:

Phillip Hewitt, Intern, Reference & Instruction Services – [email protected]

Charles Cobine, Subject Specialist, Census and Social Science Data, info

Or, feel free to contact a librarian via Chat, IM, text, e-mail, or phone.

Thanks!

References

Census. (n.d.) In Encyclopædia Britannica online. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved

from http://proxy.library.upenn.edu:3225/eb/article-9022060.

Dept. of Commerce v. U.S. House of Representatives, 525 U.S. 316, 341 (1999).

Gauthier, J.G. (2002). Measuring America: The Decennial Censuses from 1790 to 2000. Report

POL/02-MA(RV). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved fro

http://www.census.gov/prod/2002pubs/pol02marv.pdf.

U.S. Census Bureau. (2010). Census in the Constitution. Retrieved from

http://2010.census.gov/2010census/why/constitutional.php

York, G. (2008). American Factfinder and Census 2000 [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved fromhttp://www.lib.umich.edu/government-documents-center/guides-1.