JOBNAME: No Job Name PAGE: 1 SESS: 33 OUTPUT: Tue Dec 29 15:45:10 1992 / node2/ F main F / 90dec/ cphr/ 1b/ cvrtpsp

1990 CPH-R-1B

1990 Census of

Population and Housing

Guide

Part B. Glossary

U.S. Department of Commerce

Economics and Statistics Administration

BUREAU OF THE CENSUS
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The Decennial Planning Division, Susan M. Miskura, Chief, coordinated

and directed all census operations. Patricia A. Berman, Assistant Division

Chief for Content and Data Products, directed the development and

implementation of the 1990 Census Tabulation and Publication Program.

Other assistant division chiefs were Robert R. Bair, Rachel F. Brown,

James L. Dinwiddie, Allan A. Stephenson, and Edwin B. Wagner, Jr.

The following branch chiefs made significant contributions: Cheryl R.

Landman, Adolfo L. Paez, A. Edward Pike, and William A. Starr. Other

important contributors were Linda S. Brudvig, Cindy S. Easton, Avis L.

Foote, Carolyn R. Hay, Douglas M. Lee, Gloria J. Porter, and A. Nishea

Quash.

The Decennial Operations Division, Arnold A. Jackson, Chief, was

responsible for processing and tabulating census data. Assistant division

chiefs were: Donald R. Dalzell, Kenneth A. Riccini, Billy E. Stark, and

James E. Steed. Processing offices were managed by Alfred Cruz, Jr.,

Earle B. Knapp, Jr., Judith N. Petty, Mark M. Taylor, Russell L.

Valentine, Jr., Carol A. Van Horn, and C. Kemble Worley. The following

branch chiefs made significant contributions: Jonathan G. Ankers,

Sharron S. Baucom, Catharine W. Burt, Vickie L. Cotton, Robert J.

Hemmig, George H. McLaughlin, Carol M. Miller, Lorraine D. Neece,

Peggy S. Payne, William L. Peil, Cotty A. Smith, Dennis W. Stoudt, and

Richard R. Warren. Other important contributors were Eleanor I. Banks,

Miriam R. Barton, Danny L. Burkhead, J. Kenneth Butler, Jr., Albert A.

Csellar, Donald H. Danbury, Judith A. Dawson, Donald R. Dwyer,

Beverly B. Fransen, Katherine H. Gilbert, Lynn A. Hollabaugh, Ellen B.

Katzoff, Randy M. Klear, Norman W. Larsen, Peter J. Long, Sue Love,

Patricia O. Madson, Mark J. Matsko, John R. Murphy, Dan E. Philipp,

Eugene M. Rashlich, Willie T. Robertson, Barbara A. Rosen, Sharon A.

Schoch, Imelda B. Severdia, Diane J. Simmons, Emmett F. Spiers,

Johanne M. Stovall, M. Lisa Sylla, and Jess D. Thompson.

The Housing and Household Economic Statistics Division, Daniel H.

Weinberg, Chief, developed the questionnaire content, designed the data

tabulations, and reviewed the data for the economic and housing characteristics. Gordon W. Green, Jr., Assistant Division Chief for Economic

Characteristics, and Leonard J. Norry, Assistant Division Chief for Housing Characteristics, directed the development of this work. The following

branch chiefs made significant contributions: William A. Downs, Peter J.

Fronczek, Patricia A. Johnson, Enrique J. Lamas, Charles T. Nelson,

and Thomas S. Scopp. Other important contributors were Eleanor

F. Baugher, Jeanne C. Benetti, Robert L. Bennefield, Robert W.

Bonnette, William S. Chapin, Higinio Feliciano, Timothy S. Grall,

Cynthia J. Harpine, Selwyn Jones, Mary C. Kirk, Richard G. Kreinsen,

Gordon H. Lester, Mark S. Littman, Wilfred T. Masumura, John M.

McNeil, Diane C. Murphy, George F. Patterson, Thomas J. Palumbo,

Kirby G. Posey, John Priebe, Anne D. Smoler, and Carmina F. Young.

The Population Division, Paula J. Schneider, Chief, developed the

questionnaire content, designed the data tabulations, and reviewed the

data for the demographic and social characteristics of the population.

Philip N. Fulton, Assistant Division Chief for Census Programs, directed

the development of this work. Other assistant division chiefs were

Nampeo R. McKenney and Arthur J. Norton. The following branch and

staff chiefs made significant contributions: Jorge H. del Pinal, Campbell J.

Gibson, Roderick J. Harrison, Donald J. Hernandez, Jane H. Ingold,

Martin T. O’Connell, Marie Pees, J. Gregory Robinson, Phillip A.

Salopek, Paul M. Siegel, Robert C. Speaker, Gregory K. Spencer, and

Cynthia M. Taeuber. Other important contributors were Celia G. Boertlein,

Rosalind R. Bruno, Janice A. Costanzo, Rosemarie C. Cowan, Arthur

R. Cresce, Larry G. Curran, Carmen DeNavas, Robert O. Grymes,

Kristin A. Hansen, Mary C. Hawkins, Rodger V. Johnson, Michael J.

Levin, Edna L. Paisano, Sherry B. Pollock, Stanley J. Rolark, A. Dianne

Schmidley, Denise I. Smith, and Nancy L. Sweet.

The Data User Services Division, Gerard C. Iannelli, then Chief,

directed the development of data product dissemination and information to

increase awareness, understanding, and use of census data. Marie G.

Argana, Assistant Chief for Data User Services, directed preparation of

electronic data products and their dissemination. Alfonso E. Mirabal,

Assistant Chief for Group Information and Advisory Services, directed

activities related to the National Services Program, State Data Centers, and

preparation of training materials. The following branch chiefs made significant contributions: Deborah D. Barrett, Frederick G. Bohme, Larry W.

Carbaugh, James P. Curry, Samuel H. Johnson, John C. Kavaliunas,

and Forrest B. Williams. Other important contributors were Molly

Abramowitz, Celestin J. Aguigui, Barbara J. Aldrich, Delores A.

Baldwin, Albert R. Barros, Geneva A. Burns, Carmen D. Campbell,

James R. Clark, Virginia L. Collins, George H. Dailey, Jr., Barbara L.

Hatchl, Theresa C. Johnson, Paul T. Manka, John D. McCall, Jo Ann

Norris, David M. Pemberton, Sarabeth Rodriguez, Charles J. Wade,

Joyce J. Ware, and Gary M. Young.

The Geography Division, Robert W. Marx, Chief, directed and coordinated the census mapping and geographic activities. Jack R. George,

Assistant Division Chief for Geoprocessing, directed the planning and

development of the TIGER System and related software. Robert A.

LaMacchia, Assistant Division Chief for Planning, directed the planning

and implementation of processes for defining 1990 census geographic

areas. Silla G. Tomasi, Assistant Division Chief for Operations, managed

the planning and implementation of 1990 census mapping applications

using the TIGER System. The following branch chiefs made significant

contributions: Frederick R. Broome, Charles E. Dingman, Linda M.

Franz, David E. Galdi, Dan N. Harding, Donald I. Hirschfeld, David B.

Meixler, Peter Rosenson, Joel Sobel, Brian Swanhart, and Richard

Trois. Other important contributors were Gerard Boudriault,

Desmond J. Carron, Anthony W. Costanzo, Paul W. Daisey,

Beverly A. Davis, Carl S. Hantman, Christine J. Kinnear, Terence D.

McDowell, Linda M. Pike, Rose J. A. Quarato, Lourdes Ramirez,

Gavin H. Shaw, Daniel L. Sweeney, Timothy F. Trainor, Phyllis S.

Willette, and Walter E. Yergen.

The Statistical Support Division, John H. Thompson, Chief, directed

the application of mathematical statistical techniques in the design and

conduct of the census. John S. Linebarger, Assistant Division Chief for

Quality Assurance, directed the development and implementation of

operational and software quality assurance. Henry F. Woltman, Assistant Division Chief for Census Design, directed the development and

implementation of sample design, disclosure avoidance, weighting, and

variance estimation. Howard Hogan and David V. Bateman were

contributing assistant division chiefs. The following branch chiefs made

significant contributions: Florence H. Abramson, Deborah H. Griffin,

Richard A. Griffin, Lawrence I. Iskow, and Michael L. Mersch. Other

important contributors were Linda A. Flores-Baez, Larry M. Bates,

Somonica L. Green, James E. Hartman, Steven D. Jarvis, Alfredo

Navarro, Eric L. Schindler, Carolyn T. Swan, and Glenn D. White.

The 1990 Census Redistricting Data Office, Marshall L. Turner, Jr.,

Chief, assisted by Cathy L. Talbert, directed the development and

implementation of the 1990 Census Redistricting Data Program.

The Administrative and Publications Services Division, Walter C.

Odom, Chief, provided direction for the census administrative services,

publications, printing, and graphics functions. Michael G. Garland was a

contributing assistant division chief. The following branch and staff chiefs

made significant contributions: Bernard E. Baymler, Albert W. Cosner,

Gary J. Lauffer, Gerald A. Mann, Clement B. Nettles, Russell Price,

and Barbara J. Stanard. Other important contributors were Cynthia G.

Brooks, Robert J. Brown, David M. Coontz, and John T. Overby.

The Data Preparation Division, Joseph S. Harris, Chief, provided

management of a multi-operational facility including kit preparation,

procurement, warehousing and supply, and census processing activities.

Plummer Alston, Jr., and Patricia M. Clark were assistant division

chiefs.

The Field Division, Stanley D. Matchett, Chief, directed the census

data collection and associated field operations. Richard L. Bitzer,

Richard F. Blass, Karl K. Kindel, and John W. Marshall were assistant

division chiefs. Regional office directors were William F. Adams, John E.

Bell, LaVerne Collins, Dwight P. Dean, Arthur G. Dukakis, Sheila H.

Grimm, William F. Hill, James F. Holmes, Stanley D. Moore, Marvin L.

Postma, John E. Reeder, and Leo C. Schilling.

The Personnel Division, David P. Warner, Chief, provided management direction and guidance to the staffing, planning pay systems, and

employee relations programs for the census. Colleen A. Woodard was

the assistant chief.

The Technical Services Division, C. Thomas DiNenna, Chief, designed,

developed, deployed, and produced automated technology for census

data processing.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
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1990 CPH-R-1B

1990 Census of

Population and Housing

Guide

Part B. Glossary

+ +

U.S. Department of Commerce

Barbara Hackman Franklin, Secretary

Rockwell A. Schnabel, Deputy Secretary

Economics and Statistics Administration

J. Antonio Villamil, Under Secretary

for Economic Affairs

BUREAU OF THE CENSUS

Barbara Everitt Bryant, Director
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BUREAU OF THE CENSUS

Barbara Everitt Bryant, Director

Harry A. Scarr, Deputy Director

Charles D. Jones, Associate Director for

Decennial Census

William P. Butz, Associate Director for

Demographic Programs

Bryant Benton, Associate Director for

Field Operations

Bryant Benton, Acting Associate Director for

Management Services

Peter A. Bounpane, Assistant Director for

Decennial Census

Economics and Statistics

Administration

J. Antonio Villamil, Under Secretary

for Economic Affairs

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office,

Washington, DC 20402.
 JOBNAME: No Job Name PAGE: 1 SESS: 16 OUTPUT: Tue Dec 29 13:18:46 1992 / node2/ F main F / 90dec/ cphr/ 1b/ contents

Introduction ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1

Index of Terms------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3

Geographic Terms--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7

Population Characteristics ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 19

Housing Characteristics -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 54

Technical Terms ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 67

Appendix: Facsimiles of Respondent Instructions and Questionnaire Pages ----------------------------------- A–1

CONTENTS

Page

1990 CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING—GUIDE CONTENTS III
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HOW TO OBTAIN PART A UPDATES

Do you have Part A, Text, of the 1990 Census of Population and Housing Guide? If so, you will want

to obtain our free list of key updates to the ‘‘Sources of Assistance’’ appendix. Please write or call:

Data Access and Use Branch

Data User Services Division

Bureau of the Census

Washington, DC 20233-8300

Telephone: 301-763-1584

For more information about Part A, see the ad at the end of this publication. Part C, Index to

Summary Tape Files 1 to 4, will be published Spring 1993. For information about it, contact the Data

Access and Use Branch.

A completely revised ‘‘Sources of Assistance’’ appendix appears each year in the Census Catalog

and Guide, published during the summer. The Data Access and Use Branch can answer questions

about the Catalog/ Guide and furnish ordering information.

IV
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INTRODUCTION

This Glossary, Part B of the 1990 Census of Population

and Housing Guide, is divided into four sections containing

definitions and explanations of geographic area classifications, population characteristics, housing characteristics,

and other technical terms associated with the census and

its data products. An important additional section is the

Index of Terms, an alphabetic index covering all the terms

in the other sections.

The Glossary is designed to supplement Part A, Text of

the Guide. The geographic, population, and housing sections also appear as appendixes in 1990 census reports

and technical documentation.

The Glossary defines the geographic entities included in

the 1990 census for the presentation of data. Definitions

include information on the specific characteristics of an

entity and the type of geographic code(s) assigned to each

type of entity. Chapter 4 in Part A gives more summarized

descriptions of the geographic entities. It also covers 1990

census maps and geographic reference products that are

available.

The Glossary text for population and housing items

identifies the related item numbers on the questionnaire,

defines and discusses the concepts involved, and notes

the items’ comparability to previous censuses. Where

appropriate, an entry also provides information on any

limitations of the data. Chapter 2, ‘‘Questions Asked,’’ of

Part A provides a brief description of each questionnaire

item and provides facsimiles of respondent instructions

and the long form questionnaire used in the 1990 census.

(The facsimiles also are included in this publication for

easy reference.)

The Glossary also contains the definitions of technical

terms associated with the collection, processing, and

tabulation of 1990 census data. Terms used in the description of census data files on electronic media are included,

as well as terminology used in the presentation of statistics.

The entries in each section are organized alphabetically.

1990 CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING—GUIDE INTRODUCTION 1
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INDEX OF TERMS

Page

A

Ability to Speak English (See Language Spoken

at Home and Ability to Speak English)

Acreage ----------------------------------------------- 55

Actual Hours Worked Last Week (See

Employment Status)

Address Control File --------------------------------- 67

Administrative Records------------------------------ 67

Age ----------------------------------------------------- 19

Age of Structure (See Year Structure Built)

Aggregate---------------------------------------------- 67

Agricultural Sales ------------------------------------ 55

Alaska Native Regional Corporation (ANRC)

(See American Indian and Alaska Native Area)

Alaska Native Village (ANV) (See American Indian

and Alaska Native Area)

Alaska Native Village Statistical Area (See

American Indian and Alaska Native Area)

Allocation ---------------------------------------------- 67

American Indian and Alaska Native Area --------- 7

American Indian Reservation (See American

Indian and Alaska Native Area)

American Indian Reservation and Trust Land

(See American Indian and Alaska Native Area)

American Indian Tribe (See Race)

American Samoa (See Outlying Areas of the

United States and State)

Ancestry ---------------------------------------------- 19

Area Measurement ----------------------------------- 8

ASCII (American Standard Code for Information

Interchange)------------------------------------------ 67

Assessment District (See County Subdivision)

B

Basic Record Tape ----------------------------------- 67

Bedrooms --------------------------------------------- 55

Bit ------------------------------------------------------- 67

Bits Per Inch------------------------------------------- 67

Block --------------------------------------------------- 9

Block (Computer) ------------------------------------- 67

Block Group (BG) ------------------------------------ 9

Block Length ------------------------------------------ 67

Block Numbering Area (BNA) (See Census Tract

and Block Numbering Area)

Blocking Factor --------------------------------------- 67

Boarded-Up Status ---------------------------------- 55

Borough (See County Subdivision and Place)

Borough and Census Area (Alaska) (See County)

Boundary Changes ----------------------------------- 9

Boxhead------------------------------------------------ 67

Business on Property ------------------------------- 55

Byte----------------------------------------------------- 67

C

Carpooling (See Journey to Work)

Cell------------------------------------------------------ 68

Census ------------------------------------------------- 68

Census Area (Alaska) (See County)

Census Block (See Block)

Census Code (See Geographic Code)

Census County Division (CCD) (See County

Subdivision)

Census Designated Place (CDP) (See Place)

Census Division (See Census Region and Census

Division)

Census Geographic Code (See Geographic Code)

Census Region and Census Division -------------- 10

Census Subarea (Alaska) (See County

Subdivision)

Census Tract and Block Numbering Area -------- 10

Central City (See Metropolitan Area)

Central Place (See Urbanized Area)

Children Ever Born (See Fertility)

Citizenship -------------------------------------------- 21

City (See Place)

Civilian Labor Force (See Employment Status)

Class of Worker (See Industry, Occupation, and

Class of Worker)

Coefficient of Variation ------------------------------ 68

Compact Disc–Read-Only Memory (CD-ROM) ---- 68

Complete Count (See 100-Percent Data)

Computer Output Microform (COM)---------------- 68

Condominium Fee ------------------------------------ 56

Condominium Status -------------------------------- 56

Confidence Interval ---------------------------------- 68

Confidentiality----------------------------------------- 68

Confidentiality Edit ----------------------------------- 68

Congregate Housing (See Meals Included in Rent)

Congressional District (CD) ------------------------- 11

Consolidated City (See Place)

Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area

(CMSA) (See Metropolitan Area)

Contract Rent ---------------------------------------- 56

County ------------------------------------------------- 11

County Subdivision ---------------------------------- 11

Crews of Vessels (See Area Measurement, Block,

and Census Tract and Block Numbering Area)

Crop Sales (See Agricultural Sales)

Cross-Tabulations ------------------------------------ 68

1990 CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING—GUIDE INDEX OF TERMS 3
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D

Data----------------------------------------------------- 68

Data Dictionary---------------------------------------- 69

Data Item ---------------------------------------------- 69

Demographic Data------------------------------------ 69

Density (Tape)----------------------------------------- 69

Disability (See Mobility Limitation Status, Self-Care

Limitation Status, and Work Disability Status)

Division (See Census Region and Division and

County Subdivision)

Duration of Vacancy --------------------------------- 57

E

Earnings in 1989 (See Income in 1989)

EBCDIC (Extended Binary-Coded Decimal

Interchange Code) --------------------------------- 69

Economic Censuses---------------------------------- 69

Editing-------------------------------------------------- 69

Educational Attainment ----------------------------- 21

Election District (See County Subdivision and

Voting District)

Employment Status ---------------------------------- 22

Enumeration------------------------------------------- 69

Estimate------------------------------------------------ 69

Extended City (See Urban and Rural)

F

Families (See Household Type and Relationship)

Family Composition (See Household Type and

Relationship)

Family Income in 1989 (See Income in 1989)

Family Size (See Household Type and

Relationship)

Family Type (See Household Type and

Relationship)

Farm (See Urban and Rural)

Farm Population (See Farm Residence)

Farm Residence -------------------------------------- 57

Federal Information Processing Standards

(FIPS) Code (See Geographic Code)

Fertility ------------------------------------------------ 24

Field ---------------------------------------------------- 69

File ------------------------------------------------------ 69

FIPS PUB (Federal Information Processing

Standards Publication) ---------------------------- 69

Foreign-Born Persons (See Place of Birth)

FOSDIC (Film Optical Sensing Device for Input

to Computers) --------------------------------------- 69

Foster Children (See Household Type and

Relationship)

Frequency Distribution ------------------------------ 69

G

GBF/ DIME-Files --------------------------------------- 69

Geocoding --------------------------------------------- 70

Geographic Block Group (See Block Group)

Geographic Code ------------------------------------- 12

Geographic Presentation ---------------------------- 12

Gore (See County Subdivision)

Grant (See County Subdivision)

Gross Rent -------------------------------------------- 57

Gross Rent as a Percentage of Household

Income in 1989 --------------------------------------- 58

Group Quarters --------------------------------------- 24

Guam (See Outlying Areas of the United States

and State)

H

Heading ------------------------------------------------ 70

Hierarchical Presentation (See Geographic

Presentation)

Hierarchical Record Structure ---------------------- 70

Hispanic Origin --------------------------------------- 29

Historic Areas of Oklahoma (See American Indian

and Alaska Native Area)

Historical Counts ------------------------------------- 13

Homeowner Vacancy Rate (See Vacancy Status)

House Heating Fuel ---------------------------------- 58

Household (See Household Type and

Relationship)

Household Income in 1989 (See Income in 1989)

Household Language (See Language Spoken At

Home and Ability to Speak English)

Household Size (See Household Type and

Relationship)

Household Type and Relationship ----------------- 30

Householder (See Household Type and

Relationship)

Housing Units (See Living Quarters)

I

Income Deficit (See Income in 1989)

Income in 1989 --------------------------------------- 32

Income Type in 1989 (See Income in 1989)

Incorporated Place (See Place)

Independent City (See County)

Industry, Occupation, and Class of Worker ------ 36

Institutionalized Persons (See Group Quarters)

Insurance for Fire, Hazard, and Flood ------------ 58

Internal Point ----------------------------------------- 13

Interpolation------------------------------------------- 70

Inventory Presentation (See Geographic

Presentation)

ISO 9660 (International Standards Organization) - 70

J

Journey to Work ------------------------------------- 38

K

Kitchen Facilities ------------------------------------- 58

L

Label---------------------------------------------------- 70

Labor Force Status (See Employment Status)

Land Area (See Area Measurement)

Language Spoken at Home and Ability to Speak

English ------------------------------------------------- 40

Latitude (See Internal Point)

4 INDEX OF TERMS 1990 CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING—GUIDE
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Linguistic Isolation (See Language Spoken at

Home and Ability to Speak English)

Living Quarters --------------------------------------- 54

Logical Record---------------------------------------- 70

Long Form --------------------------------------------- 70

Longitude (See Internal Point)

M

Machine Readable ------------------------------------ 71

Magisterial District (See County Subdivision)

Magnetic Tape ---------------------------------------- 71

Marital Status ----------------------------------------- 42

Married Couples (See Marital Status)

Meals Included in Rent ------------------------------ 59

Mean---------------------------------------------------- 71

Mean Income Deficit (See Income in 1989)

Means of Transportation to Work (See Journey

to Work)

Median-------------------------------------------------- 71

Metropolitan Area (MA) ----------------------------- 14

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) (See

Metropolitan Area)

Microdata ---------------------------------------------- 71

Microfiche---------------------------------------------- 71

Microfilm ----------------------------------------------- 71

Microform---------------------------------------------- 71

Migration (See Residence in 1985)

Military Service (See Veteran Status)

Minor Civil Division (MCD) (See County

Subdivision)

Mobile Home Costs ---------------------------------- 59

Mobility Limitation Status --------------------------- 43

Months Vacant (See Duration of Vacancy)

Mortgage Payment ----------------------------------- 59

Mortgage Status ------------------------------------- 59

N

Nativity (See Place of Birth)

Noninstitutionalized Group Quarters (See Group

Quarters)

Nonsampling Error ----------------------------------- 71

Northern Mariana Islands (See Outlying Areas of

the United States and State)

Number of Workers in Family (See Work Status

in 1989)

O

Occupation (See Industry, Occupation, and Class

of Worker)

Occupied Housing Units (See Living Quarters)

100-Percent Data ------------------------------------ 71

Outlying Areas of the United States -------------- 15

Own Children (See Household Type and

Relationship)

Owner-Occupied Housing Units (See Tenure)

P

Palau (See Outlying Areas of the United States and

State)

Parish (Louisiana) (See County)

Parish Governing Authority District (See County

Subdivision)

Per Capita Income (See Income in 1989)

Percentages, Rates, and Ratios -------------------- 72

Percentile ---------------------------------------------- 72

Persons in Family (See Household Type and

Relationship)

Persons in Household (See Household Type and

Relationship)

Persons in Unit --------------------------------------- 60

Persons Per Car, Truck, or Van (See Journey to

Work)

Persons Per Room ----------------------------------- 60

Place --------------------------------------------------- 15

Place of Birth ----------------------------------------- 43

Place of Work (See Journey to Work)

Plantation (See County Subdivision)

Plumbing Facilities ----------------------------------- 60

Population --------------------------------------------- 72

Population or Housing Unit Density---------------- 16

Poverty Status in 1989 ------------------------------ 44

Poverty Status of Households in 1989 ------------ 60

Precinct (See County Subdivision and Voting

District)

Presence of Children (See Household Type and

Relationship)

Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area (PMSA)

(See Metropolitan Area)

Private Vehicle Occupancy (See Journey to

Work)

Public and Private Schools (See School

Enrollment and Type of School)

Public-Use Microdata Sample ----------------------- 72

Puerto Rice (See Outlying Areas of the United

States and State)

Purchase (See County Subdivision)

Q

Quartile------------------------------------------------- 72

R

Race --------------------------------------------------- 45

Real Estate Taxes ------------------------------------ 61

Reapportionment ------------------------------------- 72

Recode ------------------------------------------------- 72

Record ------------------------------------------------- 72

Rectangular Record Structure ---------------------- 72

Reference Week ------------------------------------- 48

Region (See Census Region and Census Division)

Related Children (See Household Type and

Relationship)

Rental Vacancy Rate (See Vacancy Status)

Renter-Occupied Housing Units (See Tenure)

Residence in 1985 ----------------------------------- 48

1990 CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING—GUIDE INDEX OF TERMS 5
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Rooms ------------------------------------------------- 61

Rural (See Urban and Rural)

S

Sample Data ------------------------------------------- 72

Sample Weighting ------------------------------------ 73

Sampling Error ---------------------------------------- 73

School Enrollment and Labor Force Status ------ 49

School Enrollment and Type of School ----------- 50

Second or Junior Mortgage Payment ------------- 61

Selected Monthly Owner Costs -------------------- 62

Selected Monthly Owner Costs as a Percentage

of Household Income in 1989 --------------------- 62

Selected States (See County Subdivisions and

State)

Self-Care Limitation Status ------------------------- 51

Sewage Disposal ------------------------------------- 62

Sex ----------------------------------------------------- 51

Short Form -------------------------------------------- 73

Source of Water ------------------------------------- 62

Spanish Origin (See Hispanic Origin)

Special Tabulations----------------------------------- 73

Standard Error ---------------------------------------- 73

State --------------------------------------------------- 16

Stepfamily (See Household Type and Relationship)

Stratifier------------------------------------------------ 73

Stub----------------------------------------------------- 73

Subfamily (See Household Type and Relationship)

Substitution-------------------------------------------- 73

Summary Statistics or Summary Data ------------- 73

Summary Tape File (STF)---------------------------- 73

Supervisor’s District (See County Subdivision)

Survey-------------------------------------------------- 73

T

Table---------------------------------------------------- 74

Tabulation---------------------------------------------- 74

Tabulation Block Group (See Block Group)

Tape Cartridge ---------------------------------------- 74

Technical Documentation --------------------------- 74

Telephone in Housing Unit ------------------------- 62

Tenure ------------------------------------------------- 63

TIGER -------------------------------------------------- 16

Time Leaving Home to Go to Work (See Journey

to Work)

Time Series -------------------------------------------- 74

Town (See County Subdivision and Place)

Township (See County Subdivision)

Track --------------------------------------------------- 74

Tract (See Census Tract and Block Numbering

Area)

Travel Time to Work (See Journey to Work)

Tribal Designated Statistical Area (TDSA) (See

American Indian and Alaska Native Area)

Tribal Jurisdiction Statistical Area (TJSA) (See

American Indian and Alaska Native Area)

Trust Land (See American Indian and Alaska

Native Area)

Type of School (See School Enrollment and Type

of School)

Type of Structure (See Units in Structure)

U

Undercount -------------------------------------------- 74

United States ----------------------------------------- 16

United States Postal Service (USPS) Code (See

Geographic Code)

Units in Structure ------------------------------------ 63

Universe------------------------------------------------ 74

Unorganized Territory (See County Subdivision)

Unpublished Data ------------------------------------- 74

Urban and Rural -------------------------------------- 16

Urbanized Area (UA) --------------------------------- 17

Urbanized Area Title and Code (See Urbanized

Area)

Usual Home Elsewhere ----------------------------- 64

Usual Hours Worked Per Week Worked in 1989

(See Work Status in 1989)

Utilities ------------------------------------------------ 64

V

Vacancy Status --------------------------------------- 64

Vacant Housing Units (See Living Quarters)

Value --------------------------------------------------- 65

Variance------------------------------------------------ 74

Vehicles Available ----------------------------------- 65

Veteran Status --------------------------------------- 51

Village (See Place)

Virgin Islands (See Outlying Areas of the United

States and State)

Voting District (VTD) -------------------------------- 18

W

Water Area (See Area Measurement)

Weeks Worked in 1989 (See Work Status in 1989)

Weight-------------------------------------------------- 74

Work Disability Status ------------------------------- 52

Work Status in 1989 --------------------------------- 52

Workers in Family in 1989 (See Work Status in

1989)

Y

Year Householder Moved Into Unit --------------- 66

Year of Entry ----------------------------------------- 53

Year-Round Full-Time Workers (See Work Status

in 1989)

Year Structure Built --------------------------------- 66

Years of Military Service (See Veteran Status)

Z

ZIP Code ---------------------------------------------- 18

6 INDEX OF TERMS 1990 CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING—GUIDE
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GEOGRAPHIC TERMS

These definitions are for all geographic entities and

concepts that the Census Bureau will include in its standard 1990 census data products. Not all entities and concepts are shown in any one 1990 census data product. For

a listing of geographic areas included in each data product,

see chapter 5 of the Guide, Part A. Text.

AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE AREA

Alaska Native Regional Corporation (ANRC)

Alaska Native Regional Corporations (ANRC’s) are corporate entities established under the Alaska Native Claims

Settlement Act of 1972, Public Law 92-203, as amended

by Public Law 94-204, to conduct both business and

nonprofit affairs of Alaska Natives. Alaska is divided into

12 ANRC’s that cover the entire State, except for the

Annette Islands Reserve. The boundaries of the 12 ANRC’s

were established by the Department of the Interior, in

cooperation with Alaska Natives. Each ANRC was designed

to include, as far as practicable, Alaska Natives with a

common heritage and common interests. The ANRC boundaries for the 1990 census were identified by the Bureau of

Land Management. A 13th region was established for

Alaska Natives who are not permanent residents and who

chose not to enroll in one of the 12 ANRC’s; no census

products are prepared for the 13th region. ANRC’s were

first identified for the 1980 census.

Each ANRC is assigned a two-digit census code ranging

from 07 through 84. These census codes are assigned in

alphabetical order of the ANRC’s.

Alaska Native Village (ANV) Statistical Area

Alaska Native villages (ANV’s) constitute tribes, bands,

clans, groups, villages, communities, or associations in

Alaska that are recognized pursuant to the Alaska Native

Claims Settlement Act of 1972, Public Law 92-203. Because

ANV’s do not have legally designated boundaries, the

Census Bureau has established Alaska Native village

statistical areas (ANVSA’s) for statistical purposes. For the

1990 census, the Census Bureau cooperated with officials

of the nonprofit corporation within each participating Alaska

Native Regional Corporation (ANRC), as well as other

knowledgeable officials, to delineate boundaries that encompass the settled area associated with each ANV. ANVSA’s

are located within ANRC’s and do not cross ANRC boundaries. ANVSA’s for the 1990 census replace the ANV’s

that the Census Bureau recognized for the 1980 census.

Each ANVSA is assigned a four-digit census code

ranging from 6001 through 8989. Each ANVSA also is

assigned a five-digit FIPS code. Both the census and FIPS

codes are assigned in alphabetical order of ANVSA’s.

American Indian Reservation and Trust Land

American Indian Reservation—Federal American Indian

reservations are areas with boundaries established by

treaty, statute, and/ or executive or court order, and recognized by the Federal Government as territory in which

American Indian tribes have jurisdiction. State reservations

are lands held in trust by State governments for the use

and benefit of a specific tribe. The reservations and their

boundaries were identified for the 1990 census by the

Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Department of Interior (for

Federal reservations), and State governments (for State

reservations). The names of American Indian reservations

recognized by State governments, but not by the Federal

Government, are followed by ‘‘(State).’’ Areas composed

of reservation lands that are administered jointly and/ or

are claimed by two reservations, as identified by the BIA,

are called ‘‘joint areas,’’ and are treated as separate

American Indian reservations for census purposes.

Federal reservations may cross State boundaries, and

Federal and State reservations may cross county, county

subdivision, and place boundaries. For reservations that

cross State boundaries, only the portion of the reservations in a given State are shown in the data products for

that State; the entire reservations are shown in data

products for the United States.

Each American Indian reservation is assigned a fourdigit census code ranging from 0001 through 4989. These

census codes are assigned in alphabetical order of American Indian reservations nationwide, except that joint areas

appear at the end of the code range. Each American Indian

reservation also is assigned a five-digit FIPS code; because

the FIPS codes are assigned in alphabetical sequence of

American Indian reservations within each State, the FIPS

code is different in each State for reservations in more

than one State.

Trust Land—Trust lands are property associated with a

particular American Indian reservation or tribe, held in trust

by the Federal Government. Trust lands may be held in

trust either for a tribe (tribal trust land) or for an individual

member of a tribe (individual trust land). Trust lands

recognized for the 1990 census comprise all tribal trust

lands and inhabited individual trust lands located outside

of a reservation boundary. The Bureau of Indian Affairs

provided the Census Bureau with maps that identified the

trust lands. As with other American Indian areas, trust

lands may be located in more than one State. Only the

trust lands in a given State are shown in the data products

for that State; all trust lands associated with a reservation

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or tribe are shown in data products for the United States.

The Census Bureau first reported data for tribal trust lands

for the 1980 census.

Trust lands are assigned a four-digit census code and a

five-digit FIPS code, the same as that for the reservation

with which they are associated. Trust lands not associated

with a reservation are presented by tribal name, interspersed alphabetically among the reservations.

Tribal Designated Statistical Area (TDSA)

Tribal designated statistical areas (TDSA’s) are areas,

delineated outside Oklahoma by federally- and Staterecognized tribes without a land base or associated trust

lands, to provide statistical areas for which the Census

Bureau tabulates data. TDSA’s represent areas generally

containing the American Indian population over which

federally-recognized tribes have jurisdiction and areas in

which State tribes provide benefits and services to their

members. The names of TDSA’s delineated by Staterecognized tribes are followed by ‘‘(State).’’ The Census

Bureau did not recognize TDSA’s before the 1990 census.

Each TDSA is assigned a four-digit census code ranging

from 9001 through 9589. The census codes are assigned

in alphabetical order of TDSA’s nationwide. Each TDSA

also is assigned a five-digit FIPS code in alphabetical order

within State.

Tribal Jurisdiction Statistical Area (TJSA)

Tribal jurisdiction statistical areas (TJSA’s) are areas,

delineated by federally-recognized tribes in Oklahoma

without a reservation, for which the Census Bureau tabulates data. TJSA’s represent areas generally containing

the American Indian population over which one or more

tribal governments have jurisdiction; if tribal officials delineated adjacent TJSA’s so that they include some duplicate

territory, the overlap area is called a ‘‘joint use area,’’

which is treated as a separate TJSA for census purposes.

TJSA’s replace the ‘‘Historic Areas of Oklahoma (excluding urbanized areas)’’ shown in 1980 census data products. The Historic Areas of Oklahoma comprised the

territory located within reservations that had legally established boundaries from 1900 to 1907; these reservations

were dissolved during the 2- to 3-year period preceding the

statehood of Oklahoma in 1907. The Historic Areas of

Oklahoma (excluding urbanized areas) were identified only

for the 1980 census.

Each TJSA is assigned a four-digit census code ranging

from 5001 through 5989. The census codes are assigned

in alphabetical order of TJSA’s, except that joint areas

appear at the end of the code range. Each TJSA also is

assigned a five-digit FIPS code in alphabetical order within

Oklahoma.

AREA MEASUREMENT

Area measurements provide the size, in square kilometers (also in square miles in printed reports), recorded for

each geographic entity for which the Census Bureau

tabulates data in general-purpose data products (except

crews-of-vessels entities and ZIP Codes). (Square kilometers may be divided by 2.59 to convert an area measurement to square miles.) Area was calculated from the

specific set of boundaries recorded for the entity in the

Census Bureau’s geographic data base (see ‘‘TIGER’’).

On machine-readable files, area measurements are shown

to three decimal places; the decimal point is implied. In

printed reports and listings, area measurements are shown

to one decimal. As a result of refinement to the TIGER File,

the area measurements shown in the Public Law (P.L.)

94-171 Datafiles, Summary Tape File (STF) 1A, and the

CPH-1 State reports may be different from those shown in

subsequent data products, including the CPH-1-1, U.S.

Summary report.

The Census Bureau provides measurements for both

land area and total water area for the 1990 census; the

water figure includes inland, coastal, Great Lakes, and

territorial water. (For the 1980 census, the Census Bureau

provided area measurements for land and inland water.)

The Census Bureau will provide measurements for the

component types of water for the affected entities in a

separate file. ‘‘Inland water’’ consists of any lake, reservoir, pond, or similar body of water that is recorded in the

Census Bureau’s geographic data base. It also includes

any river, creek, canal, stream, or similar feature that is

recorded in that data base as a two-dimensional feature

(rather than as a single line). The portions of the oceans

and related large embayments (such as the Chesapeake

Bay and Puget Sound), the Gulf of Mexico, and the

Caribbean Sea that belong to the United States and its

territories are considered to be ‘‘coastal’’ and ‘‘territorial’’

waters; the Great Lakes are treated as a separate water

entity. Rivers and bays that empty into these bodies of

water are treated as ‘‘inland water’’ from the point beyond

which they are narrower than one nautical mile across.

Identification of land and inland, coastal, and territorial

waters is for statistical purposes, and does not necessarily

reflect legal definitions thereof.

By definition, census blocks do not include water within

their boundaries; therefore, the water area of a block is

always zero. Land area measurements may disagree with

the information displayed on census maps and in the

TIGER extract files because, for area measurement purposes, features identified as ‘‘intermittent water’’ and

‘‘glacier’’ are reported as land area. For this reason, it may

not be possible to derive the land area for an entity by

summing the land area of its component census blocks. In

addition, the water area measurement reported for some

geographic entities includes water that is not included in

any lower-level geographic entity. Therefore, because

water is contained only in a higher-level geographic entity,

summing the water measurements for all the component

lower-level geographic entities will not yield the water area

of that higher-level entity. This occurs, for example, where

water is associated with a county but is not within the legal

boundary of any minor civil division, or the water is

associated with a State but is not within the legal boundary

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of any county. Crews-of-vessels entities (see ‘‘Census

Tract and Block Numbering Area’’ and ‘‘Block’’) do not

encompass territory and, therefore, have no area measurements. ZIP Codes do not have specific boundaries, and,

therefore, also do not have area measurements.

The accuracy of any area measurement figure is limited

by the inaccuracy inherent in (1) the location and shape

of the various boundary features in the data base, and

(2) rounding affecting the last digit in all operations that

compute and/ or sum the area measurements.

BLOCK

Census blocks are small areas bounded on all sides by

visible features such as streets, roads, streams, and

railroad tracks, and by invisible boundaries such as city,

town, township, and county limits, property lines, and short,

imaginary extensions of streets and roads.

Tabulation blocks, used in census data products, are in

most cases the same as collection blocks, used in the

census enumeration. In some cases, collection blocks

have been ‘‘split’’ into two or more parts required for data

tabulations. Tabulation blocks do not cross the boundaries

of counties, county subdivisions, places, census tracts or

block numbering areas, American Indian and Alaska Native

areas, voting districts, urban or rural areas, or urbanized

areas. The 1990 census is the first for which the entire

United States and its possessions are block-numbered.

Blocks are numbered uniquely within each census tract

or block numbering area (BNA). A block is identified by a

three-digit number, sometimes with a single alphabetical

suffix. Block numbers with suffixes generally represent

collection blocks that were ‘‘split’’ in order to identify

separate geographic entities that divide the original block.

For example, when a city limit runs through data collection

block 101, the data for the portion inside the city is

tabulated in block 101A and the portion outside, in block

101B. A block number with the suffix ‘‘Z’’ represents a

‘‘crews-of-vessels’’ entity for which the Census Bureau

tabulates data, but that does not represent a true geographic area; such a block is shown on census maps

associated with an anchor symbol and a census tract or

block numbering area with a .99 suffix.

BLOCK GROUP (BG)

Geographic Block Group

A geographic block group (BG) is a cluster of blocks

having the same first digit of their three-digit identifying

numbers within a census tract or block numbering area

(BNA). For example, BG 3 within a census tract or BNA

includes all blocks numbered between 301 and 397. In

most cases, the numbering involves substantially fewer

than 97 blocks. Geographic BG’s never cross census tract

or BNA boundaries, but may cross the boundaries of

county subdivisions, places, American Indian and Alaska

Native areas, urbanized areas, voting districts, and congressional districts. BG’s generally contain between 250

and 550 housing units, with the ideal size being 400

housing units.

Tabulation Block Group

In the data tabulations, a geographic BG may be split to

present data for every unique combination of county

subdivision, place, American Indian and Alaska Native

area, urbanized area, voting district, urban/ rural and congressional district shown in the data product; for example,

if BG 3 is partly in a city and partly outside the city, there

will be separate tabulated records for each portion of BG 3.

BG’s are used in tabulating decennial census data nationwide in the 1990 census, in all block-numbered areas in the

1980 census, and in Tape Address Register (TAR) areas in

the 1970 census. For purposes of data presentation, BG’s

are a substitute for the enumeration districts (ED’s) used

for reporting unpublished data in many parts of the United

States for the 1970 and 1980 censuses, and in all areas for

several censuses before that.

BOUNDARY CHANGES

The boundaries of some counties, county subdivisions,

American Indian and Alaska Native areas, and many

incorporated places, changed between those reported for

the 1980 census and January 1, 1990. Boundary changes

to legal entities result from:

1. Annexations to or detachments from legally established governmental units.

2. Mergers or consolidations of two or more governmental units.

3. Establishment of new governmental units.

4. Disincorporations or disorganizations of existing governmental units.

5. Changes in treaties and Executive Orders.

The historical counts shown for counties, county subdivisions, and places are not updated for such changes, and

thus reflect the population and housing units in the area as

delineated at each census. Information on boundary changes

reported between the 1980 and 1990 censuses for counties, county subdivisions, and incorporated places is presented in the ‘‘User Notes’’ section of the technical

documentation of Summary Tape Files 1 and 3, and in the

1990 CPH-2, Population and Housing Unit Counts printed

reports. For information on boundary changes for such

areas in the decade preceding other decennial censuses,

see the Number of Inhabitants reports for each census.

Boundary changes are not reported for some areas, such

as census designated places and block groups.

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CENSUS REGION AND CENSUS DIVISION

Census Division

Census divisions are groupings of States that are subdivisions of the four census regions. There are nine

divisions, which the Census Bureau adopted in 1910 for

the presentation of data. The regions, divisions, and their

constituent States are:

Northeast Region

New England Division:

Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts,

Rhode Island, Connecticut

Middle Atlantic Division:

New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania

Midwest Region

East North Central Division:

Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin

West North Central Division:

Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota,

Nebraska, Kansas

South Region

South Atlantic Division:

Delaware, Maryland, District of Columbia, Virginia,

West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia,

Florida

East South Central Division:

Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi

West South Central Division:

Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas

West Region

Mountain Division:

Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico,

Arizona, Utah, Nevada

Pacific Division:

Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska, Hawaii

Census Region

Census regions are groupings of States that subdivide

the United States for the presentation of data. There are

four regions—Northeast, Midwest, South, and West. Each

of the four census regions is divided into two or more

census divisions. Prior to 1984, the Midwest region was

named the North Central region. From 1910, when census

regions were established, through the 1940’s, there were

three regions—North, South, and West.

CENSUS TRACT AND BLOCK NUMBERING

AREA

Block Numbering Area (BNA)

Block numbering areas (BNA’s) are small statistical

subdivisions of a county for grouping and numbering

blocks in nonmetropolitan counties where local census

statistical areas committees have not established census

tracts. State agencies and the Census Bureau delineated

BNA’s for the 1990 census, using guidelines similar to

those for the delineation of census tracts. BNA’s do not

cross county boundaries.

BNA’s are identified by a four-digit basic number and

may have a two-digit suffix; for example, 9901.98. The

decimal point separating the four-digit basic BNA number

from the two-digit suffix is shown in printed reports, in

microfiche, and on census maps; in machine-readable

files, the decimal point is implied. Many BNA’s do not have

a suffix; in such cases, the suffix field is left blank in all data

products. BNA numbers range from 9501 through 9989.99,

and are unique within a county (numbers in the range of

0001 through 9499.99 denote a census tract). The suffix

.99 identifies a BNA that was populated entirely by persons

aboard one or more civilian or military ships. A ‘‘crews-ofvessels’’ BNA appears on census maps only as an anchor

symbol with its BNA number (and block numbers on maps

showing block numbers); the BNA relates to the ships

associated with the onshore BNA’s having the same

four-digit basic number. Suffixes in the range .70 through

.98 usually identify BNA’s that either were revised or were

created during the 1990 census data collection activities.

Some of these revisions produced BNA’s that have extremely

small land area and may have little or no population or

housing. For data analysis, such a BNA can be summarized with an adjacent BNA.

Census Tract

Census tracts are small, relatively permanent statistical

subdivisions of a county. Census tracts are delineated for

all metropolitan areas (MA’s) and other densely populated

counties by local census statistical areas committees

following Census Bureau guidelines (more than 3,000

census tracts have been established in 221 counties

outside MA’s); a few MA counties do not have census

tracts. Six States (California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii,

New Jersey, and Rhode Island) and the District of Columbia are covered entirely by census tracts. Census tracts do

not cross county boundaries. Some data users may recall

that one or a specific series of 1980 census tract numbers

was associated with a single governmental unit—a city, a

town, a township, or even a county. This type of relationship may not exist between the census tracts (or block

numbering areas) and the governmental units for the 1990

census.

Census tracts usually have between 2,500 and 8,000

persons and, when first delineated, are designed to be

homogeneous with respect to population characteristics,

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economic status, and living conditions. The spatial size of

census tracts varies widely depending on the density of

settlement. Census tract boundaries are delineated with

the intention of being maintained over a long time so that

statistical comparisons can be made from census to

census. However, physical changes in street patterns

caused by highway construction, new development, etc.,

may require occasional revisions; census tracts occasionally are split due to large population growth, or combined

as a result of substantial population decline. Census tracts

are referred to as ‘‘tracts’’ in all 1990 census data products.

Census tracts are identified by a four-digit basic number

and may have a two-digit suffix; for example, 6059.02. The

decimal point separating the four-digit basic tract number

from the two-digit suffix is shown in printed reports, in

microfiche, and on census maps; in machine-readable

files, the decimal point is implied. Many census tracts do

not have a suffix; in such cases, the suffix field is left blank

in all data products. Leading zeros in a census tract

number (for example, 002502) are shown only on machinereadable files.

Census tract numbers range from 0001 through 9499.99

and are unique within a county (numbers in the range of

9501 through 9989.99 denote a block numbering area).

The suffix .99 identifies a census tract that was populated

entirely by persons aboard one or more civilian or military

ships. A ‘‘crews-of-vessels’’ census tract appears on census maps only as an anchor symbol with its census tract

number (and block numbers on maps showing block

numbers). These census tracts relate to the ships associated with the onshore census tract having the same

four-digit basic number. Suffixes in the range .70 through

.98 usually identify census tracts that either were revised

or were created during the 1990 census data collection

activities. Some of these revisions may have resulted in

census tracts that have extremely small land area and may

have little or no population or housing. For data analysis,

such a census tract can be summarized with an adjacent

census tract.

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT (CD)

Congressional districts (CD’s) are the 435 areas from

which persons are elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. After the apportionment of congressional seats

among the States, based on census population counts,

each State is responsible for establishing CD’s for the

purpose of electing representatives. Each CD is to be as

equal in population to all other CD’s in the State as

practicable, based on the decennial census counts.

The CD’s that were in effect on January 1, 1990 were

those of the 101st Congress. Data on the 101st Congress

appear in an early 1990 census data product (Summary

Tape File 1A). The CD’s of the 101st Congress are the

same as those in effect for the 102nd Congress. CD’s of

the 103rd Congress, reflecting redistricting based on the

1990 census, are summarized in later 1990 data products

(STF’s 1D and 3D, and 1990 CPH-4, Population and

Housing Characteristics for Congressional Districts of the

103rd Congress printed reports).

COUNTY

The primary legal divisions of most States are termed

‘‘counties.’’ In Louisiana, these divisions are known as

‘‘parishes.’’ In Alaska, which has no counties, the county

equivalents are the organized ‘‘boroughs’’ and the ‘‘census areas’’ that are delineated for statistical purposes by

the State of Alaska and the Census Bureau. In four States

(Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, and Virginia), there are one

or more cities that are independent of any county organization and thus constitute primary divisions of their States.

These cities are known as ‘‘independent cities’’ and are

treated as equivalent to counties for statistical purposes.

That part of Yellowstone National Park in Montana is

treated as a county equivalent. The District of Columbia

has no primary divisions, and the entire area is considered

equivalent to a county for statistical purposes.

Each county and county equivalent is assigned a threedigit FIPS code that is unique within State. These codes

are assigned in alphabetical order of county or county

equivalent within State, except for the independent cities,

which follow the listing of counties.

COUNTY SUBDIVISION

County subdivisions are the primary subdivisions of

counties and their equivalents for the reporting of decennial census data. They include census county divisions,

census subareas, minor civil divisions, and unorganized

territories.

Each county subdivision is assigned a three-digit census code in alphabetical order within county and a five-digit

FIPS code in alphabetical order within State.

Census County Division (CCD)

Census county divisions (CCD’s) are subdivisions of a

county that were delineated by the Census Bureau, in

cooperation with State officials and local census statistical

areas committees, for statistical purposes. CCD’s were

established in 21 States where there are no legally established minor civil divisions (MCD’s), where the MCD’s do

not have governmental or administrative purposes, where

the boundaries of the MCD’s are poorly defined or change

frequently, and/ or where the MCD’s generally are not well

known to the public. CCD’s have no legal functions, and

are not governmental units.

The boundaries of CCD’s usually are delineated to

follow visible features, and in most cases coincide with

census tract or block numbering area boundaries. The

name of each CCD is based on a place, county, or

well-known local name that identifies its location. CCD’s

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have been established in the following 21 States: Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida,

Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky, Montana, Nevada, New

Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee,

Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. For the 1980

census, the county subdivisions recognized for Nevada

were MCD’s.

Census Subarea (Alaska)

Census subareas are statistical subdivisions of boroughs and census areas (county equivalents) in Alaska.

Census subareas were delineated cooperatively by the

State of Alaska and the Census Bureau. The census

subareas, identified first in 1980, replaced the various

types of subdivisions used in the 1970 census.

Minor Civil Division (MCD)

Minor civil divisions (MCD’s) are the primary political or

administrative divisions of a county. MCD’s represent

many different kinds of legal entities with a wide variety of

governmental and/ or administrative functions. MCD’s are

variously designated as American Indian reservations,

assessment districts, boroughs, election districts, gores,

grants, magisterial districts, parish governing authority

districts, plantations, precincts, purchases, supervisors’

districts, towns, and townships. In some States, all or some

incorporated places are not located in any MCD and thus

serve as MCD’s in their own right. In other States, incorporated places are subordinate to (part of) the MCD’s in

which they are located, or the pattern is mixed—some

incorporated places are independent of MCD’s and others

are subordinate to one or more MCD’s.

The Census Bureau recognizes MCD’s in the following

28 States: Arkansas, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa,

Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New

Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North

Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota,

Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The District of Columbia has no primary divisions, and the entire

area is considered equivalent to an MCD for statistical

purposes.

The MCD’s in 12 selected States (Connecticut, Maine,

Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire,

New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin) also serve as general-purpose local

governments. The Census Bureau presents data for these

MCD’s in all data products in which it provides data for

places.

Unorganized Territory (unorg.)

In nine States (Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana,

Maine, Minnesota, North Carolina, North Dakota, and

South Dakota), some counties contain territory that is not

included in an MCD recognized by the Census Bureau.

Each separate area of unorganized territory in these

States is recognized as one or more separate county

subdivisions for census purposes. Each unorganized territory is given a descriptive name, followed by the designation ‘‘unorg.’’

GEOGRAPHIC CODE

Geographic codes are shown primarily on machinereadable data products, such as computer tape and compact disc-read only memory (CD-ROM), but also appear on

other products such as microfiche; they also are shown on

some census maps.

Census Code

Census codes are assigned for a variety of geographic

entities, including American Indian and Alaska Native area,

census division, census region, county subdivision, place,

State, urbanized area, and voting district. The structure,

format, and meaning of census codes appear in the 1990

census Geographic Identification Code Scheme; in the

data dictionary portion of the technical documentation for

summary tape files, CD-ROM’s, and microfiche.

Federal Information Processing Standards

(FIPS) Code

Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) codes

are assigned for a variety of geographic entities, including

American Indian and Alaska Native area, congressional

district, county, county subdivision, metropolitan area, place,

and State. The structure, format, and meaning of FIPS

codes used in the census are shown in the 1990 census

Geographic Identification Code Scheme and in the data

dictionary portion of the technical documentation for summary tape files, CD-ROM’s, and microfiche.

The objective of the FIPS codes is to improve the use of

data resources of the Federal Government and avoid

unnecessary duplication and incompatibilities in the collection, processing, and dissemination of data. More information about FIPS and FIPS code documentation is available

from the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA 22161.

United States Postal Service (USPS) Code

United States Postal Service (USPS) codes for States

are used in all 1990 data products. The codes are twocharacter alphabetic abbreviations. These codes are the

same as the FIPS two-character alphabetic abbreviations.

GEOGRAPHIC PRESENTATION

Hierarchical Presentation

A hierarchical geographic presentation shows the geographic entities in a superior/ subordinate structure in

census products. This structure is derived from the legal,

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administrative, or areal relationships of the entities. The

hierarchical structure is depicted in report tables by means

of indentation, and is explained for machine-readable

media in the discussion of file structure in the geographic

coverage portion of the abstract in the technical documentation. An example of hierarchical presentation is the

‘‘standard census geographic hierarchy’’: block, within

block group, within census tract or block numbering area,

within place, within county subdivision, within county, within

State, within division, within region, within the United

States. Graphically, this is shown as:

United States

Region

Division

State

County

County subdivision

Place (or part)

Census tract/ block numbering area

(or part)

Block group (or part)

Block

Inventory Presentation

An inventory presentation of geographic entities is one

in which all entities of the same type are shown in

alphabetical or code sequence, without reference to

their hierarchical relationships. Generally, an inventory

presentation shows totals for entities that may be split

in a hierarchical presentation, such as place, census

tract/ block numbering area, or block group. An example of

a series of inventory presentations is: State, followed by all

the counties in that State, followed by all the places in that

State. Graphically, this is shown as:

State

County ‘‘A’’

County ‘‘B’’

County ‘‘C’’

Place ‘‘X’’

Place ‘‘Y’’

Place ‘‘Z’’

HISTORICAL COUNTS

Historical counts for total population and total housing

units are shown in the 1990 CPH-2, Population and

Housing Unit Counts report series. As in past censuses,

the general rule for presenting historical data for States,

counties, county subdivisions, and places is to show

historical counts only for single, continually existing entities. Stated another way, if an entity existed for both the

current and preceding censuses, the tables show counts

for the preceding censuses. Included in this category are

entities of the same type (county, county subdivision,

place) even if they had changed their names. Also included

are entities that merged, but only if the new entity retained

the name of one of the merged entities. The historical

counts shown are for each entity as it was bounded at

each census.

In cases where an entity was formed since a preceding

census, such as a newly incorporated place or a newly

organized township, the symbol three dots ‘‘...’’ is shown

for earlier censuses. The three-dot symbol also is shown

for those parts of a place that have extended into an

additional county or county subdivision through annexation

or other revision of boundaries since the preceding census.

In a few cases, changes in the boundaries of county

subdivisions caused a place to be split into two or more

parts, or to be split differently than in the preceding census.

If historical counts for the parts of the place as currently

split did not appear in a preceding census, ‘‘(NA)’’ is shown

for the place in each county subdivision; however, the

historical population and housing unit counts of the place

appear in tables that show the entire place. For counties,

county subdivisions, and places formed since January 1,

1980, 1980 census population and housing unit counts in

the 1990 territory are reported in the geographic change

notes included in the ‘‘User Notes’’ text section of 1990

CPH-2, Population and Housing Unit Counts, and in the

technical documentation of Summary Tape Files 1 and 3.

In some cases, population and housing unit counts for

individual areas were revised since publication of the 1980

reports (indicated by the prefix ‘‘r’’). In a number of tables

of 1990 CPH-2, Population and Housing Unit Counts, 1980

counts are shown for aggregations of individual areas,

such as the number, population, and housing unit counts of

places in size groups, or urban and rural distributions.

Revisions of population and housing unit counts for individual areas were not applied to the various aggregations.

Therefore, it may not be possible to determine the individual areas in a given aggregation using the historical counts;

conversely, the sum of the counts shown for individual

areas may not agree with the aggregation.

INTERNAL POINT

An internal point is located within a specific geographic

entity and is represented by a set of geographic coordinates. These latitude/ longitude coordinates in the 1990

census files and TIGER/ LineTM files are based on North

American Datum (NAD) 27.

A single point is identified for each entity; for many

entities, this point represents the approximate geographic

center of that entity. If the shape of the entity caused the

approximate center to be located outside the boundaries

of the entity, it is relocated so that the internal point is

within the entity. If the approximate center for a block falls

in a water area, it is relocated to a land area within the

block. On machine-readable products, internal points are

shown to six decimal places; the decimal point is implied.

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As a result of refinements to the TIGER file, the internal

points shown in the P.L. 94-171 Data files and STF 1A may

be different from those shown in subsequent files. Also,

due to the methodology used to determine internal points,

a metropolitan area that comprises a single county may

have an internal point whose coordinates are different

from the internal point for that county in any data file.

METROPOLITAN AREA (MA)

The general concept of a metropolitan area (MA) is one

of a large population nucleus, together with adjacent

communities that have a high degree of economic and

social integration with that nucleus. Some MA’s are defined

around two or more nuclei.

The MA classification is a statistical standard, developed for use by Federal agencies in the production,

analysis, and publication of data on MA’s. The MA’s are

designated and defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget, following a set of official published

standards. These standards were developed by the interagency Federal Executive Committee on Metropolitan

Areas, with the aim of producing definitions that are as

consistent as possible for all MA’s nationwide.

Each MA must contain either an incorporated place—or

a census designated place or county subdivision in a few,

very specific instances—with a minimum population of

50,000 or a Census Bureau-defined urbanized area and a

total MA population of at least 100,000 (75,000 in New

England). An MA comprises one or more central counties.

An MA also may include one or more outlying counties that

have close economic and social relationships with the

central county(s). An outlying county must have a specified

level of commuting relative to the central county(s) and

also must meet certain standards regarding metropolitan

character, such as population density, urban population,

and/ or population growth. In New England, MA’s are

composed primarily of cities and towns rather than whole

counties.

The territory, population, and housing units in MA’s are

referred to as ‘‘metropolitan.’’ The metropolitan category is

subdivided into ‘‘inside central city’’ and ‘‘outside central

city.’’ The territory, population, and housing units located

outside MA’s are referred to as ‘‘nonmetropolitan.’’ The

metropolitan and nonmetropolitan classification cuts across

the other hierarchies; for example, there is generally both

urban and rural territory within both metropolitan and

nonmetropolitan areas.

To meet the needs of various users, the standards

provide for a flexible structure of metropolitan definitions

that classify an MA either as a metropolitan statistical area

(MSA) or as a consolidated metropolitan statistical area

(CMSA) that is divided into primary metropolitan statistical

areas (PMSA’s). Documentation of the MA standards and

how they are applied is available from the Secretary,

Federal Executive Committee on Metropolitan Areas, Population Division, U.S. Bureau of the Census, Washington,

DC 20233.

Central City

In each MSA and CMSA, the largest place and, in some

cases, additional places are designated as ‘‘central cities’’

under the official standards. A few PMSA’s do not have

central cities. The largest central city and, in some cases,

up to two additional central cities are included in the title of

the MA; there also are central cities that are not included

in an MA title. An MA central city does not include any part

of that city that extends outside the MA boundary.

Consolidated and Primary Metropolitan

Statistical Area (CMSA and PMSA)

If an area that qualifies as an MA has more than one

million persons, primary metropolitan statistical areas (PMSA’s)

may be defined within it. PMSA’s consist of a large

urbanized county or cluster of counties that demonstrates

very strong internal economic and social links, in addition

to close ties to other portions of the larger area. When

PMSA’s are established, the larger area of which they are

component parts is designated a consolidated metropolitan statistical area (CMSA).

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

Metropolitan statistical areas (MSA’s) are relatively freestanding MA’s and are not closely associated with other

MA’s.

Metropolitan Area Title and Code

The title of an MSA contains the name of its largest

central city and up to two additional city names, provided

that the additional places meet specified levels of population, employment, and commuting. Generally, a city with a

population of 250,000 or more is in the title, regardless of

other criteria.

The title of a PMSA may contain up to three place

names, as determined above, or up to three county names,

sequenced in order of population. A CMSA title also may

include up to three names, the first of which generally is

the most populous central city in the area. The second

name may be the first city or county name in the most

populous remaining PMSA; the third name may be the first

city or county name in the next most populous PMSA. A

regional designation may be substituted for the second

and/ or third names in a CMSA title if such a designation is

supported by local opinion and is deemed to be unambiguous and suitable by the Office of Management and

Budget.

The titles for all MA’s also contain the name of each

State in which the area is located. Each metropolitan area

is assigned a four-digit FIPS code, in alphabetical order

nationwide. If the fourth digit of the code is a ‘‘2,’’ it

identifies a CMSA. Additionally, there is a separate set of

two-digit codes for CMSA’s, also assigned alphabetically.

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OUTLYING AREAS OF THE UNITED STATES

The Census Bureau treats the outlying areas as the

statistical equivalents of States for the 1990 census. The

outlying areas are American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (Northern Mariana

Islands), Republic of Palau (Palau), Puerto Rico, and the

Virgin Islands of the United States (Virgin Islands). Geographic definitions specific to each outlying area are

shown in appendix A of the text in the data products for

each area.

PLACE

Places, for the reporting of decennial census data,

include census designated places and incorporated places.

Each place is assigned a four-digit census code that is

unique within State. Each place also is assigned a five-digit

FIPS code that is unique within State. Both the census and

FIPS codes are assigned based on alphabetical order

within State. Consolidated cities (see below) are assigned

a one-character alphabetical census code that is unique

nationwide and a five-digit FIPS code that is unique within

State.

Census Designated Place (CDP)

Census designated places (CDP’s) are delineated for

the decennial census as the statistical counterparts of

incorporated places. CDP’s comprise densely settled concentrations of population that are identifiable by name, but

are not legally incorporated places. Their boundaries,

which usually coincide with visible features or the boundary

of an adjacent incorporated place, have no legal status,

nor do these places have officials elected to serve traditional municipal functions. CDP boundaries may change

with changes in the settlement pattern; a CDP with the

same name as in previous censuses does not necessarily

have the same boundaries.

Beginning with the 1950 census, the Census Bureau, in

cooperation with State agencies and local census statistical areas committees, has identified and delineated boundaries for CDP’s. In the 1990 census, the name of each

such place is followed by ‘‘CDP.’’ In the 1980 census,

‘‘(CDP)’’ was used; in 1970, 1960, and 1950 censuses,

these places were identified by ‘‘(U),’’ meaning ‘‘unincorporated place.’’

To qualify as a CDP for the 1990 census, an unincorporated community must have met the following criteria:

1. In all States except Alaska and Hawaii, the Census

Bureau uses three population size criteria to designate

a CDP. These criteria are:

a. 1,000 or more persons if outside the boundaries of

an urbanized area (UA) delineated for the 1980

census or a subsequent special census.

b. 2,500 or more persons if inside the boundaries of

a UA delineated for the 1980 census or a subsequent special census.

c. 250 or more persons if outside the boundaries of a

UA delineated for the 1980 census or a subsequent special census, and within the official boundaries of an American Indian reservation recognized for the 1990 census.

2. In Alaska, 25 or more persons if outside a UA, and

2,500 or more persons if inside a UA delineated for the

1980 census or a subsequent special census.

3. In Hawaii, 300 or more persons, regardless of whether

the community is inside or outside a UA.

For the 1990 census, CDP’s qualified on the basis of the

population counts prepared for the 1990 Postcensus Local

Review Program. Because these counts were subject to

change, a few CDP’s may have final population counts

lower than the minimums shown above.

Hawaii is the only State with no incorporated places

recognized by the Bureau of the Census. All places shown

for Hawaii in the data products are CDP’s. By agreement

with the State of Hawaii, the Census Bureau does not show

data separately for the city of Honolulu, which is coextensive with Honolulu County.

Consolidated City

A consolidated government is a unit of local government for which the functions of an incorporated place and

its county or minor civil division (MCD) have merged. The

legal aspects of this action may result in both the primary

incorporated place and the county or MCD continuing to

exist as legal entities, even though the county or MCD

performs few or no governmental functions and has few or

no elected officials. Where this occurs, and where one or

more other incorporated places in the county or MCD

continue to function as separate governments, even though

they have been included in the consolidated government,

the primary incorporated place is referred to as a ‘‘consolidated city.’’

The data presentation for consolidated cities varies

depending upon the geographic presentation. In hierarchical presentations, consolidated cities are not shown. These

presentations include the semi-independent places and

the ‘‘consolidated city (remainder).’’ Where the consolidated city is coextensive with a county or county subdivision, the data shown for those areas in hierarchical

presentations are equivalent to those for the consolidated

government.

For inventory geographic presentations, the consolidated city appears at the end of the listing of places. The

data for the consolidated city include places that are part

of the consolidated city. The ‘‘consolidated city (remainder)’’ is the portion of the consolidated government minus

the semi-independent places, and is shown in alphabetical

sequence with other places.

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In summary presentations by size of place, the consolidated city is not included. The places semi-independent of

consolidated cities are categorized by their size, as is the

‘‘consolidated city (remainder).’’

Each consolidated city is assigned a one-character

alphabetic census code. Each consolidated city also is

assigned a five-digit FIPS code that is unique within State.

The semi-independent places and the ‘‘consolidated city

(remainder)’’ are assigned a four-digit census code and a

five-digit FIPS place code that are unique within State.

Both the census and FIPS codes are assigned based on

alphabetical order within State.

Incorporated Place

Incorporated places recognized in 1990 census data

products are those reported to the Census Bureau as

legally in existence on January 1, 1990, under the laws of

their respective States as cities, boroughs, towns, and

villages, with the following exceptions: the towns in the

New England States, New York, and Wisconsin, and the

boroughs in New York are recognized as minor civil

divisions for census purposes; the boroughs in Alaska are

county equivalents.

POPULATION OR HOUSING UNIT DENSITY

Population or housing unit density is computed by

dividing the total population or housing units of a geographic unit (for example, United States, State, county,

place) by its land area measured in square kilometers or

square miles. Density is expressed as both ‘‘persons (or

housing units) per square kilometer’’ and ‘‘persons (or

housing units) per square mile’’ of land area in 1990

census printed reports.

STATE

States are the primary governmental divisions of the

United States. The District of Columbia is treated as a

statistical equivalent of a State for census purposes. The

four census regions, nine census divisions, and their

component States are shown under ‘‘CENSUS REGION

AND CENSUS DIVISION’’ in this section.

The Census Bureau treats the outlying areas as State

equivalents for the 1990 census. The outlying areas are

American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands,

Palau, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands of the United

States. Geographic definitions specific to each outlying

area are shown in appendix A in the data products for each

area.

Each State and equivalent is assigned a two-digit numeric

Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) code in

alphabetical order by State name, followed by the outlying

area names. Each State and equivalent area also is

assigned a two-digit census code. This code is assigned

on the basis of the geographic sequence of each State

within each census division; the first digit of the code is the

code for the respective division. Puerto Rico, the Virgin

Islands, and the outlying areas of the Pacific are assigned

‘‘0’’ as the division code. Each State and equivalent area

also is assigned the two-letter FIPS/ United States Postal

Service (USPS) code.

In 12 selected States (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey,

New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and

Wisconsin), the minor civil divisions also serve as generalpurpose local governments. The Census Bureau presents

data for these minor civil divisions in all data products in

which it provides data for places.

TIGER

TIGER is an acronym for the new digital (computerreadable) geographic data base that automates the mapping and related geographic activities required to support

the Census Bureau’s census and survey programs. The

Census Bureau developed the Topologically Integrated

Geographic Encoding and Referencing (TIGER) System to

automate the geographic support processes needed to

meet the major geographic needs of the 1990 census:

producing the cartographic products to support data collection and map publication, providing the geographic

structure for tabulation and publication of the collected

data, assigning residential and employer addresses to their

geographic location and relating those locations to the

Census Bureau’s geographic units, and so forth. The

content of the TIGER data base is made available to the

public through a variety of ‘‘TIGER Extract’’ files that may

be obtained from the Data User Services Division, U.S.

Bureau of the Census, Washington, DC 20233.

UNITED STATES

The United States comprises the 50 States and the

District of Columbia. In addition, the Census Bureau treats

the outlying areas as statistical equivalents of States for

the 1990 census. The outlying areas include American

Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Puerto

Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

URBAN AND RURAL

The Census Bureau defines ‘‘urban’’ for the 1990

census as comprising all territory, population, and housing

units in urbanized areas and in places of 2,500 or more

persons outside urbanized areas. More specifically, ‘‘urban’’

consists of territory, persons, and housing units in:

1. Places of 2,500 or more persons incorporated as

cities, villages, boroughs (except in Alaska and New

York), and towns (except in the six New England

States, New York, and Wisconsin), but excluding the

rural portions of ‘‘extended cities.’’

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2. Census designated places of 2,500 or more persons.

3. Other territory, incorporated or unincorporated, included

in urbanized areas.

Territory, population, and housing units not classified as

urban constitute ‘‘rural.’’ In the 100-percent data products,

‘‘rural’’ is divided into ‘‘places of less than 2,500’’ and ‘‘not

in places.’’ The ‘‘not in places’’ category comprises ‘‘rural’’

outside incorporated and census designated places and

the rural portions of extended cities. In many data products, the term ‘‘other rural’’ is used; ‘‘other rural’’ is a

residual category specific to the classification of the rural in

each data product.

In the sample data products, rural population and housing units are subdivided into ‘‘rural farm’’ and ‘‘rural

nonfarm.’’ ‘‘Rural farm’’ comprises all rural households

and housing units on farms (places from which $1,000 or

more of agricultural products were sold in 1989); ‘‘rural

nonfarm’’ comprises the remaining rural.

The urban and rural classification cuts across the other

hierarchies; for example, there is generally both urban and

rural territory within both metropolitan and nonmetropolitan

areas.

In censuses prior to 1950, ‘‘urban’’ comprised all territory, persons, and housing units in incorporated places of

2,500 or more persons, and in areas (usually minor civil

divisions) classified as urban under special rules relating to

population size and density. The definition of urban that

restricted itself to incorporated places having 2,500 or

more persons excluded many large, densely settled areas

merely because they were not incorporated. Prior to the

1950 census, the Census Bureau attempted to avoid some

of the more obvious omissions by classifying selected

areas as ‘‘urban under special rules.’’ Even with these

rules, however, many large, closely built-up areas were

excluded from the urban category.

To improve its measure of urban territory, population,

and housing units, the Census Bureau adopted the concept of the urbanized area and delineated boundaries for

unincorporated places (now, census designated places)

for the 1950 census. Urban was defined as territory,

persons, and housing units in urbanized areas and, outside

urbanized areas, in all places, incorporated or unincorporated, that had 2,500 or more persons. With the following

three exceptions, the 1950 census definition of urban has

continued substantially unchanged. First, in the 1960 census (but not in the 1970, 1980, or 1990 censuses), certain

towns in the New England States, townships in New

Jersey and Pennsylvania, and Arlington County, Virginia,

were designated as urban. However, most of these ‘‘special rule’’ areas would have been classified as urban

anyway because they were included in an urbanized area

or in an unincorporated place of 2,500 or more persons.

Second, ‘‘extended cities’’ were identified for the 1970,

1980, and 1990 censuses. Extended cities primarily affect

the figures for urban and rural territory (area), but have very

little effect on the urban and rural population and housing

units at the national and State levels—although for some

individual counties and urbanized areas, the effects have

been more evident. Third, changes since the 1970 census

in the criteria for defining urbanized areas have permitted

these areas to be defined around smaller centers.

Documentation of the urbanized area and extended city

criteria is available from the Chief, Geography Division,

U.S. Bureau of the Census, Washington, DC 20233.

Extended City

Since the 1960 census, there has been a trend in some

States toward the extension of city boundaries to include

territory that is essentially rural in character. The classification of all the population and living quarters of such

places as urban would include in the urban designation

territory, persons, and housing units whose environment is

primarily rural. For the 1970, 1980, and 1990 censuses, the

Census Bureau identified as rural such territory and its

population and housing units for each extended city whose

closely settled area was located in an urbanized area. For

the 1990 census, this classification also has been applied

to certain places outside urbanized areas.

In summary presentations by size of place, the urban

portion of an extended city is classified by the population of

the entire place; the rural portion is included in ‘‘other

rural.’’

URBANIZED AREA (UA)

The Census Bureau delineates urbanized areas (UA’s)

to provide a better separation of urban and rural territory,

population, and housing in the vicinity of large places. A UA

comprises one or more places (‘‘central place’’) and the

adjacent densely settled surrounding territory (‘‘urban fringe’’)

that together have a minimum of 50,000 persons. The

urban fringe generally consists of contiguous territory

having a density of least 1,000 persons per square mile.

The urban fringe also includes outlying territory of such

density if it was connected to the core of the contiguous

area by road and is within 1 1/ 2 road miles of that core, or

within 5 road miles of the core but separated by water or

other undevelopable territory. Other territory with a population density of fewer than 1,000 people per square mile

may be included in the urban fringe if it eliminates an

enclave or closes an indentation in the boundary of the

urbanized area. The population density is determined by

(1) outside of a place, one or more contiguous census

blocks with a population density of at least 1,000 persons

per square mile or (2) inclusion of a place containing

census blocks that have at least 50 percent of the population of the place and a density of at least 1,000 persons

per square mile. The complete criteria are available from

the Chief, Geography Division, U.S. Bureau of the Census,

Washington, DC 20233.

Urbanized Area Central Place

One or more central places function as the dominant

centers of each UA. The identification of a UA central

place permits the comparison of this dominant center with

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the remaining territory in the UA. There is no limit on the

number of central places, and not all central places are

necessarily included in the UA title. UA central places

include:

1. Each place entirely (or partially, if the place is an

extended city) within the UA that is a central city of a

metropolitan area (MA).

2. If the UA does not contain an MA central city or is

located outside of an MA, the central place(s) is

determined by population size.

Urbanized Area Title and Code

The title of a UA identifies those places that are most

important within the UA; it links the UA to the encompassing MA, where appropriate. If a single MA includes most of

the UA, the title and code of the UA generally are the same

as the title and code of the MA. If the UA is not mostly

included in a single MA, if it does not include any place that

is a central city of the encompassing MA, or if it is not

located in an MA, the Census Bureau uses the population

size of the included places, with a preference for incorporated places, to determine the UA title. The name of each

State in which the UA is located also is in each UA title.

The numeric code used to identify each UA is the same

as the code for the mostly encompassing MA (including

CMSA and PMSA). If MA title cities represent multiple

UA’s, or the UA title city does not correspond to the first

name of an MA title, the Census Bureau assigns a code

based on the alphabetical sequence of the UA title in

relationship to the other UA and MA titles.

VOTING DISTRICT (VTD)

A voting district (VTD) is any of a variety of types of

geographic entities (for example, election districts, precincts, wards, legislative districts) established by State and

local governments for purposes of elections. For census

purposes, each State participating in Phase 2 of the 1990

Census Redistricting Data Program outlined the boundaries of VTD’s around groups of whole census blocks on

census maps. The entities identified as VTD’s are not

necessarily those legally or currently established. Also, to

meet the ‘‘whole block’’ criterion, a State may have had to

adjust VTD boundaries to nearby block boundaries. Therefore, the VTD’s shown on the 1990 census tapes, listings,

and maps may not represent the actual VTD’s in effect at

the time of the census. In the 1980 census, VTD’s were

referred to as ‘‘election precincts.’’

Each VTD is assigned a four-character alphanumeric

code that is unique within each county. The code ‘‘ZZZZ’’

is assigned to nonparticipating areas; the Census Bureau

reports data for areas coded ‘‘ZZZZ.’’

ZIP CODE

ZIP Codes are administrative units established by the

United States Postal Service (USPS) for the distribution of

mail. ZIP Codes serve addresses for the most efficient

delivery of mail, and therefore generally do not respect

legal or census statistical area boundaries. ZIP Codes

usually do not have clearly identifiable boundaries, often

serve a continually changing area, are changed periodically to meet postal requirements, and do not cover all the

land area of the United States. ZIP Codes are identified by

five-digit codes assigned by the USPS. The first three digits

identify a major city or sectional distribution center, and the

last two digits generally signify a specific post office’s

delivery area or point. For the 1990 census, ZIP Code data

are tabulated for the five-digit codes in STF 3B.

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POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS

AGE

The data on age were derived from answers to questionnaire item 5, which was asked of all persons. The age

classification is based on the age of the person in complete years as of April 1, 1990. The age response in

question 5a was used normally to represent a person’s

age. However, when the age response was unacceptable

or unavailable, a person’s age was derived from an acceptable year-of-birth response in question 5b.

Data on age are used to determine the applicability of

other questions for a person and to classify other characteristics in census tabulations. Age data are needed to

interpret most social and economic characteristics used to

plan and examine many programs and policies. Therefore,

age is tabulated by single years of age and by many

different groupings, such as 5-year age groups.

Some tabulations are shown by the age of the householder. These data were derived from the age responses

for each householder. (For more information on householder, see the discussion under ‘‘Household Type and

Relationship.’’)

Median Age—This measure divides the age distribution

into two equal parts: one-half of the cases falling below the

median value and one-half above the value. Generally,

median age is computed on the basis of more detailed age

intervals than are shown in some census publications;

thus, a median based on a less detailed distribution may

differ slightly from a corresponding median for the same

population based on a more detailed distribution. (For

more information, see the definition under ‘‘Technical

Terms’’)

Limitation of the Data—Counts in 1970 and 1980 for

persons 100 years old and over were substantially overstated. Improvements were made in the questionnaire

design, in the allocation procedures, and to the respondent

instruction guide to attempt to minimize this problem for

the 1990 census.

Review of detailed 1990 census information indicated

that respondents tended to provide their age as of the

date of completion of the questionnaire, not their age as of

April 1, 1990. In addition, there may have been a tendency

for respondents to round their age up if they were close to

having a birthday. It is likely that approximately 10 percent

of persons in most age groups are actually 1 year younger.

For most single years of age, the misstatements are

largely offsetting. The problem is most pronounced at

age 0 because persons lost to age 1 may not have been

fully offset by the inclusion of babies born after April 1,

1990, and because there may have been more rounding

up to age 1 to avoid reporting age as 0 years. (Age in

complete months was not collected for infants under

age 1.)

The reporting of age 1 year older than age on April 1,

1990, is likely to have been greater in areas where the

census data were collected later in 1990. The magnitude

of this problem was much less in the three previous

censuses where age was typically derived from respondent data on year of birth and quarter of birth. (For more

information on the design of the age question, see the

section below that discusses ‘‘Comparability.’’)

Comparability—Age data have been collected in every

census. For the first time since 1950, the 1990 data are not

available by quarter year of age. This change was made so

that coded information could be obtained for both age and

year of birth. In each census since 1940, the age of a

person was assigned when it was not reported. In censuses before 1940, with the exception of 1880, persons of

unknown age were shown as a separate category. Since

1960, assignment of unknown age has been performed by

a general procedure described as ‘‘imputation.’’ The specific procedures for imputing age have been different in

each census. (For more information on imputation, see

Appendix C, Accuracy of the Data, in 1990 census reports

and technical documentation.)

ANCESTRY

The data on ancestry were derived from answers to

questionnaire item 13, which was asked of a sample of

persons. The question was based on self-identification; the

data on ancestry represent self-classification by people

according to the ancestry group(s) with which they most

closely identify. Ancestry refers to a person’s ethnic origin

or descent, ‘‘roots,’’ or heritage or the place of birth of the

person or the person’s parents or ancestors before their

arrival in the United States. Some ethnic identities, such as

‘‘Egyptian’’ or ‘‘Polish’’ can be traced to geographic areas

outside the United States, while other ethnicities such as

‘‘Pennsylvania Dutch’’ or ‘‘Cajun’’ evolved in the United

States.

The intent of the ancestry question was not to measure

the degree of attachment the respondent had to a particular ethnicity. For example, a response of ‘‘Irish’’ might

reflect total involvement in an ‘‘Irish’’ community or only a

memory of ancestors several generations removed from

the individual.

The Census Bureau coded the responses through an

automated review, edit, and coding operation. The openended write-in ancestry item was coded by subject-matter

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specialists into a numeric representation using a code list

containing over 1,000 categories. The 1990 code list

reflects the results of the Census Bureau’s own research

and consultations with many ethnic experts. Many decisions were made to determine the classification of responses.

These decisions affected the grouping of the tabulated

data. For example, the ‘‘Assyrian’’ category includes both

responses of ‘‘Assyrian’’ and ‘‘Chaldean.’’

The ancestry question allowed respondents to report

one or more ancestry groups. While a large number of

respondents listed a single ancestry, the majority of answers

included more than one ethnic entry. Generally, only the

first two responses reported were coded in 1990. If a

response was in terms of a dual ancestry, for example,

Irish-English, the person was assigned two codes, in this

case one for Irish and another for English.

However, in certain cases, multiple responses such as

‘‘French Canadian,’’ ‘‘Scotch-Irish,’’ ‘‘Greek Cypriote,’’ and

‘‘Black Dutch’’ were assigned a single code reflecting their

status as unique groups. If a person reported one of these

unique groups in addition to another group, for example,

‘‘Scotch-Irish English,’’ resulting in three terms, that person received one code for the unique group (‘‘ScotchIrish’’) and another one for the remaining group (‘‘English’’).

If a person reported ‘‘English Irish French,’’ only English

and Irish were coded. Certain combinations of ancestries

where the ancestry group is a part of another, such as

‘‘German-Bavarian,’’ the responses were coded as a single ancestry using the smaller group (‘‘Bavarian’’). Also,

responses such as ‘‘Polish-American’’ or ‘‘Italian-American’’

were coded and tabulated as a single entry (‘‘Polish’’ or

‘‘Italian’’).

The Census Bureau accepted ‘‘American’’ as a unique

ethnicity if it was given alone, with an ambiguous response,

or with State names. If the respondent listed any other

ethnic identity such as ‘‘Italian American,’’ generally the

‘‘American’’ portion of the response was not coded. However, distinct groups such as ‘‘American Indian,’’ ‘‘Mexican

American,’’ and ‘‘African American’’ were coded and identified separately because they represented groups who

considered themselves different from those who reported

as ‘‘Indian,’’ ‘‘Mexican,’’ or ‘‘African,’’ respectively.

In all tabulations, when respondents provided an unacceptable ethnic identity (for example, an uncodeable or

unintelligible response such as ‘‘multi-national,’’ ‘‘adopted,’’

or ‘‘I have no idea’’), the answer was included in ‘‘Ancestry

not reported.’’

The tabulations on ancestry are presented using two

types of data presentations—one used total persons as

the base, and the other used total responses as the base.

The following are categories shown in the two data presentations:

Presentation Based on Persons:

Single Ancestries Reported—Includes all persons

who reported only one ethnic group. Included in this

category are persons with multiple-term responses

such as ‘‘Scotch-Irish’’ who are assigned a single

code.

Multiple Ancestries Reported—Includes all persons

who reported more than one group and were assigned

two ancestry codes.

Ancestry Unclassified—Includes all persons who provided a response that could not be assigned an

ancestry code because they provided nonsensical

entries or religious responses.

Presentations Based on Responses:

Total Ancestries Reported—Includes the total number of ancestries reported and coded. If a person

reported a multiple ancestry such as ‘‘French Danish,’’ that response was counted twice in the tabulations—once in the ‘‘French’’ category and again in

the ‘‘Danish’’ category. Thus, the sum of the counts

in this type of presentation is not the total population

but the total of all responses.

First Ancestry Reported—Includes the first response

of all persons who reported at least one codeable

entry. For example, in this category, the count for

‘‘Danish’’ would include all those who reported only

Danish and those who reported Danish first and then

some other group.

Second Ancestry Reported—Includes the second

response of all persons who reported a multiple

ancestry. Thus, the count for ‘‘Danish’’ in this category includes all persons who reported Danish as the

second response, regardless of the first response

provided.

The Census Bureau identified hundreds of ethnic groups

in the 1990 census. However, it was impossible to show

information for every group in all census tabulations because

of space constraints. Publications such as the 1990 CP-2,

Social and Economic Characteristics and the 1990 CPH-3,

Population and Housing Characteristics for Census Tracts

and Block Numbering Areas reports show a limited number

of groups based on the number reported and the advice

received from experts. A more complete distribution of

groups is presented in the 1990 Summary Tape File 4,

supplementary reports, and a special subject report on

ancestry. In addition, groups identified specifically in the

questions on race and Hispanic origin (for example, Japanese, Laotian, Mexican, Cuban, and Spaniard), in general,

are not shown separately in ancestry tabulations.

Limitation of the Data—Although some experts consider

religious affiliation a component of ethnic identity, the

ancestry question was not designed to collect any information concerning religion. The Bureau of the Census is

prohibited from collecting information on religion. Thus, if a

religion was given as an answer to the ancestry question,

it was coded as an ‘‘Other’’ response.

Comparability—A question on ancestry was first asked in

the 1980 census. Although there were no comparable data

prior to the 1980 census, related information on ethnicity

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was collected through questions on parental birthplace,

own birthplace, and language which were included in

previous censuses. Unlike other census questions, there

was no imputation for nonresponse to the ancestry question.

In 1990, respondents were allowed to report more than

one ancestry group; however, only the first two ancestry

groups identified were coded. In 1980, the Census Bureau

attempted to code a third ancestry for selected tripleancestry responses.

New categories such as ‘‘Arab’’ and ‘‘West Indian’’

were added to the 1990 question to meet important data

needs. The ‘‘West Indian’’ category excluded ‘‘Hispanic’’

groups such as ‘‘Puerto Rican’’ and ‘‘Cuban’’ that were

identified primarily through the question on Hispanic origin.

In 1990, the ancestry group, ‘‘American’’ is recognized and

tabulated as a unique ethnicity. In 1980, ‘‘American’’ was

tabulated but included under the category ‘‘Ancestry not

specified.’’

A major improvement in the 1990 census was the use of

an automated coding system for ancestry responses. The

automated coding system used in the 1990 census greatly

reduced the potential for error associated with a clerical

review. Specialists with a thorough knowledge of the

subject matter reviewed, edited, coded, and resolved

inconsistent or incomplete responses.

CITIZENSHIP

The data on citizenship were derived from answers to

questionnaire item 9, which was asked of a sample of

persons.

Citizen—Persons who indicated that they were nativeborn and foreign-born persons who indicated that they

have become naturalized. (For more information on native

and foreign born, see the discussion under ‘‘Place of

Birth.’’)

There are four categories of citizenship: (1) born in the

United States, (2) born in Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin

Islands of the United States, or the Commonwealth of the

Northern Mariana Islands, (3) born abroad of American

parents, and (4) citizen by naturalization.

Naturalized Citizen—Foreign-born persons who had

completed the naturalization process at the time of

the census and upon whom the rights of citizenship

had been conferred.

Not a Citizen—Foreign-born persons who were not citizens, including persons who had begun but not completed

the naturalization process at the time of the census.

Limitation of the Data—Evaluation studies completed

after previous censuses indicated that some persons may

have reported themselves as citizens although they had

not yet attained the status.

Comparability—Similar questions on citizenship were asked

in the censuses of 1820, 1830, 1870, 1890 through 1950,

1970, and 1980. The 1980 question was asked of a sample

of the foreign-born population. In 1990, both native and

foreign-born persons who received the long-form questionnaire were asked to respond to the citizenship question.

EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

Data on educational attainment were derived from

answers to questionnaire item 12, which was asked of a

sample of persons. Data are tabulated as attainment for

persons 15 years old and over. Persons are classified

according to the highest level of school completed or the

highest degree received. The question included instructions to report the level of the previous grade attended or

the highest degree received for persons currently enrolled

in school. The question included response categories

which allowed persons to report completing the 12th grade

without receiving a high school diploma, and which instructed

respondents to report as ‘‘high school graduate(s)’’—persons who received either a high school diploma or the

equivalent, for example, passed the Test of General

Educational Development (G.E.D.), and did not attend

college. (On the Military Census Report questionnaire, the

lowest response category was ‘‘Less than 9th grade.’’)

Instructions included in the 1990 respondent instruction

guide, which was mailed with the census questionnaire,

further specified that schooling completed in foreign or

ungraded school systems should be reported as the

equivalent level of schooling in the regular American

system; that vocational certificates or diplomas from vocational, trade, or business schools or colleges were not to

be reported unless they were college level degrees; and

that honorary degrees were not to be reported. The

instructions gave ‘‘medicine, dentistry, chiropractic, optometry, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, podiatry, veterinary

medicine, law, and theology’’ as examples of professional

school degrees, and specifically excluded ‘‘barber school,

cosmetology, or other training for a specific trade’’ from

the professional school category. The order in which they

were listed suggested that doctorate degrees were ‘‘higher’’

than professional school degrees, which were ‘‘higher’’

than master’s degrees.

Persons who did not report educational attainment were

assigned the attainment of a person of the same age, race

or Spanish origin, and sex who resided in the same or a

nearby area. Persons who filled more than one circle were

edited to the highest level or degree reported.

High School Graduate or Higher—Includes persons

whose highest degree was a high school diploma or

its equivalent, persons who attended college or professional school, and persons who received a college, university, or professional degree. Persons who

reported completing the 12th grade but not receiving

a diploma are not included.

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Not Enrolled, Not High School Graduate—Includes

persons of compulsory school attendance age or

above who were not enrolled in school and were not

high school graduates; these persons may be taken

to be ‘‘high school dropouts.’’ There is no restriction

on when they ‘‘dropped out’’ of school, and they may

have never attended high school.

In prior censuses, ‘‘Median school years completed’’

was used as a summary measure of educational attainment. In 1990, the median can only be calculated for

groups of which less than half the members have attended

college. ‘‘Percent high school graduate or higher’’ and

‘‘Percent bachelor’s degree or higher’’ are summary measures which can be calculated from the present data and

offer quite readily interpretable measures of differences

between population subgroups. To make comparisons

over time, ‘‘Percent high school graduate or higher’’ can be

calculated and ‘‘Percent bachelor’s degree or higher’’ can

be approximated with data from previous censuses.

Comparability—From 1840 to 1930, the census measured educational attainment by means of a basic literacy

question. In 1940, a single question was asked on highest

grade of school completed. In the censuses of 1950

through 1980, a two-part question asking highest grade of

school attended and whether that grade was finished was

used to construct highest grade or year of school completed. For persons who have not attended college, the

response categories in the 1990 educational attainment

question should produce data which are comparable to

data on highest grade completed from earlier censuses.

The response categories for persons who have attended

college were modified from earlier censuses because

there was some ambiguity in interpreting responses in

terms of the number of years of college completed. For

instance, it was not clear whether ‘‘completed the fourth

year of college,’’ ‘‘completed the senior year of college,’’

and ‘‘college graduate’’ were synonymous. Research conducted shortly before the census suggests that these

terms were more distinct in 1990 than in earlier decades,

and this change may have threatened the ability to estimate the number of ‘‘college graduates’’ from the number

of persons reported as having completed the fourth or a

higher year of college. It was even more difficult to make

inferences about post-baccalaureate degrees and ‘‘Associate’’ degrees from highest year of college completed.

Thus, comparisons of post-secondary educational attainment in this and earlier censuses should be made with

great caution.

In the 1960 and subsequent censuses, persons for

whom educational attainment was not reported were assigned

the same attainment level as a similar person whose

residence was in the same or a nearby area. In the 1940

and 1950 censuses, persons for whom educational attainment was not reported were not allocated.

EMPLOYMENT STATUS

The data on employment status were derived from

answers to questionnaire items 21, 25, and 26, which were

asked of a sample of persons. The series of questions on

employment status was asked of all persons 15 years old

and over and was designed to identify, in this sequence:

(1) persons who worked at any time during the reference

week; (2) persons who did not work during the reference

week but who had jobs or businesses from which they

were temporarily absent (excluding layoff); (3) persons on

layoff; and (4) persons who did not work during the

reference week, but who were looking for work during the

last four weeks and were available for work during the

reference week. (For more information, see the discussion

under ‘‘Reference Week.’’)

The employment status data shown in this and other

1990 census tabulations relate to persons 16 years old

and over. Some tabulations showing employment status,

however, include persons 15 years old. By definition, these

persons are classified as ‘‘Not in Labor Force.’’. In the

1940, 1950, and 1960 censuses, employment status data

were presented for persons 14 years old and over. The

change in the universe was made in 1970 to agree with the

official measurement of the labor force as revised in

January 1967 by the U.S. Department of Labor. The 1970

census was the last to show employment data for persons

14 and 15 years old.

Employed—All civilians 16 years old and over who were

either (1) ‘‘at work’’—those who did any work at all during

the reference week as paid employees, worked in their

own business or profession, worked on their own farm, or

worked 15 hours or more as unpaid workers on a family

farm or in a family business; or (2) were ‘‘with a job but not

at work’’—those who did not work during the reference

week but had jobs or businesses from which they were

temporarily absent due to illness, bad weather, industrial

dispute, vacation, or other personal reasons. Excluded

from the employed are persons whose only activity consisted of work around the house or unpaid volunteer work

for religious, charitable, and similar organizations; also

excluded are persons on active duty in the United States

Armed Forces.

Unemployed—All civilians 16 years old and over are

classified as unemployed if they (1) were neither ‘‘at work’’

nor ‘‘with a job but not at work’’ during the reference week,

and (2) were looking for work during the last 4 weeks, and

(3) were available to accept a job. Also included as

unemployed are civilians who did not work at all during the

reference week and were waiting to be called back to a job

from which they had been laid off. Examples of job seeking

activities are:

• Registering at a public or private employment office

• Meeting with prospective employers

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• Investigating possibilities for starting a professional

practice or opening a business

• Placing or answering advertisements

• Writing letters of application

• Being on a union or professional register

Civilian Labor Force—Consists of persons classified as

employed or unemployed in accordance with the criteria

described above.

Experienced Unemployed—These are unemployed persons who have worked at any time in the past.

Experienced Civilian Labor Force—Consists of the employed

and the experienced unemployed.

Labor Force—All persons classified in the civilian labor

force plus members of the U.S. Armed Forces (persons on

active duty with the United States Army, Air Force, Navy,

Marine Corps, or Coast Guard).

Not in Labor Force—All persons 16 years old and over

who are not classified as members of the labor force. This

category consists mainly of students, housewives, retired

workers, seasonal workers enumerated in an off season

who were not looking for work, institutionalized persons,

and persons doing only incidental unpaid family work (less

than 15 hours during the reference week).

Worker—This term appears in connection with several

subjects: journey-to-work items, class of worker, weeks

worked in 1989, and number of workers in family in 1989.

Its meaning varies and, therefore, should be determined in

each case by referring to the definition of the subject in

which it appears.

Actual Hours Worked Last Week—All persons who

reported working during the reference week were asked to

report in questionnaire item 21b the number of hours that

they worked. The statistics on hours worked pertain to the

number of hours actually worked at all jobs, and do not

necessarily reflect the number of hours typically or usually

worked or the scheduled number of hours. The concept of

‘‘actual hours’’ differs from that of ‘‘usual hours’’ described

below. The number of persons who worked only a small

number of hours is probably understated since such persons sometimes consider themselves as not working.

Respondents were asked to include overtime or extra

hours worked, but to exclude lunch hours, sick leave, and

vacation leave.

Limitation of the Data—The census may understate the

number of employed persons because persons who have

irregular, casual, or unstructured jobs sometimes report

themselves as not working. The number of employed

persons ‘‘at work’’ is probably overstated in the census

(and conversely, the number of employed ‘‘with a job, but

not at work’’ is understated) since some persons on

vacation or sick leave erroneously reported themselves as

working. This problem has no effect on the total number of

employed persons. The reference week for the employment data is not the same for all persons. Since persons

can change their employment status from one week to

another, the lack of a uniform reference week may mean

that the employment data do not reflect the reality of the

employment situation of any given week. (For more information, see the discussion under ‘‘Reference Week.’’)

Comparability—The questionnaire items and employment

status concepts for the 1990 census are essentially the

same as those used in the 1980 and 1970 censuses.

However, these concepts differ in many respects from

those associated with the 1950 and 1960 censuses.

Since employment data from the census are obtained

from respondents in households, they differ from statistics

based on reports from individual business establishments,

farm enterprises, and certain government programs. Persons employed at more than one job are counted only

once in the census and are classified according to the job

at which they worked the greatest number of hours during

the reference week. In statistics based on reports from

business and farm establishments, persons who work for

more than one establishment may be counted more than

once. Moreover, some tabulations may exclude private

household workers, unpaid family workers, and self-employed

persons, but may include workers less than 16 years of

age.

An additional difference in the data arises from the fact

that persons who had a job but were not at work are

included with the employed in the census statistics, whereas

many of these persons are likely to be excluded from

employment figures based on establishment payroll reports.

Furthermore, the employment status data in census tabulations include persons on the basis of place of residence

regardless of where they work, whereas establishment

data report persons at their place of work regardless of

where they live. This latter consideration is particularly

significant when comparing data for workers who commute

between areas.

Census data on actual hours worked during the reference week may differ from data from other sources. The

census measures hours actually worked, whereas some

surveys measure hours paid for by employers. Comparability of census actual hours worked data may also be

affected by the nature of the reference week (see ‘‘Reference Week’’).

For several reasons, the unemployment figures of the

Census Bureau are not comparable with published figures

on unemployment compensation claims. For example,

figures on unemployment compensation claims exclude

persons who have exhausted their benefit rights, new

workers who have not earned rights to unemployment

insurance, and persons losing jobs not covered by unemployment insurance systems (including some workers in

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agriculture, domestic services, and religious organizations,

and self-employed and unpaid family workers). In addition,

the qualifications for drawing unemployment compensation differ from the definition of unemployment used by the

Census Bureau. Persons working only a few hours during

the week and persons with a job but not at work are

sometimes eligible for unemployment compensation but

are classified as ‘‘Employed’’ in the census. Differences in

the geographical distribution of unemployment data arise

because the place where claims are filed may not necessarily be the same as the place of residence of the

unemployed worker.

The figures on employment status from the decennial

census are generally comparable with similar data collected in the Current Population Survey. However, some

difference may exist because of variations in enumeration

and processing techniques.

FERTILITY

The data on fertility (also referred to as ‘‘children ever

born’’) were derived from answers to questionnaire item

20, which was asked of a sample of women 15 years old

and over regardless of marital status. Stillbirths, stepchildren, and adopted children were excluded from the number of children ever born. Ever-married women were

instructed to include all children born to them before and

during their most recent marriage, children no longer living,

and children away from home, as well as children who

were still living in the home. Never-married women were

instructed to include all children born to them.

Data are most frequently presented in terms of the

aggregate number of children ever born to women in the

specified category and in terms of the rate per 1,000

women. For purposes of calculating the aggregate, the

open-ended response category, ‘‘12 or more’’ is assigned

a value of 13.

Limitation of the Data—Although the data are assumed

to be less complete for out-of-wedlock births than for births

occurring within marriage, comparisons of 1980 census

data on the fertility of single women with other census

sources and administrative records indicate that no significant differences were found between different data sources;

that is, 1980 census data on children ever born to single

women were complete with no significant understatements

of childbearing.

Comparability—The wording of the question on children

ever born was the same in 1990 as in 1980. In 1970,

however, the question on children ever born was asked of

all ever-married women but only of never-married women

who received self-administered questionnaires. Therefore,

rates and numbers of children ever born to single women

in 1970 may be understated. Data presented for children

ever born to ever-married women are comparable for the

1990 census and all previous censuses containing this

question.

GROUP QUARTERS

All persons not living in households are classified by the

Census Bureau as living in group quarters. Two general

categories of persons in group quarters are recognized:

(1) institutionalized persons and (2) other persons in group

quarters (also referred to as ‘‘noninstitutional group quarters’’).

Institutionalized Persons—Includes persons under formally authorized, supervised care or custody in institutions

at the time of enumeration. Such persons are classified as

‘‘patients or inmates’’ of an institution regardless of the

availability of nursing or medical care, the length of stay, or

the number of persons in the institution. Generally, institutionalized persons are restricted to the institutional buildings and grounds (or must have passes or escorts to

leave) and thus have limited interaction with the surrounding community. Also, they are generally under the care of

trained staff who have responsibility for their safekeeping

and supervision.

Type of Institution—The type of institution was determined as part of census enumeration activities. For institutions which specialize in only one specific type of service, all patients or inmates were given the same classification.

For institutions which had multiple types of major services

(usually general hospitals and Veterans’ Administration

hospitals), patients were classified according to selected

types of wards. For example, in psychiatric wards of

hospitals, patients were classified in ‘‘mental (psychiatric)

hospitals’’; in hospital wards for persons with chronic

diseases, patients were classified in ‘‘hospitals for the

chronically ill.’’ Each patient or inmate was classified in

only one type of institution. Institutions include the following types:

Correctional Institutions—Includes prisons, Federal detention centers, military stockades and jails, police lockups,

halfway houses, local jails, and other confinement facilities, including work farms.

Prisons—Where persons convicted of crimes serve

their sentences. In some census products, the prisons are classified by two types of control:

(1) ‘‘Federal’’ (operated by the Bureau of Prisons of

the Department of Justice) and (2) ‘‘State.’’ Residents who are criminally insane were classified on

the basis of where they resided at the time of

enumeration: (1) in institutions (or hospital wards)

operated by departments of correction or similar

agencies; or (2) in institutions operated by departments of mental health or similar agencies.

Federal Detention Centers—Operated by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and the

Bureau of Prisons. These facilities include detention

centers used by the Park Police; Bureau of Indian

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Affairs Detention Centers; INS Centers, such as the

INS Federal Alien Detention Facility; INS Processing

Centers; and INS Contract Detention Centers used to

detain aliens under exclusion or deportation proceedings, as well as those aliens who have not been

placed into proceedings, such as custodial required

departures; and INS Detention Centers operated

within local jails, and State and Federal prisons.

Military Stockades, Jails—Operated by military police

and used to hold persons awaiting trial or convicted

of violating military laws.

Local Jails and Other Confinement Facilities—Includes facilities operated by counties and cities that

primarily hold persons beyond arraignment, usually

for more than 48 hours. Also included in this category

are work farms used to hold persons awaiting trial or

serving time on relatively short sentences and jails

run by private businesses under contract for local

governments (but not by State governments).

Police Lockups—Temporary-holding facilities operated by county and city police that hold persons for

48 hours or less only if they have not been formally

charged in court.

Halfway Houses—Operated for correctional purposes

and include probation and restitution centers, prerelease centers, and community-residential centers.

Other Types of Correctional Institutions—Privately

operated correctional facilities and correctional facilities specifically for alcohol/ drug abuse.

Nursing Homes—Comprises a heterogeneous group of

places. The majority of patients are elderly, although

persons who require nursing care because of chronic

physical conditions may be found in these homes

regardless of their age. Included in this category are

skilled-nursing facilities, intermediate-care facilities, longterm care rooms in wards or buildings on the grounds of

hospitals, or long-term care rooms/ nursing wings in

congregate housing facilities. Also included are nursing,

convalescent, and rest homes, such as soldiers’, sailors’, veterans’, and fraternal or religious homes for the

aged, with or without nursing care. In some census

products, nursing homes are classified by type of ownership as ‘‘Federal,’’ ‘‘State,’’ ‘‘Private not-for-profit,’’

and ‘‘Private for profit.’’

Mental (Psychiatric) Hospitals—Includes hospitals or

wards for the criminally insane not operated by a prison,

and psychiatric wards of general hospitals and veterans’

hospitals. Patients receive supervised medical/ nursing

care from formally-trained staff. In some census products, mental hospitals are classified by type of ownership as ‘‘Federal,’’ ‘‘State or local,’’ ‘‘Private,’’ and

‘‘Ownership not known.’’

Hospitals for Chronically Ill—Includes hospitals for patients

who require long-term care, including those in military

hospitals and wards for the chronically ill located on

military bases; or other hospitals or wards for the

chronically ill, which include tuberculosis hospitals or

wards, wards in general and Veterans’ Administration

hospitals for the chronically ill, neurological wards,

hospices, wards for patients with Hansen’s Disease

(leprosy) and other incurable diseases, and other unspecified wards for the chronically ill. Patients who had no

usual home elsewhere were enumerated as part of the

institutional population in the wards of general and

military hospitals. Most hospital patients are at the

hospital temporarily and were enumerated at their usual

place of residence. (For more information, see ‘‘Wards

in General and Military Hospitals for Patients Who Have

No Usual Home Elsewhere.’’)

Schools, Hospitals, or Wards for the Mentally Retarded—Includes those institutions such as wards in hospitals for the mentally retarded, and intermediate-care

facilities for the mentally retarded that provide supervised medical/ nursing care from formally-trained staff.

In some census products, this category is classified by

type of ownership as ‘‘Federal,’’ ‘‘State or local,’’ ‘‘Private,’’ and ‘‘Ownership not known.’’

Schools, Hospitals, or Wards for the Physically Handicapped—Includes three types of institutions: institutions

for the blind, those for the deaf, and orthopedic wards

and institutions for the physically handicapped. Institutions for persons with speech problems are classified

with ‘‘institutions for the deaf.’’ The category ‘‘orthopedic wards and institutions for the physically handicapped’’ includes those institutions providing relatively

long-term care to accident victims, and to persons with

polio, cerebral palsy, and muscular dystrophy. In some

census products, this category is classified by type of

ownership as ‘‘Public,’’ ‘‘Private,’’ and ‘‘Ownership not

known.’’

Hospitals, and Wards for Drug/ Alcohol Abuse—Includes

hospitals, and hospital wards in psychiatric and general

hospitals. These facilities are equipped medically and

designed for the diagnosis and treatment of medical or

psychiatric illnesses associated with alcohol or drug

abuse. Patients receive supervised medical care from

formally-trained staff.

Wards in General and Military Hospitals for Patients

Who Have No Usual Home Elsewhere—Includes maternity, neonatal, pediatric (including wards for boarder

babies), military, and surgical wards of hospitals, and

wards for persons with infectious diseases.

Juvenile Institutions—Includes homes, schools, and other

institutions providing care for children (short- or longterm care). Juvenile institutions include the following

types:

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Homes for Abused, Dependent, and Neglected Children—Includes orphanages and other institutions

which provide long-term care (usually more than 30

days) for children. This category is classified in some

census products by type of ownership as ‘‘Public’’

and ‘‘Private.’’

Residential Treatment Centers—Includes those institutions which primarily serve children who, by clinical

diagnosis, are moderately or seriously disturbed emotionally. Also, these institutions provide long-term

treatment services, usually supervised or directed by

a psychiatrist.

Training Schools for Juvenile Delinquents—Includes

residential training schools or homes, and industrial

schools, camps, or farms for juvenile delinquents.

Public Training Schools for Juvenile Delinquents—

Usually operated by a State agency (for example,

department of welfare, corrections, or a youth

authority). Some are operated by county and city

governments. These public training schools are

specialized institutions serving delinquent children,

generally between the ages of 10 and 17 years

old, all of whom are committed by the courts.

Private Training Schools—Operated under private

auspices. Some of the children they serve are

committed by the courts as delinquents. Others

are referred by parents or social agencies because

of delinquent behavior. One difference between

private and public training schools is that, by their

administrative policy, private schools have control

over their selection and intake.

Detention Centers—Includes institutions providing shortterm care (usually 30 days or less) primarily for

delinquent children pending disposition of their cases

by a court. This category also covers diagnostic

centers. In practice, such institutions may be caring

for both delinquent and neglected children pending

court disposition.

Other Persons in Group Quarters (also referred to as

‘‘noninstitutional group quarters’’)—Includes all persons who live in group quarters other than institutions.

Persons who live in the following living quarters are

classified as ‘‘other persons in group quarters’’ when there

are 10 or more unrelated persons living in the unit;

otherwise, these living quarters are classified as housing

units.

Rooming Houses—Includes persons residing in rooming and boarding houses and living in quarters with 10 or

more unrelated persons.

Group Homes—Includes ‘‘community-based homes’’

that provide care and supportive services. Such places

include homes for the mentally ill, mentally retarded,

and physically handicapped; drug/ alcohol halfway houses;

communes; and maternity homes for unwed mothers.

Homes for the Mentally Ill—Includes communitybased homes that provide care primarily for the

mentally ill. In some data products, this category is

classified by type of ownership as ‘‘Federal,’’ ‘‘State,’’

‘‘Private,’’ and ‘‘Ownership not known.’’ Homes which

combine treatment of the physically handicapped

with treatment of the mentally ill are counted as

homes for the mentally ill.

Homes for the Mentally Retarded—Includes communitybased homes that provide care primarily for the

mentally retarded. Homes which combine treatment

of the physically handicapped with treatment of the

mentally retarded are counted as homes for the

mentally retarded. This category is classified by type

of ownership in some census products, as ‘‘Federal,’’

‘‘State,’’ ‘‘Private,’’ or ‘‘Ownership not known.’’

Homes for the Physically Handicapped—Includes

community-based homes for the blind, for the deaf,

and other community-based homes for the physically

handicapped. Persons with speech problems are

classified with homes for the deaf. In some census

products, this category is classified by type of ownership as ‘‘Public,’’ ‘‘Private,’’ or ‘‘Ownership not

known.’’

Homes or Halfway Houses for Drug/ Alcohol Abuse—Includes persons with no usual home elsewhere in

places that provide community-based care and supportive services to persons suffering from a drug/ alcohol addiction and to recovering alcoholics and drug

abusers. Places providing community-based care for

drug and alcohol abusers include group homes,

detoxification centers, quarterway houses (residential treatment facilities that work closely with accredited hospitals), halfway houses, and recovery homes

for ambulatory, mentally competent recovering alcoholics and drug abusers who may be re-entering the

work force.

Maternity Homes for Unwed Mothers—Includes persons with no usual home elsewhere in places that

provide domestic care for unwed mothers and their

children. These homes may provide social services

and post-natal care within the facility, or may make

arrangements for women to receive such services in

the community. Nursing services are usually available

in the facility.

Other Group Homes—Includes persons with no usual

home elsewhere in communes, foster care homes,

and job corps centers with 10 or more unrelated

persons. These types of places provide communal

living quarters, generally for persons who have formed

their own community in which they have common

interests and often share or own property jointly.

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Religious Group Quarters—Includes, primarily, group

quarters for nuns teaching in parochial schools and for

priests living in rectories. It also includes other convents

and monasteries, except those associated with a general hospital or an institution.

College Quarters Off Campus—Includes privately-owned

rooming and boarding houses off campus, if the place is

reserved exclusively for occupancy by college students

and if there are 10 or more unrelated persons. In census

products, persons in this category are classified as living

in a college dormitory.

Persons residing in certain other types of living arrangements are classified as living in ‘‘noninstitutional group

quarters’’ regardless of the number of people sharing the

unit. These include persons residing in the following types

of group quarters:

College Dormitories—Includes college students in dormitories (provided the dormitory is restricted to students

who do not have their families living with them), fraternity and sorority houses, and on-campus residential

quarters used exclusively for those in religious orders

who are attending college. Students in privately-owned

rooming and boarding houses off campus are also

included, if the place is reserved exclusively for occupancy by college-level students and if there are 10 or

more unrelated persons.

Military Quarters—Includes military personnel living in

barracks and dormitories on base, in transient quarters

on base for temporary residents (both civilian and

military), and on military ships. However, patients in

military hospitals receiving treatment for chronic diseases or who had no usual home elsewhere, and

persons being held in military stockades were included

as part of the institutional population.

Agriculture Workers’ Dormitories—Includes persons in

migratory farm workers’ camps on farms, bunkhouses

for ranch hands, and other dormitories on farms, such

as those on ‘‘tree farms.’’

Other Workers’ Dormitories—Includes persons in logging camps, construction workers’ camps, firehouse

dormitories, job-training camps, energy enclaves (Alaska

only), and nonfarm migratory workers’ camps (for example, workers in mineral and mining camps).

Emergency Shelters for Homeless Persons (with sleeping facilities) and Visible in Street Locations—Includes

persons enumerated during the ‘‘Shelter-and-StreetNight’’ operation primarily on March 20-21, 1990. Enumerators were instructed not to ask if a person was

‘‘homeless.’’ If a person was at one of the locations

below on March 20-21, the person was counted as

described below. (For more information on the ‘‘Shelterand-Street-Night’’ operation, see Appendix D, Collection and Processing Procedures, in 1990 census reports

and technical documentation.) This category is divided

into four classifications:

Emergency Shelters for Homeless Persons (with

sleeping facilities)—Includes persons who stayed

overnight on March 20, 1990, in permanent and

temporary emergency housing, missions, hotels/ motels, and flophouses charging $12 or less (excluding

taxes) per night; Salvation Army shelters, hotels, and

motels used entirely for homeless persons regardless of the nightly rate charged; rooms in hotels and

motels used partially for the homeless; and similar

places known to have persons who have no usual

home elsewhere staying overnight. If not shown

separately, shelters and group homes that provide

temporary sleeping facilities for runaway, neglected,

and homeless children are included in this category

in data products.

Shelters for Runaway, Neglected, and Homeless

Children—Includes shelters/ group homes which provide temporary sleeping facilities for juveniles.

Visible in Street Locations—Includes street blocks

and open public locations designated before

March 20, 1990, by city and community officials as

places where the homeless congregate at night. All

persons found at predesignated street sites from 2

a.m. to 4 a.m. and leaving abandoned or boarded-up

buildings from 4 a.m. to 8 a.m. on March 21, 1990,

were enumerated during ‘‘street’’ enumeration, except

persons in uniform such as police and persons

engaged in obvious money-making activities other

than begging or panhandling. Enumerators were

instructed not to ask if a person was ‘‘homeless.’’

This cannot be considered a complete count of all

persons living on the streets because those who

were so well hidden that local people did not know

where to find them were likely to have been missed

as were persons moving about or in places not

identified by local officials. It is also possible that

persons with homes could have been included in the

count of ‘‘visible in street locations’’ if they were

present when the enumerator did the enumeration of

a particular block.

Predesignated street sites include street corners,

parks, bridges, persons emerging from abandoned

and boarded-up buildings, noncommercial campsites

(tent cities), all-night movie theaters, all-night restaurants, emergency hospital waiting rooms, train stations, airports, bus depots, and subway stations.

Shelters for Abused Women (Shelters Against Domestic Violence or Family Crisis Centers)—Includes

community-based homes or shelters that provide

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domiciliary care for women who have sought shelter

from family violence and who may have been physically abused. Most shelters also provide care for

children of abused women. These shelters may provide social services, meals, psychiatric treatment,

and counseling. In some census products, ‘‘shelters

for abused women’’ are included in the category

‘‘other noninstitutional group quarters.’’

Dormitories for Nurses and Interns in General and

Military Hospitals—Includes group quarters for nurses

and other staff members. It excludes patients.

Crews of Maritime Vessels—Includes officers, crew

members, and passengers of maritime U.S. flag vessels. All ocean-going and Great Lakes ships are included.

Staff Residents of Institutions—Includes staff residing in

group quarters on institutional grounds who provide

formally-authorized, supervised care or custody for the

institutionalized population.

Other Nonhousehold Living Situations—Includes persons with no usual home elsewhere enumerated during

transient or ‘‘T-Night’’ enumeration at YMCA’s, YWCA’s,

youth hostels, commercial and government-run campgrounds, campgrounds at racetracks, fairs, and carnivals, and similar transient sites.

Living Quarters for Victims of Natural Disasters—Includes living quarters for persons temporarily displaced

by natural disasters.

Limitation of the Data—Two types of errors can occur in

the classification of ‘‘types of group quarters’’:

1. Misclassification of Group Quarters—During the 1990

Special Place Prelist operation, the enumerator determined the type of group quarters associated with each

special place in their assignment. The enumerator

used the Alphabetical Group Quarters Code List and

Index to the Alphabetical Group Quarters Code List to

assign a two-digit code number followed by either an

‘‘I,’’ for institutional, or an ‘‘N,’’ for noninstitutional to

each group quarters. In 1990, unacceptable group

quarter codes were edited. (For more information on

editing of unacceptable data, see Appendix C, Accuracy of the Data, in 1990 census reports and technical

documentation.)

2. No Classification (unknowns)—The imputation rate for

type of institution was higher in 1980 (23.5 percent)

than in 1970 (3.3 percent). Improvements were made

to the 1990 Alphabetical Group Quarters Code List;

that is, the inclusion of more group quarters categories

and an ‘‘Index to the Alphabetical Group Quarters

Code List.’’ (For more information on the allocation

rates for Type of Institution, see the allocation rates in

1990 CP-1, General Population Characteristics.)

In previous censuses, allocation rates for demographic

characteristics (such as age, sex, race, and marital status)

of the institutional population were similar to those for the

total population. The allocation rates for sample characteristics such as school enrollment, highest grade completed, income, and veteran status for the institutional and

noninstitutional group quarters population have been substantially higher than the population in households at least

as far back as the 1960 census. The data, however, have

historically presented a reasonable picture of the institutional and noninstitutional group quarters population.

Shelter and Street Night (S-Night)—For the 1990 census

‘‘Shelter-and-Street-Night’’ operation, persons well hidden, moving about, or in locations enumerators did not visit

were likely to be missed. The number of people missed will

never be known; thus, the 1990 census cannot be considered to include a definitive count of America’s total homeless population. It does, however, give an idea of relative

differences among areas of the country. Other components were counted as part of regular census procedures.

The count of persons in shelters and visible on the

street could have been affected by many factors. How

much the factors affected the count can never be answered

definitively, but some elements include:

1. How well enumerators were trained and how well they

followed procedures.

2. How well the list of shelter and street locations given

to the Census Bureau by the local government reflected

the actual places that homeless persons stay at night.

3. Cities were encouraged to open temporary shelters for

census night, and many did that and actively encouraged people to enter the shelters. Thus, people who

may have been on the street otherwise were in

shelters the night of March 20, so that the ratio of

shelter-to-street population could be different than

usual.

4. The weather, which was unusually cold in some parts

of the country, could affect how likely people were to

seek emergency shelter or to be more hidden than

usual if they stayed outdoors.

5. The media occasionally interfered with the ability to do

the count.

6. How homeless people perceived the census and

whether they wanted to be counted or feared the

census and hid from it.

The Census Bureau conducted two assessments of

Shelter and Street Night: (1) the quality of the lists of

shelters used for the Shelter-and-Street-Night operation,

and (2) how well procedures were followed by censustakers for the street count in parts of five cities (Chicago,

Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, and Phoenix).

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Information about these two assessments is available from

the Chief, Center for Survey Methods Research, Bureau of

the Census, Washington, DC 20233.

Comparability—For the 1990 census, the definition of

institutionalized persons was revised so that the definition

of ‘‘care’’ only includes persons under organized medical

or formally-authorized, supervised care or custody. As a

result of this change to the institutional definition, maternity

homes are classified as noninstitutional rather than institutional group quarters as in previous censuses. The

following types of other group quarters are classified as

institutional rather than noninstitutional group quarters:

‘‘halfway houses (operated for correctional purposes)’’

and ‘‘wards in general and military hospitals for patients

who have no usual home elsewhere,’’ which includes

maternity, neonatal, pediatric, military, and surgical wards

of hospitals, other-purpose wards of hospitals, and wards

for infectious diseases. These changes should not significantly affect the comparability of data with earlier censuses because of the relatively small number of persons

involved.

As in 1980, 10 or more unrelated persons living together

were classified as living in noninstitutional group quarters.

In 1970, the criteria was six or more unrelated persons.

Several changes also have occurred in the identification

of specific types of group quarters. For the first time, the

1990 census identifies separately the following types of

correctional institutions: persons in halfway houses (operated for correctional purposes), military stockades and

jails, and police lockups. In 1990, tuberculosis hospitals or

wards are included with hospitals for the chronically ill; in

1980, they were shown separately. For 1990, the noninstitutional group quarters category, ‘‘Group homes’’ is further

classified as: group homes for drug/ alcohol abuse; maternity homes (for unwed mothers), group homes for the

mentally ill, group homes for the mentally retarded, and

group homes for the physically handicapped. Persons

living in communes, foster-care homes, and job corps

centers are classified with ‘‘Other group homes’’ only if 10

or more unrelated persons share the unit; otherwise, they

are classified as housing units.

In 1990, workers’ dormitories were classified as group

quarters regardless of the number of persons sharing the

dorm. In 1980, 10 or more unrelated persons had to share

the dorm for it to be classified as a group quarters. In 1960,

data on persons in military barracks were shown only for

men. In subsequent censuses, they include both men and

women.

In 1990 census data products, the phrase ‘‘inmates of

institutions’’ was changed to ‘‘institutionalized persons.’’

Also, persons living in noninstitutional group quarters were

referred to as ‘‘other persons in group quarters,’’ and the

phrase ‘‘staff residents’’ was used for staff living in institutions.

In 1990, there are additional institutional categories and

noninstitutional group quarters categories compared with

the 1980 census. The institutional categories added include

‘‘hospitals and wards for drug/ alcohol abuse’’ and ‘‘military hospitals for the chronically ill.’’ The noninstitutional

group quarters categories added include emergency shelters for homeless persons; shelters for runaway, neglected,

and homeless children; shelters for abused women; and

visible-in-street locations. Each of these noninstitutional

group quarters categories was enumerated on March

20-21, 1990, during the ‘‘Shelter-and-Street-Night’’ operation. (For more information on the ‘‘Shelter-and-StreetNight’’ operation, see Appendix D, Collection and Processing Procedures, in 1990 census reports and technical

documentation.)

HISPANIC ORIGIN

The data on Spanish/ Hispanic origin were derived from

answers to questionnaire item 7, which was asked of all

persons. Persons of Hispanic origin are those who classified themselves in one of the specific Hispanic origin

categories listed on the questionnaire—‘‘Mexican,’’ ‘‘Puerto

Rican,’’ or ‘‘Cuban’’—as well as those who indicated that

they were of ‘‘other Spanish/ Hispanic’’ origin. Persons of

‘‘Other Spanish/ Hispanic’’ origin are those whose origins

are from Spain, the Spanish-speaking countries of Central

or South America, or the Dominican Republic, or they are

persons of Hispanic origin identifying themselves generally

as Spanish, Spanish-American, Hispanic, Hispano, Latino,

and so on. Write-in responses to the ‘‘other Spanish/ Hispanic’’ category were coded only for sample data.

Origin can be viewed as the ancestry, nationality group,

lineage, or country of birth of the person or the person’s

parents or ancestors before their arrival in the United

States. Persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race.

Some tabulations are shown by the Hispanic origin of

the householder. In all cases where households, families,

or occupied housing units are classified by Hispanic origin,

the Hispanic origin of the householder is used. (See the

discussion of householder under ‘‘Household Type and

Relationship.’’)

During direct interviews conducted by enumerators, if a

person could not provide a single origin response, he or

she was asked to select, based on self-identification, the

group which best described his or her origin or descent. If

a person could not provide a single group, the origin of the

person’s mother was used. If a single group could not be

provided for the person’s mother, the first origin reported

by the person was used.

If any household member failed to respond to the

Spanish/ Hispanic origin question, a response was assigned

by the computer according to the reported entries of other

household members by using specific rules of precedence

of household relationship. In the processing of sample

questionnaires, responses to other questions on the questionnaire, such as ancestry and place of birth, were used to

assign an origin before any reference was made to the

origin reported by other household members. If an origin

was not entered for any household member, an origin was

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assigned from another household according to the race of

the householder. This procedure is a variation of the

general imputation process described in Appendix C, Accuracy of the Data, in 1990 census reports and technical

documentation.

Comparability—There may be differences between the

total Hispanic origin population based on 100-percent

tabulations and sample tabulations. Such differences are

the result of sampling variability, nonsampling error, and

more extensive edit procedures for the Spanish/ Hispanic

origin item on the sample questionnaires. (For more information on sampling variability and nonsampling error, see

Appendix C, Accuracy of the Data, in 1990 census reports

and technical documentation.)

The 1990 data on Hispanic origin are generally comparable with those for the 1980 census. However, there are

some differences in the format of the Hispanic origin

question between the two censuses. For 1990, the word

‘‘descent’’ was deleted from the 1980 wording. In addition,

the term ‘‘Mexican-Amer.’’ used in 1980 was shortened

further to ‘‘Mexican-Am.’’ to reduce misreporting (of ‘‘American’’) in this category detected in the 1980 census. Finally,

the 1990 question allowed those who reported as ‘‘other

Spanish/ Hispanic’’ to write in their specific Hispanic origin

group.

Misreporting in the ‘‘Mexican-Amer.’’ category of the

1980 census item on Spanish/ Hispanic origin may affect

the comparability of 1980 and 1990 census data for

persons of Hispanic origin for certain areas of the country.

An evaluation of the 1980 census item on Spanish/ Hispanic origin indicated that there was misreporting in the

Mexican origin category by White and Black persons in

certain areas. The study results showed evidence that the

misreporting occurred in the South (excluding Texas), the

Northeast (excluding the New York City area), and a few

States in the Midwest Region. Also, results based on

available data suggest that the impact of possible misreporting of Mexican origin in the 1980 census was severe in

those portions of the above-mentioned regions where the

Hispanic origin population was generally sparse. However,

national 1980 census data on the Mexican origin population or total Hispanic origin population at the national level

was not seriously affected by the reporting problem. (For a

more detailed discussion of the evaluation of the 1980

census Spanish/ Hispanic origin item, see the 1980 census

Supplementary Reports.)

The 1990 and 1980 census data on the Hispanic

population are not directly comparable with 1970 Spanish

origin data because of a number of factors: (1) overall

improvements in the 1980 and 1990 censuses, (2) better

coverage of the population, (3) improved question designs,

and (4) an effective public relations campaign by the

Census Bureau with the assistance of national and community ethnic groups.

Specific changes in question design between the 1980

and 1970 censuses included the placement of the category ‘‘No, not Spanish/ Hispanic’’ as the first category in

that question. (The corresponding category appeared last

in the 1970 question.) Also, the 1970 category ‘‘Central or

South American’’ was deleted because in 1970 some

respondents misinterpreted the category; furthermore, the

designations ‘‘Mexican-American’’ and ‘‘Chicano’’ were

added to the Spanish/ Hispanic origin question in 1980. In

the 1970 census, the question on Spanish origin was

asked of only a 5-percent sample of the population.

HOUSEHOLD TYPE AND RELATIONSHIP

Household

A household includes all the persons who occupy a

housing unit. A housing unit is a house, an apartment, a

mobile home, a group of rooms, or a single room that is

occupied (or if vacant, is intended for occupancy) as

separate living quarters. Separate living quarters are those

in which the occupants live and eat separately from any

other persons in the building and which have direct access

from the outside of the building or through a common hall.

The occupants may be a single family, one person living

alone, two or more families living together, or any other

group of related or unrelated persons who share living

arrangements.

In 100-percent tabulations, the count of households or

householders always equals the count of occupied housing units. In sample tabulations, the numbers may differ as

a result of the weighting process.

Persons Per Household—A measure obtained by dividing the number of persons in households by the number of

households (or householders). In cases where persons in

households are cross-classified by race or Hispanic origin,

persons in the household are classified by the race or

Hispanic origin of the householder rather than the race or

Hispanic origin of each individual.

Relationship to Householder

Householder—The data on relationship to householder

were derived from answers to questionnaire item 2, which

was asked of all persons in housing units. One person in

each household is designated as the householder. In most

cases, this is the person, or one of the persons, in whose

name the home is owned, being bought, or rented and who

is listed in column 1 of the census questionnaire. If there is

no such person in the household, any adult household

member 15 years old and over could be designated as the

householder.

Households are classified by type according to the sex

of the householder and the presence of relatives. Two

types of householders are distinguished: a family householder and a nonfamily householder. A family householder

is a householder living with one or more persons related to

him or her by birth, marriage, or adoption. The householder

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and all persons in the household related to him or her are

family members. A nonfamily householder is a householder living alone or with nonrelatives only.

Spouse—Includes a person married to and living with a

householder. This category includes persons in formal

marriages, as well as persons in common-law marriages.

The number of spouses is equal to the number of

‘‘married-couple families’’ or ‘‘married-couple households’’

in 100-percent tabulations. The number of spouses, however, is generally less than half of the number of ‘‘married

persons with spouse present’’ in sample tabulations, since

more than one married couple can live in a household, but

only spouses of householders are specifically identified as

‘‘spouse.’’ For sample tabulations, the number of ‘‘married

persons with spouse present’’ includes married-couple

subfamilies and married-couple families.

Child—Includes a son or daughter by birth, a stepchild, or

adopted child of the householder, regardless of the child’s

age or marital status. The category excludes sons-in-law,

daughters-in-law, and foster children.

Natural-Born or Adopted Son/ Daughter—A son or daughter of the householder by birth, regardless of the age of

the child. Also, this category includes sons or daughters

of the householder by legal adoption, regardless of the

age of the child. If the stepson/ stepdaughter of the

householder has been legally adopted by the householder, the child is still classified as a stepchild.

Stepson/ Stepdaughter—A son or daughter of the householder through marriage but not by birth, regardless of

the age of the child. If the stepson/ stepdaughter of the

householder has been legally adopted by the householder, the child is still classified as a stepchild.

Own Child—A never-married child under 18 years who

is a son or daughter by birth, a stepchild, or an adopted

child of the householder. In certain tabulations, own

children are further classified as living with two parents

or with one parent only. Own children of the householder living with two parents are by definition found

only in married-couple families.

In a subfamily, an ‘‘own child’’ is a never-married

child under 18 years of age who is a son, daughter,

stepchild, or an adopted child of a mother in a motherchild subfamily, a father in a father-child subfamily, or

either spouse in a married-couple subfamily.

‘‘Related children’’ in a family include own children and

all other persons under 18 years of age in the household,

regardless of marital status, who are related to the householder, except the spouse of the householder. Foster

children are not included since they are not related to the

householder.

Other Relatives—In tabulations, includes any household

member related to the householder by birth, marriage, or

adoption, but not included specifically in another relationship category. In certain detailed tabulations, the following

categories may be shown:

Grandchild—The grandson or granddaughter of the

householder.

Brother/ Sister—The brother or sister of the householder, including stepbrothers, stepsisters, and brothers

and sisters by adoption. Brothers-in-law and sisters-inlaw are included in the ‘‘Other relative’’ category on the

questionnaire.

Parent—The father or mother of the householder, including a stepparent or adoptive parent. Fathers-in-law and

mothers-in-law are included in the ‘‘Other relative’’

category on the questionnaire.

Other Relatives—Anyone not listed in a reported category above who is related to the householder by birth,

marriage, or adoption (brother-in-law, grandparent, nephew,

aunt, mother-in-law, daughter-in-law, cousin, and so

forth).

Nonrelatives—Includes any household member, including

foster children not related to the householder by birth,

marriage, or adoption. The following categories may be

presented in more detailed tabulations:

Roomer, Boarder, or Foster Child—Roomer, boarder,

lodger, and foster children or foster adults of the

householder.

Housemate or Roommate—A person who is not related

to the householder and who shares living quarters

primarily in order to share expenses.

Unmarried Partner—A person who is not related to the

householder, who shares living quarters, and who has a

close personal relationship with the householder.

Other Nonrelatives—A person who is not related by

birth, marriage, or adoption to the householder and who

is not described by the categories given above.

When relationship is not reported for an individual, it is

imputed according to the responses for age, sex, and

marital status for that person while maintaining consistency with responses for other individuals in the household. (For more information on imputation, see Appendix

C, Accuracy of the Data, in 1990 census reports and

technical documentation.)

Unrelated Individual

An unrelated individual is: (1) a householder living alone

or with nonrelatives only, (2) a household member who is

not related to the householder, or (3) a person living in

group quarters who is not an inmate of an institution.

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Family Type

A family consists of a householder and one or more

other persons living in the same household who are

related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption.

All persons in a household who are related to the householder are regarded as members of his or her family. A

household can contain only one family for purposes of

census tabulations. Not all households contain families

since a household may comprise a group of unrelated

persons or one person living alone.

Families are classified by type as either a ‘‘marriedcouple family’’ or ‘‘other family’’ according to the sex of the

householder and the presence of relatives. The data on

family type are based on answers to questions on sex and

relationship which were asked on a 100-percent basis.

Married-Couple Family—A family in which the householder and his or her spouse are enumerated as members of the same household.

Other Family:

Male Householder, No Wife Present—A family with a

male householder and no spouse of householder present.

Female Householder, No Husband Present—A family

with a female householder and no spouse of householder present.

Persons Per Family—A measure obtained by dividing the

number of persons in families by the total number of

families (or family householders). In cases where the

measure, ‘‘persons in family’’ or ‘‘persons per family’’ are

cross-tabulated by race or Hispanic origin, the race or

Hispanic origin refers to the householder rather than the

race or Hispanic origin of each individual.

Subfamily

A subfamily is a married couple (husband and wife

enumerated as members of the same household) with or

without never-married children under 18 years old, or one

parent with one or more never-married children under 18

years old, living in a household and related to, but not

including, either the householder or the householder’s

spouse. The number of subfamilies is not included in the

count of families, since subfamily members are counted as

part of the householder’s family.

Subfamilies are defined during processing of sample

data. In selected tabulations, subfamilies are further classified by type: married-couple subfamilies, with or without

own children; mother-child subfamilies; and father-child

subfamilies.

Lone parents include people maintaining either oneparent families or one-parent subfamilies. Married couples

include husbands and wives in both married-couple families and married-couple subfamilies.

Unmarried-Partner Household

An unmarried-partner household is a household other

than a ‘‘married-couple household’’ that includes a householder and an ‘‘unmarried partner.’’ An ‘‘unmarried partner’’ can be of the same sex or of the opposite sex of the

householder. An ‘‘unmarried partner’’ in an ‘‘unmarriedpartner household’’ is an adult who is unrelated to the

householder, but shares living quarters and has a close

personal relationship with the householder.

Unmarried-Couple Household

An unmarried-couple household is composed of two

unrelated adults of the opposite sex (one of whom is the

householder) who share a housing unit with or without the

presence of children under 15 years old.

Foster Children

Foster children are nonrelatives of the householder and

are included in the category, ‘‘Roomer, boarder, or foster

child’’ on the questionnaire. Foster children are identified

as persons under 18 years old and living in households

that have no nonrelatives 18 years old and over (who might

be parents of the nonrelatives under 18 years old).

Stepfamily

A stepfamily is a ‘‘married-couple family’’ with at least

one stepchild of the householder present, where the

householder is the husband.

Comparability—The 1990 definition of a household is the

same as that used in 1980. The 1980 relationship category

‘‘Son/ daughter’’ has been replaced by two categories,

‘‘Natural-born or adopted son/ daughter’’ and ‘‘Stepson/

stepdaughter.’’ ‘‘Grandchild’’ has been added as a separate category. The 1980 nonrelative categories: ‘‘Roomer,

boarder’’ and ‘‘Partner, roommate’’ have been replaced by

the categories ‘‘Roomer, boarder, or foster child,’’ ‘‘Housemate, roommate,’’ and ‘‘Unmarried partner.’’ The 1980

nonrelative category ‘‘Paid employee’’ has been dropped.

INCOME IN 1989

The data on income in 1989 were derived from answers

to questionnaire items 32 and 33. Information on money

income received in the calendar year 1989 was requested

from persons 15 years old and over. ‘‘Total income’’ is the

algebraic sum of the amounts reported separately for

wage or salary income; net nonfarm self-employment

income; net farm self-employment income; interest, dividend, or net rental or royalty income; Social Security or

railroad retirement income; public assistance or welfare

income; retirement or disability income; and all other

income. ‘‘Earnings’’ is defined as the algebraic sum of

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wage or salary income and net income from farm and

nonfarm self-employment. ‘‘Earnings’’ represent the amount

of income received regularly before deductions for personal income taxes, Social Security, bond purchases,

union dues, medicare deductions, etc.

Receipts from the following sources are not included as

income: money received from the sale of property (unless

the recipient was engaged in the business of selling such

property); the value of income ‘‘in kind’’ from food stamps,

public housing subsidies, medical care, employer contributions for persons, etc.; withdrawal of bank deposits; money

borrowed; tax refunds; exchange of money between relatives living in the same household; gifts and lump-sum

inheritances, insurance payments, and other types of

lump-sum receipts.

Income Type in 1989

The eight types of income reported in the census are

defined as follows:

1. Wage or Salary Income—Includes total money earnings received for work performed as an employee

during the calendar year 1989. It includes wages,

salary, Armed Forces pay, commissions, tips, piecerate payments, and cash bonuses earned before

deductions were made for taxes, bonds, pensions,

union dues, etc.

2. Nonfarm Self-Employment Income—Includes net money

income (gross receipts minus expenses) from one’s

own business, professional enterprise, or partnership.

Gross receipts include the value of all goods sold and

services rendered. Expenses includes costs of goods

purchased, rent, heat, light, power, depreciation charges,

wages and salaries paid, business taxes (not personal

income taxes), etc.

3. Farm Self-Employment Income—Includes net money

income (gross receipts minus operating expenses)

from the operation of a farm by a person on his or her

own account, as an owner, renter, or sharecropper.

Gross receipts include the value of all products sold,

government farm programs, money received from the

rental of farm equipment to others, and incidental

receipts from the sale of wood, sand, gravel, etc.

Operating expenses include cost of feed, fertilizer,

seed, and other farming supplies, cash wages paid to

farmhands, depreciation charges, cash rent, interest

on farm mortgages, farm building repairs, farm taxes

(not State and Federal personal income taxes), etc.

The value of fuel, food, or other farm products used for

family living is not included as part of net income.

4. Interest, Dividend, or Net Rental Income—Includes

interest on savings or bonds, dividends from stockholdings or membership in associations, net income

from rental of property to others and receipts from

boarders or lodgers, net royalties, and periodic payments from an estate or trust fund.

5. Social Security Income—Includes Social Security pensions and survivors benefits and permanent disability

insurance payments made by the Social Security

Administration prior to deductions for medical insurance, and railroad retirement insurance checks from

the U.S. Government. Medicare reimbursements are

not included.

6. Public Assistance Income—Includes: (1) supplementary security income payments made by Federal or

State welfare agencies to low income persons who are

aged (65 years old or over), blind, or disabled; (2) aid

to families with dependent children, and (3) general

assistance. Separate payments received for hospital

or other medical care (vendor payments) are excluded

from this item.

7. Retirement or Disability Income—Includes: (1) retirement pensions and survivor benefits from a former

employer, labor union, or Federal, State, county, or

other governmental agency; (2) disability income from

sources such as worker’s compensation; companies

or unions; Federal, State, or local government; and the

U.S. military; (3) periodic receipts from annuities and

insurance; and (4) regular income from IRA and KEOGH

plans.

8. All Other Income—Includes unemployment compensation, Veterans Administration (VA) payments, alimony and child support, contributions received periodically from persons not living in the household, military

family allotments, net gambling winnings, and other

kinds of periodic income other than earnings.

Income of Households—Includes the income of the

householder and all other persons 15 years old and over in

the household, whether related to the householder or not.

Because many households consist of only one person,

average household income is usually less than average

family income.

Income of Families and Persons—In compiling statistics

on family income, the incomes of all members 15 years old

and over in each family are summed and treated as a

single amount. However, for persons 15 years old and

over, the total amounts of their own incomes are used.

Although the income statistics covered the calendar year

1989, the characteristics of persons and the composition

of families refer to the time of enumeration (April 1990).

Thus, the income of the family does not include amounts

received by persons who were members of the family

during all or part of the calendar year 1989 if these persons

no longer resided with the family at the time of enumeration. Yet, family income amounts reported by related

persons who did not reside with the family during 1989 but

who were members of the family at the time of enumeration are included. However, the composition of most

families was the same during 1989 as in April 1990.

Median Income—The median divides the income distribution into two equal parts, one having incomes above the

median and the other having incomes below the median.

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For households and families, the median income is based

on the distribution of the total number of units including

those with no income. The median for persons is based on

persons with income. The median income values for all

households, families, and persons are computed on the

basis of more detailed income intervals than shown in

most tabulations. Median household or family income

figures of $50,000 or less are calculated using linear

interpolation. For persons, corresponding median values

of $40,000 or less are also computed using linear interpolation. All other median income amounts are derived

through Pareto interpolation. (For more information on

medians and interpolation, see these definitions under

‘‘Technical Terms.’’)

Mean Income—This is the amount obtained by dividing

the total income of a particular statistical universe by the

number of units in that universe. Thus, mean household

income is obtained by dividing total household income by

the total number of households. For the various types of

income the means are based on households having those

types of income. ‘‘Per capita income’’ is the mean income

computed for every man, woman, and child in a particular

group. It is derived by dividing the total income of a

particular group by the total population in that group.

Care should be exercised in using and interpreting mean

income values for small subgroups of the population.

Because the mean is influenced strongly by extreme

values in the distribution, it is especially susceptible to the

effects of sampling variability, misreporting, and processing errors. The median, which is not affected by extreme

values, is, therefore, a better measure than the mean when

the population base is small. The mean, nevertheless, is

shown in some data products for most small subgroups

because, when weighted according to the number of

cases, the means can be added to obtained summary

measures for areas and groups other than those shown in

census tabulations.

Limitation of the Data—Since questionnaire entries for

income frequently are based on memory and not on

records, many persons tended to forget minor or irregular

sources of income and, therefore, underreport their income.

Underreporting tends to be more pronounced for income

sources that are not derived from earnings, such as Social

Security, public assistance, or from interest, dividends, and

net rental income.

There are errors of reporting due to the misunderstanding of the income questions such as reporting gross rather

than net dollar amounts for the two questions on net

self-employment income, which resulted in an overstatement of these items. Another common error is the reporting of identical dollar amounts in two of the eight type of

income items where a respondent with only one source of

income assumed that the second amount should be

entered to represent total income. Such instances of

overreporting had an impact on the level of mean nonfarm

or farm self-employment income and mean total income

published for the various geographical subdivisions of the

State.

Extensive computer editing procedures were instituted

in the data processing operation to reduce some of these

reporting errors and to improve the accuracy of the income

data. These procedures corrected various reporting deficiencies and improved the consistency of reported income

items associated with work experience and information on

occupation and class of worker. For example, if persons

reported they were self-employed on their own farm, not

incorporated, but had reported wage and salary earnings

only, the latter amount was shifted to net farm selfemployment income. Also, if any respondent reported total

income only, the amount was generally assigned to one of

the type of income items according to responses to the

work experience and class-of-worker questions. Another

type of problem involved nonreporting of income data.

Where income information was not reported, procedures

were devised to impute appropriate values with either no

income or positive or negative dollar amounts for the

missing entries. (For more information on imputation, see

Appendix C, Accuracy of the Data, in 1990 census reports

and technical documentation.)

In income tabulations for households and families, the

lowest income group (e.g., less than $5,000) includes units

that were classified as having no 1989 income. Many of

these were living on income ‘‘in kind,’’ savings, or gifts,

were newly created families, or families in which the sole

breadwinner had recently died or left the household.

However, many of the households and families who reported

no income probably had some money income which was

not recorded in the census.

The income data presented in the tabulations covers

money income only. The fact that many farm families

receive an important part of their income in the form of

‘‘free’’ housing and goods produced and consumed on the

farm rather than in money should be taken into consideration in comparing the income of farm and nonfarm

residents. Nonmoney income such as business expense

accounts, use of business transportation and facilities, or

partial compensation by business for medical and educational expenses was also received by some nonfarm

residents. Many low income families also receive income

‘‘in kind’’ from public welfare programs. In comparing

income data for 1989 with earlier years, it should be noted

that an increase or decrease in money income does not

necessarily represent a comparable change in real income,

unless adjustments for changes in prices are made.

Comparability—The income data collected in the 1980

and 1970 censuses are similar to the 1990 census data,

but there are variations in the detail of the questions. In

1980, income information for 1979 was collected from

persons in approximately 19 percent of all housing units

and group quarters. Each person was required to report:

• Wage or salary income

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• Net nonfarm self-employment income

• Net farm self-employment income

• Interest, dividend, or net rental or royalty income

• Social Security income

• Public assistance income

• Income from all other sources

Between the 1980 and 1990 censuses, there were

minor differences in the processing of the data. In both

censuses, all persons with missing values in one or more

of the detailed type of income items and total income were

designated as allocated. Each missing entry was imputed

either as a ‘‘no’’ or as a dollar amount. If total income was

reported and one or more of the type of income fields was

not answered, then the entry in total income generally was

assigned to one of the income types according to the

socioeconomic characteristics of the income recipient.

This person was designated as unallocated.

In 1980 and 1990, all nonrespondents with income not

reported (whether heads of households or other persons)

were assigned the reported income of persons with similar

characteristics. (For more information on imputation, see

Appendix C, Accuracy of the Data, in 1990 census reports

and technical documentation.)

There was a difference in the method of computer

derivation of aggregate income from individual amounts

between the two census processing operations. In the

1980 census, income amounts less than $100,000 were

coded in tens of dollars, and amounts of $100,000 or more

were coded in thousands of dollars; $5 was added to each

amount coded in tens of dollars and $500 to each amount

coded in thousands of dollars. Entries of $999,000 or more

were treated as $999,500 and losses of $9,999 or more

were treated as minus $9,999. In the 1990 census, income

amounts less than $999,999 were keyed in dollars. Amounts

of $999,999 or more were treated as $999,999 and losses

of $9,999 or more were treated as minus $9,999 in all of

the computer derivations of aggregate income.

In 1970, information on income in 1969 was obtained

from all members in every fifth housing unit and small

group quarters (less than 15 persons) and every fifth

person in all other group quarters. Each person was

required to report:

• Wage or salary income

• Net nonfarm self-employment income

• Net farm self-employment income

• Social Security or Railroad Retirement

• Public assistance or welfare payments

• Income from all other sources

If a person reported a dollar amount in wages or salary,

net nonfarm self-employment income, or net farm selfemployment income, the person was considered as unallocated only if no further dollar amounts were imputed for

any additional missing entries.

In 1960, data on income were obtained from all members in every fourth housing unit and from every fourth

person 14 years old and over living in group quarters. Each

person was required to report wage or salary income, net

self-employment income, and income other than earnings

received in 1959. An assumption was made in the editing

process that no other type of income was received by a

person who reported the receipt of either wage and salary

income or self-employment but who had failed to report the

receipt of other money income.

For several reasons, the income data shown in census

tabulations are not directly comparable with those that

may be obtained from statistical summaries of income tax

returns. Income, as defined for Federal tax purposes,

differs somewhat from the Census Bureau concept. Moreover, the coverage of income tax statistics is different

because of the exemptions of persons having small amounts

of income and the inclusion of net capital gains in tax

returns. Furthermore, members of some families file separate returns and others file joint returns; consequently,

the income reporting unit is not consistently either a family

or a person.

The earnings data shown in census tabulations are not

directly comparable with earnings records of the Social

Security Administration. The earnings record data for 1989

excluded the earnings of most civilian government employees, some employees of nonprofit organizations, workers

covered by the Railroad Retirement Act, and persons not

covered by the program because of insufficient earnings.

Furthermore, earnings received from any one employer in

excess of $48,000 in 1989 are not covered by earnings

records. Finally, because census data are obtained from

household questionnaires, they may differ from Social

Security Administration earnings record data, which are

based upon employers’ reports and the Federal income

tax returns of self-employed persons.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) of the Department of Commerce publishes annual data on aggregate

and per-capita personal income received by the population

for States, metropolitan areas, and selected counties.

Aggregate income estimates based on the income statistics shown in census products usually would be less than

those shown in the BEA income series for several reasons.

The Census Bureau data are obtained directly from households, whereas the BEA income series is estimated largely

on the basis of data from administrative records of business and governmental sources. Moreover, the definitions

of income are different. The BEA income series includes

some items not included in the income data shown in

census publications, such as income ‘‘in kind,’’ income

received by nonprofit institutions, the value of services of

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banks and other financial intermediaries rendered to persons without the assessment of specific charges, Medicare payments, and the income of persons who died or

emigrated prior to April 1, 1990. On the other hand, the

census income data include contributions for support

received from persons not residing in the same household

and employer contributions for social insurance.

INDUSTRY, OCCUPATION, AND CLASS OF

WORKER

The data on industry, occupation, and class of worker

were derived from answers to questionnaire items 28, 29,

and 30 respectively. These questions were asked of a

sample of persons. Information on industry relates to the

kind of business conducted by a person’s employing

organization; occupation describes the kind of work the

person does on the job.

For employed persons, the data refer to the person’s

job during the reference week. For those who worked at

two or more jobs, the data refer to the job at which the

person worked the greatest number of hours. For unemployed persons, the data refer to their last job. The industry

and occupation statistics are derived from the detailed

classification systems developed for the 1990 census as

described below. The Classified Index of Industries and

Occupations provided additional information on the industry and occupation classification systems.

Respondents provided the data for the tabulations by

writing on the questionnaires descriptions of their industry

and occupation. These descriptions were keyed and passed

through automated coding software which assigned a

portion of the written entries to categories in the classification system. The automated system assigned codes to

59 percent of the industry entries and 38 percent of the

occupation entries.

Those cases not coded by the computer were referred

to clerical staff in the Census Bureau’s Kansas City

processing office for coding. The clerical staff converted

the written questionnaire descriptions to codes by comparing these descriptions to entries in the Alphabetical Index

of Industries and Occupations. For the industry code,

these coders also referred to an Employer Name List

(formerly called Company Name List). This list, prepared

from the Standard Statistical Establishment List developed

by the Census Bureau for the economic censuses and

surveys, contained the names of business establishments

and their Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes

converted to population census equivalents. This list facilitated coding and maintained industrial classification comparability.

Industry

The industry classification system developed for the

1990 census consists of 236 categories for employed

persons, classified into 13 major industry groups. Since

1940, the industrial classification has been based on the

Standard Industrial Classification Manual (SIC). The 1990

census classification was developed from the 1987 SIC

published by the Office of Management and Budget,

Executive Office of the President.

The SIC was designed primarily to classify establishments by the type of industrial activity in which they were

engaged. However, census data, which were collected

from households, differ in detail and nature from those

obtained from establishment surveys. Therefore, the census classification systems, while defined in SIC terms,

cannot reflect the full detail in all categories. There are

several levels of industrial classification found in census

products. For example, the 1990 CP-2, Social and Economic Characteristics report includes 41 unique industrial

categories, while the 1990 Summary Tape File 4 (STF 4)

presents 72 categories.

Occupation

The occupational classification system developed for

the 1990 census consists of 501 specific occupational

categories for employed persons arranged into 6 summary

and 13 major occupational groups. This classification was

developed to be consistent with the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) Manual: 1980, published by the

Office of Federal Statistical Policy and Standards, U.S.

Department of Commerce. Tabulations with occupation as

the primary characteristic present several levels of occupational detail. The most detailed tabulations are shown in

a special 1990 subject report and tape files on occupation.

These products contain all 501 occupational categories

plus industry or class of worker subgroupings of occupational categories.

Some occupation groups are related closely to certain

industries. Operators of transportation equipment, farm

operators and workers, and private household workers

account for major portions of their respective industries of

transportation, agriculture, and private households. However, the industry categories include persons in other

occupations. For example, persons employed in agriculture include truck drivers and bookkeepers; persons employed

in the transportation industry include mechanics, freight

handlers, and payroll clerks; and persons employed in the

private household industry include occupations such as

chauffeur, gardener, and secretary.

Class of Worker

The data on class of worker were derived from answers

to questionnaire item 30. The information on class of

worker refers to the same job as a respondent’s industry

and occupation and categorizes persons according to the

type of ownership of the employing organization. The class

of worker categories are defined as follows:

Private Wage and Salary Workers—Includes persons

who worked for wages, salary, commission, tips, pay-inkind, or piece rates for a private for profit employer or a

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private not-for-profit, tax-exempt or charitable organization. Self-employed persons whose business was incorporated are included with private wage and salary workers

because they are paid employees of their own companies.

Some tabulations present data separately for these subcategories: ‘‘For profit,’’ ‘‘Not for profit,’’ and ‘‘Own business incorporated.’’

Employees of foreign governments, the United Nations,

or other formal international organizations were classified

as ‘‘Federal Government.’’

Government Workers—Includes persons who were employees of any local, State, or Federal governmental unit,

regardless of the activity of the particular agency. For

some tabulations, the data were presented separately for

the three levels of government.

Self-Employed Workers—Includes persons who worked

for profit or fees in their own unincorporated business,

profession, or trade, or who operated a farm.

Unpaid Family Workers—Includes persons who worked

15 hours or more without pay in a business or on a farm

operated by a relative.

Salaried/ Self-Employed—In tabulations that categorize

persons as either salaried or self-employed, the salaried

category includes private and government wage and salary

workers; self-employed includes self-employed persons

and unpaid family workers.

The industry category, ‘‘Public administration,’’ is limited

to regular government functions such as legislative, judicial, administrative, and regulatory activities of governments. Other government organizations such as schools,

hospitals, liquor stores, and bus lines are classified by

industry according to the activity in which they are engaged.

On the other hand, the class of worker government

categories include all government workers.

Occasionally respondents supplied industry, occupation, or class of worker descriptions which were not

sufficiently specific for precise classification or did not

report on these items at all. Some of these cases were

corrected through the field editing process and during the

coding and tabulation operations. In the coding operation,

certain types of incomplete entries were corrected using

the Alphabetical Index of Industries and Occupations. For

example, it was possible in certain situations to assign an

industry code based on the occupation reported.

Following the coding operations, there was a computer

edit and an allocation process. The edit first determined

whether a respondent was in the universe which required

an industry and occupation code. The codes for the three

items (industry, occupation, and class of worker) were

checked to ensure they were valid and were edited for their

relation to each other. Invalid and inconsistent codes were

either blanked or changed to a consistent code.

If one or more of the three codes were blank after the

edit, a code was assigned from a ‘‘similar’’ person based

on other items such as age, sex, education, farm or

nonfarm residence, and weeks worked. If all the labor

force and income data also were blank, all these economic

items were assigned from one other person who provided

all the necessary data.

Comparability—Comparability of industry and occupation

data was affected by a number of factors, primarily the

systems used to classify the questionnaire responses. For

both the industry and occupation classification systems,

the basic structures were generally the same from 1940 to

1970, but changes in the individual categories limited

comparability of the data from one census to another.

These changes were needed to recognize the ‘‘birth’’ of

new industries and occupations, the ‘‘death’’ of others,

and the growth and decline in existing industries and

occupations, as well as, the desire of analysts and other

users for more detail in the presentation of the data.

Probably the greatest cause of incomparability is the

movement of a segment of a category to a different

category in the next census. Changes in the nature of jobs

and respondent terminology, and refinement of category

composition made these movements necessary.

In the 1990 census, the industry classification had minor

revisions to reflect recent changes to the SIC. The 1990

occupational classification system is essentially the same

as that for the 1980 census. However, the conversion of

the census classification to the SOC in 1980 meant that

the 1990 classification system was less comparable to the

classifications used prior to the 1980 census.

Other factors that affected data comparability included

the universe to which the data referred (in 1970, the age

cutoff for labor force was changed from 14 years to 16

years); how the industry and occupation questions were

worded on the questionnaire (for example, important changes

were made in 1970); improvements in the coding procedures (the Employer Name List technique was introduced

in 1960); and how the ‘‘not reported’’ cases are handled.

Prior to 1970, they were placed in the residual categories,

‘‘Industry not reported’’ and ‘‘Occupation not reported.’’ In

1970, an allocation process was introduced that assigned

these cases to major groups. In 1990, as in 1980, the ‘‘Not

reported’’ cases were assigned to individual categories.

Therefore, the 1980 and 1990 data for individual categories included some numbers of persons who were tabulated in a ‘‘Not reported’’ category in previous censuses.

The following publications contain information on the

various factors affecting comparability and are particularly

useful for understanding differences in the occupation and

industry information from earlier censuses: U.S. Bureau of

the Census, Changes Between the 1950 and 1960 Occupation and Industry Classifications With Detailed Adjustments of 1950 Data to the 1960 Classifications, Technical

Paper No. 18, 1968; U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1970

Occupation and Industry Classification Systems in Terms

of their 1960 Occupation and Industry Elements, Technical

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Paper No. 26, 1972; and U.S. Bureau of the Census, The

Relationship Between the 1970 and 1980 Industry and

Occupation Classification Systems, Technical Paper No.

59, 1988. For citations for earlier census years, see the

1980 Census of Population report, PC80-1-D, Detailed

Population Characteristics.

The 1990 census introduced an additional class of

worker category for ‘‘private not-for-profit’’ employers. This

category is a subset of the 1980 category ‘‘employee of

private employer’’ so there is no comparable data before

1990. Also in 1990, employees of foreign governments,

the United Nations, etc., are classified as ‘‘private not-forprofit,’’ rather than Federal Government as in 1970 and

1980. While in theory, there was a change in comparability,

in practice, the small number of U.S. residents working for

foreign governments made this change negligible.

Comparability between the statistics on industry and

occupation from the 1990 census and statistics from other

sources is affected by many of the factors described in the

section on ‘‘Employment Status.’’ These factors are primarily geographic differences between residence and place

of work, different dates of reference, and differences in

counts because of dual job holding. Industry data from

population censuses cover all industries and all kinds of

workers, whereas, data from establishments often excluded

private household workers, government workers, and the

self-employed. Also, the replies from household respondents may have differed in detail and nature from those

obtained from establishments.

Occupation data from the census and data from government licensing agencies, professional associations, trade

unions, etc., may not be as comparable as expected.

Organizational listings often include persons not in the

labor force or persons devoting all or most of their time to

another occupation; or the same person may be included

in two or more different listings. In addition, relatively few

organizations, except for those requiring licensing, attained

complete coverage of membership in a particular occupational field.

JOURNEY TO WORK

Place of Work

The data on place of work were derived from answers to

questionnaire item 22, which was asked of persons who

indicated in question 21 that they worked at some time

during the reference week. (For more information, see

discussion under ‘‘Reference Week.’’)

Data were tabulated for workers 16 years and over; that

is, members of the Armed Forces and civilians who were at

work during the reference week. Data on place of work

refer to the geographic location at which workers carried

out their occupational activities during the reference week.

The exact address (number and street) of the place of

work was asked, as well as the place (city, town, or post

office); whether or not the place of work was inside or

outside the limits of that city or town; and the county, State,

and ZIP Code. If the person’s employer operated in more

than one location, the exact address of the location or

branch where the respondent worked was requested.

When the number and street name were unknown, a

description of the location, such as the building name or

nearest street or intersection, was to be entered.

Persons who worked at more than one location during

the reference week were asked to report the one at which

they worked the greatest number of hours. Persons who

regularly worked in several locations each day during the

reference week were requested to give the address at

which they began work each day. For cases in which daily

work did not begin at a central place each day, the person

was asked to provide as much information as possible to

describe the area in which he or she worked most during

the reference week.

In some tabulations, place-of-work locations may be

defined as ‘‘in area of residence’’ and ‘‘outside area of

residence.’’ The area of residence may vary from table to

table or even within a table, and refers to the particular

area or areas shown. For example, in a table that provides

data for counties, ‘‘in area of residence’’ refers to persons

who worked in the same county in which they lived, while

‘‘outside area of residence’’ refers to persons whose

workplace was located in a county different from the one in

which they lived. Similarly, in a table that provides data for

several types of areas, such as the State and its individual

metropolitan areas (MA’s), counties, and places, the placeof-work data will be variable and is determined by the

geographic level (State, MA, county, or place) shown in

each section of the tabulation.

In tabulations that present data for States, workplaces

for the residents of the State may include, in addition to the

State itself, each contiguous State. The category, ‘‘in

noncontiguous State or abroad,’’ includes persons who

worked in a State that did not border their State of

residence as well as persons who worked outside the

United States.

In tabulations that present data for an MSA/ PMSA,

place-of-work locations are specified to show the main

destinations of workers living in the MSA/ PMSA. (For

more information on metropolitan areas (MA’s), see the

section, ‘‘Geographic Terms.’’) All place-of-work locations

are identified with respect to the boundaries of the MSA/ PMSA

as ‘‘inside MSA/ PMSA’’ or ‘‘outside MSA/ PMSA.’’ Locations within the MSA/ PMSA are further divided into each

central city, and each county or county balance. Selected

large incorporated places also may be specified as places

of work.

Within New England MSA/ PMSA’s, the places of work

presented generally are cities and towns. Locations outside the MSA/ PMSA are specified if they are important

commuting destinations for residents of the MSA/ PMSA,

and may include adjoining MSA/ PMSA’s and their central

cities, their component counties, large incorporated places,

or counties, cities, or other geographic areas outside any

MA. In tabulations for MSA/ PMSA’s in New England;

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Honolulu, Hawaii; and certain other MA’s, some place-ofwork locations are identified as ‘‘areas’’ (e.g., Area 1, Area

5, Area 12, etc.). Such areas consist of groups of towns,

cities, census designated places (Honolulu MSA only), or

counties that have been identified as unique place-of-work

destinations. When an adjoining MSA/ PMSA or MSA/ PMSA

remainder is specified as a place-of-work location, its

components are not defined. However, the components

are presented in the 1990 CP-1, General Population Characteristics for Metropolitan Areas and the 1990 CH-1,

General Housing Characteristics for Metropolitan Areas

reports. In tabulations that present data for census tracts

outside MA’s, place-of-work locations are defined as ‘‘in

county of residence’’ and ‘‘outside county of residence.’’

In areas where the workplace address was coded to the

block level, persons were tabulated as working inside or

outside a specific place based on the location of that

address, regardless of the response to question 22c

concerning city/ town limits. In areas where it was impossible to code the workplace address to the block level,

persons were tabulated as working in a place if a place

name was reported in question 22b and the response to

question 22c was either ‘‘Yes’’ or the item was left blank.

In selected areas, census designated places (CDP’s) may

appear in the tabulations as places of work. The accuracy

of place-of-work data for CDP’s may be affected by the

extent to which their census names were familiar to

respondents, and by coding problems caused by similarities between the CDP name and the names of other

geographic jurisdictions in the same vicinity.

Place-of-work data are given for selected minor civil

divisions (generally, cities, towns, and townships) in the

nine Northeastern States, based on the responses to the

place-of-work question. Many towns and townships are

regarded locally as equivalent to a place and therefore,

were reported as the place of work. When a respondent

reported a locality or incorporated place that formed a part

of a township or town, the coding and tabulating procedure

was designed to include the response in the total for the

township or town. The accuracy of the place-of-work data

for minor civil divisions is greatest for the New England

States. However, the data for some New England towns,

for towns in New York, and for townships in New Jersey

and Pennsylvania may be affected by coding problems

that resulted from the unfamiliarity of the respondent with

the minor civil division in which the workplace was located

or when a township and a city or borough of the same or

similar name are located close together.

Place-of-work data may show a few workers who made

unlikely daily work trips (e.g., workers who lived in New

York and worked in California). This result is attributable to

persons who worked during the reference week at a

location that was different from their usual place of work,

such as persons away from home on business.

Comparability—The wording of the question on place of

work was substantially the same in the 1990 census as it

was in 1980. However, data on place of work from the

1990 census are based on the full census sample, while

data from the 1980 census were based on only about

one-half of the full sample.

For the 1980 census,nonresponse or incomplete responses

to the place-of-work question were not allocated, resulting

in the use of ‘‘not reported’’ categories in the 1980

publications. However, for the 1990 census, when place of

work was not reported or the response was incomplete, a

work location was allocated to the person based on their

means of transportation to work, travel time to work,

industry, and location of residence and workplace of

others. The 1990 publications, therefore, do not contain a

‘‘not reported’’ category for the place-of-work data.

Comparisons between 1980 and 1990 census data on

the gross number of workers in particular commuting flows,

or the total number of persons working in an area, should

be made with extreme caution. Any apparent increase in

the magnitude of the gross numbers may be due solely to

the fact that for 1990 the ‘‘not reported’’ cases have been

distributed among specific place-of-work destinations, instead

of tallied in a separate category as in 1980.

Limitation of the Data—The data on place of work relate

to a reference week; that is, the calendar week preceding

the date on which the respondents completed their questionnaires or were interviewed by enumerators. This week

is not the same for all respondents because the enumeration was not completed in 1 week. However, for the

majority of persons, the reference week for the 1990

census is the last week in March 1990. The lack of a

uniform reference week means that the place-of-work data

reported in the census will not exactly match the distribution of workplace locations observed or measured during

an actual workweek.

The place-of-work data are estimates of persons 16

years old and over who were both employed and at work

during the reference week (including persons in the Armed

Forces). Persons who did not work during the reference

week but had jobs or businesses from which they were

temporarily absent due to illness, bad weather, industrial

dispute, vacation, or other personal reasons are not included

in the place-of-work data. Therefore, the data on place of

work understate the total number of jobs or total employment in a geographic area during the reference week. It

also should be noted that persons who had irregular,

casual, or unstructured jobs during the reference week

may have erroneously reported themselves as not working.

The address where the individual worked most often

during the reference week was recorded on the census

questionnaire. If a worker held two jobs, only data about

the primary job (the one worked the greatest number of

hours during the preceding week) was requested. Persons

who regularly worked in several locations during the reference week were requested to give the address at which

they began work each day. For cases in which daily work

was not begun at a central place each day, the person was

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asked to provide as much information as possible to

describe the area in which he or she worked most during

the reference week.

Means of Transportation to Work

The data on means of transportation to work were

derived from answers to questionnaire item 23a, which

was asked of persons who indicated in question 21 that

they worked at some time during the reference week. (For

more information, see discussion under ‘‘Reference Week.’’)

Means of transportation to work refers to the principal

mode of travel or type of conveyance that the person

usually used to get from home to work during the reference

week.

Persons who used different means of transportation on

different days of the week were asked to specify the one

they used most often, that is, the greatest number of days.

Persons who used more than one means of transportation

to get to work each day were asked to report the one used

for the longest distance during the work trip. The category,

‘‘Car, truck, or van,’’ includes workers using a car (including company cars but excluding taxicabs), a truck of

one-ton capacity or less, or a van. The category, ‘‘Public

transportation,’’ includes workers who used a bus or trolley

bus, streetcar or trolley car, subway or elevated, railroad,

ferryboat, or taxicab even if each mode is not shown

separately in the tabulation. The category, ‘‘Other means,’’

includes workers who used a mode of travel which is not

identified separately within the data distribution. The category, ‘‘Other means,’’ may vary from table to table, depending on the amount of detail shown in a particular distribution.

The means of transportation data for some areas may

show workers using modes of public transportation that

are not available in those areas (e.g., subway or elevated

riders in an MA where there actually is no subway or

elevated service). This result is largely due to persons who

worked during the reference week at a location that was

different from their usual place of work (such as persons

away from home on business in an area where subway

service was available) and persons who used more than

one means of transportation each day but whose principal

means was unavailable where they lived (for example,

residents of nonmetropolitan areas who drove to the fringe

of an MA and took the commuter railroad most of the

distance to work).

Private Vehicle Occupancy

The data on private vehicle occupancy were derived

from answers to questionnaire item 23b. This question was

asked of persons who indicated in question 21 that they

worked at some time during the reference week and who

reported in question 23a that their means of transportation

to work was ‘‘Car, truck, or van.’’ (For more information,

see discussion under ‘‘Reference Week.’’)

Private vehicle occupancy refers to the number of

persons who usually rode to work in the vehicle during the

reference week. The category, ‘‘Drove alone,’’ includes

persons who usually drove alone to work as well as

persons who were driven to work by someone who then

drove back home or to a nonwork destination. The category, ‘‘Carpooled,’’ includes workers who reported that two

or more persons usually rode to work in the vehicle during

the reference week.

Persons Per Car, Truck, or Van—This is obtained by

dividing the number of persons who reported using a car,

truck, or van to get to work by the number of such vehicles

that they used. The number of vehicles used is derived by

counting each person who drove alone as one vehicle,

each person who reported being in a two-person carpool

as one-half vehicle, each person who reported being in a

three-person carpool as one-third vehicle, and so on, and

then summing all the vehicles.

Time Leaving Home to Go to Work

The data on time leaving home to go to work were

derived from answers to questionnaire item 24a. This

question was asked of persons who indicated in question

21 that they worked at some time during the reference

week and who reported in question 23a that they worked

outside their home. The departure time refers to the time of

day that the person usually left home to go to work during

the reference week. (For more information, see discussion

under ‘‘Reference Week.’’)

Travel Time to Work

The data on travel time to work were derived from

answers to questionnaire item 24b. This question was

asked of persons who indicated in question 21 that they

worked at some time during the reference week and who

reported in question 23a that they worked outside their

home. Travel time to work refers to the total number of

minutes that it usually took the person to get from home to

work during the reference week. The elapsed time includes

time spent waiting for public transportation, picking up

passengers in carpools, and time spent in other activities

related to getting to work. (For more information, see

discussion under ‘‘Reference Week.’’)

LANGUAGE SPOKEN AT HOME AND ABILITY

TO SPEAK ENGLISH

Language Spoken at Home

Data on language spoken at home were derived from

the answers to questionnaire items 15a and 15b, which

were asked of a sample of persons born before April 1,

1985. Instructions mailed with the 1990 census questionnaire stated that a respondent should mark ‘‘Yes’’ in

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question 15a if the person sometimes or always spoke a

language other than English at home and should not mark

‘‘Yes’’ if a language was spoken only at school or if

speaking was limited to a few expressions or slang. For

question 15b, respondents were instructed to print the

name of the non-English language spoken at home. If the

person spoke more than one language other than English,

the person was to report the language spoken more often

or the language learned first.

The cover of the census questionnaire included information in Spanish which provided a telephone number for

respondents to call to request a census questionnaire and

instructions in Spanish. Instruction guides were also available in 32 other languages to assist enumerators who

encountered households or respondents who spoke no

English.

Questions 15a and 15b referred to languages spoken at

home in an effort to measure the current use of languages

other than English. Persons who knew languages other

than English but did not use them at home or who only

used them elsewhere were excluded. Persons who reported

speaking a language other than English at home may also

speak English; however, the questions did not permit

determination of the main or dominant language of persons who spoke both English and another language. (For

more information, see discussion below on ‘‘Ability to

Speak English.’’)

For persons who indicated that they spoke a language

other than English at home in question 15a, but failed to

specify the name of the language in question 15b, the

language was assigned based on the language of other

speakers in the household; on the language of a person of

the same Spanish origin or detailed race group living in the

same or a nearby area; or on a person of the same

ancestry or place of birth. In all cases where a person was

assigned a non-English language, it was assumed that the

language was spoken at home. Persons for whom the

name of a language other than English was entered in

question 15b, and for whom question 15a was blank were

assumed to speak that language at home.

The write-in responses listed in question 15b (specific

language spoken) were transcribed onto computer files

and coded into more than 380 detailed language categories using an automated coding system. The automated

procedure compared write-in responses reported by respondents with entries in a computer dictionary, which initially

contained approximately 2,000 language names. The dictionary was updated with a large number of new names,

variations in spelling, and a small number of residual

categories. Each write-in response was given a numeric

code that was associated with one of the detailed categories in the dictionary. If the respondent listed more than

one non-English language, only the first was coded.

The write-in responses represented the names people

used for languages they speak. They may not match the

names or categories used by linguists. The sets of categories used are sometimes geographic and sometimes

linguistic. Figure 1 provides an illustration of the content of

the classification schemes used to present language data.

For more information, write to the Chief, Population Division, U.S. Bureau of the Census, Washington, DC 20233.

Household Language—In households where one or more

persons (age 5 years old or over) speak a language other

than English, the household language assigned to all

household members is the non-English language spoken

by the first person with a non-English language in the

following order: householder, spouse, parent, sibling, child,

grandchild, other relative, stepchild, unmarried partner,

housemate or roommate, roomer, boarder, or foster child,

or other nonrelative. Thus, persons who speak only English

may have a non-English household language assigned to

them in tabulations of persons by household language.

Figure 1. Four- and Twenty-Five-Group Classifications of 1990 Census Languages Spoken at

Home With Illustrative Examples

Four-Group

Classification

Twenty-Five-Group

Classification Examples

Spanish Spanish Spanish, Ladino

Other Indo- French French, Cajun,

European French Creole

Italian

Portuguese

German

Yiddish

Other West Afrikaans, Dutch,

Germanic Pennsylvania Dutch

Scandanavian Danish, Norwegian,

Swedish

Polish

Russian

South Slavic Serbocroatian,

Bulgarian, Macedonian,

Slovene

Other Slavic Czech, Slovak,

Ukranian

Greek

Indic Hindi, Bengali,

Gujarathi, Punjabi,

Romany, Sinhalese

Other Indo- Armenian, Gaelic,

European, not Lithuanian, Persian

elsewhere

classified

Languages of Chinese

Asia and the Japanese

Pacific Mon-Khmer Cambodian

Tagalog

Korean

Vietnamese

Other languages Chamorro, Dravidian

(part) Languages, Hawaiian,

Ilocano, Thai, Turkish

All other lan- Arabic

guages Hungarian

Native North

American languages

Other languages Amharic, Syriac,

(part) Finnish, Hebrew,

Languages of

Central and South

America, Other

Languages of Africa

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Ability to Speak English

Persons 5 years old and over who reported that they

spoke a language other than English in question 15a were

also asked in question 15c to indicate their ability to speak

English based on one of the following categories: ‘‘Very

well,’’ ‘‘Well,’’ ‘‘Not well,’’ or ‘‘Not at all.’’

The data on ability to speak English represent the

person’s own perception about his or her own ability or,

because census questionnaires are usually completed by

one household member, the responses may represent the

perception of another household member. The instruction

guides and questionnaires that were mailed to households

did not include any information on how to interpret the

response categories in question 15c.

Persons who reported that they spoke a language other

than English at home but whose ability to speak English

was not reported, were assigned the English-language

ability of a randomly selected person of the same age,

Spanish origin, nativity and year of entry, and language

group.

Linguistic Isolation—A household in which no person

age 14 years or over speaks only English and no person

age 14 years or over who speaks a language other than

English speaks English ‘‘Very well’’ is classified as ‘‘linguistically isolated.’’ All the members of a linguistically

isolated household are tabulated as linguistically isolated,

including members under age 14 years who may speak

only English.

Limitation of the Data—Persons who speak a language

other than English at home may have first learned that

language at school. However, these persons would be

expected to indicate that they spoke English ‘‘Very well.’’

Persons who speak a language other than English, but do

not do so at home, should have been reported as not

speaking a language other than English at home.

The extreme detail in which language names were

coded may give a false impression of the linguistic precision of these data. The names used by speakers of a

language to identify it may reflect ethnic, geographic, or

political affiliations and do not necessarily respect linguistic distinctions. The categories shown in the tabulations

were chosen on a number of criteria, such as information

about the number of speakers of each language that might

be expected in a sample of the United States population.

Comparability—Information on language has been collected in every census since 1890. The comparability of

data among censuses is limited by changes in question

wording, by the subpopulations to whom the question was

addressed, and by the detail that was published.

The same question on language was asked in the 1980

and 1990 censuses. This question on the current language

spoken at home replaced the questions asked in prior

censuses on mother tongue; that is, the language other

than English spoken in the person’s home when he or she

was a child; one’s first language; or the language spoken

before immigrating to the United States. The censuses of

1910-1940, 1960 and 1970 included questions on mother

tongue. A change in coding procedure from 1980 to 1990

should have improved accuracy of coding and may affect

the number of persons reported in some of the 380 plus

categories. It should not greatly affect the 4-group or 25-

group lists. In 1980, coding clerks supplied numeric codes

for the written entries on each questionnaire using a 2,000

name reference list. In 1990 written entries were transcribed to a computer file and matched to a computer

dictionary which began with the 2,000 name list, but

expanded as unmatched names were referred to headquarters specialists for resolution.

The question on ability to speak English was asked for

the first time in 1980. In tabulations from 1980, the

categories ‘‘Very well’’ and ‘‘Well’’ were combined. Data

from other surveys suggested a major difference between

the category ‘‘Very well’’ and the remaining categories. In

tabulations showing ability to speak English, persons who

reported that they spoke English ‘‘Very well’’ are presented separately from persons who reported their ability

to speak English as less than ‘‘Very well.’’

MARITAL STATUS

The data on marital status were derived from answers to

questionnaire item 6, which was asked of all persons. The

marital status classification refers to the status at the time

of enumeration. Data on marital status are tabulated only

for persons 15 years old and over.

All persons were asked whether they were ‘‘now married,’’ ‘‘widowed,’’ ‘‘divorced,’’ ‘‘separated,’’ or ‘‘never married.’’ Couples who live together (unmarried persons,

persons in common-law marriages) were allowed to report

the marital status they considered the most appropriate.

Never Married—Includes all persons who have never

been married, including persons whose only marriage(s)

was annulled.

Ever Married—Includes persons married at the time of

enumeration (including those separated),widowed, or divorced.

Now Married, Except Separated—Includes persons whose

current marriage has not ended through widowhood, divorce,

or separation (regardless of previous marital history). The

category may also include couples who live together or

persons in common-law marriages if they consider this

category the most appropriate. In certain tabulations,

currently married persons are further classified as ‘‘spouse

present’’ or ‘‘spouse absent.’’

Separated—Includes persons legally separated or otherwise absent from their spouse because of marital discord.

Included are persons who have been deserted or who

have parted because they no longer want to live together

but who have not obtained a divorce.

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Widowed—Includes widows and widowers who have not

remarried.

Divorced—Includes persons who are legally divorced and

who have not remarried.

In selected sample tabulations, data for married and

separated persons are reorganized and combined with

information on the presence of the spouse in the same

household.

Now Married—All persons whose current marriage has

not ended by widowhood or divorce. This category includes

persons defined above as ‘‘separated.’’

Spouse Present—Married persons whose wife or husband was enumerated as a member of the same

household, including those whose spouse may have

been temporarily absent for such reasons as travel or

hospitalization.

Spouse Absent—Married persons whose wife or husband was not enumerated as a member of the same

household. This category also includes all married persons living in group quarters.

Separated—Defined above.

Spouse Absent, Other—Married persons whose wife or

husband was not enumerated as a member of the same

household, excluding separated. Included is any person

whose spouse was employed and living away from

home or in an institution or absent in the Armed Forces.

Differences between the number of currently married

males and the number of currently married females occur

because of reporting differences and because some husbands and wives have their usual residence in different

areas. In sample tabulations, these differences can also

occur because different weights are applied to the individual’s data. Any differences between the number of ‘‘now

married, spouse present’’ males and females are due

solely to sample weighting. By definition, the numbers

would be the same.

When marital status was not reported, it was imputed

according to the relationship to the householder and sex

and age of the person. (For more information on imputation, see Appendix C, Accuracy of the Data, in 1990

census reports and technical documentation.)

Comparability—The 1990 marital status definitions are

the same as those used in 1980 with the exception of the

term ‘‘never married’’ which replaces the term ‘‘single’’ in

tabulations. A general marital status question has been

asked in every census since 1880.

MOBILITY LIMITATION STATUS

The data on mobility limitation status were derived from

answers to questionnaire item 19a, which was asked of a

sample of persons 15 years old and over. Persons were

identified as having a mobility limitation if they had a health

condition that had lasted for 6 or more months and which

made it difficult to go outside the home alone. Examples of

outside activities on the questionnaire included shopping

and visiting the doctor’s office.

The term ‘‘health condition’’ referred to both physical

and mental conditions. A temporary health problem, such

as a broken bone that was expected to heal normally, was

not considered a health condition.

Comparability—This was the first time that a question on

mobility limitation was included in the census.

PLACE OF BIRTH

The data on place of birth were derived from answers to

questionnaire item 8, which was asked on a sample basis.

The place-of-birth question asked respondents to report

the U.S. State, commonwealth or territory, or the foreign

country where they were born. Persons born outside the

United States were asked to report their place of birth

according to current international boundaries. Since numerous changes in boundaries of foreign countries have

occurred in the last century, some persons may have

reported their place of birth in terms of boundaries that

existed at the time of their birth or emigration, or in

accordance with their own national preference.

Persons not reporting place of birth were assigned the

birthplace of another family member or were allocated the

response of another person with similar characteristics.

Persons allocated as foreign born were not assigned a

specific country of birth but were classified as ‘‘Born

abroad, country not specified.’’

Nativity—Information on place of birth and citizenship

were used to classify the population into two major categories: native and foreign born. When information on place

of birth was not reported, nativity was assigned on the

basis of answers to citizenship, if reported, and other

characteristics.

Native—Includes persons born in the United States, Puerto

Rico, or an outlying area of the United States. The small

number of persons who were born in a foreign country but

have at least one American parent also are included in this

category.

The native population is classified in the following

groups: persons born in the State in which they resided at

the time of the census; persons born in a different State, by

region; persons born in Puerto Rico or an outlying area of

the U.S.; and persons born abroad with at least one

American parent.

Foreign Born—Includes persons not classified as ‘‘Native.’’

Prior to the 1970 census, persons not reporting place of

birth were generally classified as native.

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The foreign-born population is shown by selected area,

country, or region of birth; the places of birth shown in data

products were selected based on the number of respondents who reported that area or country of birth.

Comparability—Data on the State of birth of the native

population have been collected in each census beginning

with that of 1850. Similar data were shown in tabulations

for the 1980 census and other recent censuses. Nonresponse was allocated in a similar manner in 1980; however, prior to 1980, nonresponse to the place of birth

question was not allocated. Prior to the 1970 census,

persons not reporting place of birth were generally classified as native.

The questionnaire instruction to report mother’s State of

residence instead of the person’s actual State of birth (if

born in a hospital in a different State) was dropped in 1990.

Evaluation studies of 1970 and 1980 census data demonstrated that this instruction was generally either ignored or

misunderstood. Since the hospital and the mother’s residence is in the same State for most births, this change may

have a slight effect on State of birth data for States with

large metropolitan areas that straddle State lines.

POVERTY STATUS IN 1989

The data on poverty status were derived from answers

to the same questions as the income data, questionnaire

items 32 and 33. (For more information, see the discussion

under ‘‘Income in 1989.’’) Poverty statistics presented in

census publications were based on a definition originated

by the Social Security Administration in 1964 and subsequently modified by Federal interagency committees in

1969 and 1980 and prescribed by the Office of Management and Budget in Directive 14 as the standard to be

used by Federal agencies for statistical purposes.

At the core of this definition was the 1961 economy food

plan, the least costly of four nutritionally adequate food

plans designed by the Department of Agriculture. It was

determined from the Agriculture Department’s 1955 survey

of food consumption that families of three or more persons

spend approximately one-third of their income on food;

hence, the poverty level for these families was set at three

times the cost of the economy food plan. For smaller

families and persons living alone, the cost of the economy

food plan was multiplied by factors that were slightly higher

to compensate for the relatively larger fixed expenses for

these smaller households.

The income cutoffs used by the Census Bureau to

determine the poverty status of families and unrelated

individuals included a set of 48 thresholds arranged in a

two-dimensional matrix consisting of family size (from one

person to nine or more persons) cross-classified by presence and number of family members under 18 years old

(from no children present to eight or more children present).

Unrelated individuals and two-person families were further

differentiated by age of the householder (under 65 years

old and 65 years old and over).

The total income of each family or unrelated individual in

the sample was tested against the appropriate poverty

threshold to determine the poverty status of that family or

unrelated individual. If the total income was less than the

corresponding cutoff, the family or unrelated individual was

classified as ‘‘below the poverty level.’’ The number of

persons below the poverty level was the sum of the

number of persons in families with incomes below the

poverty level and the number of unrelated individuals with

incomes below the poverty level.

The poverty thresholds are revised annually to allow for

changes in the cost of living as reflected in the Consumer

Price Index. The average poverty threshold for a family of

four persons was $12,674 in 1989. (For more information,

see table A below.) Poverty thresholds were applied on a

national basis and were not adjusted for regional, State or

local variations in the cost of living. For a detailed discussion of the poverty definition, see U.S. Bureau of the

Census, Current Population Reports, Series P-60, No. 171,

Poverty in the United States: 1988 and 1989.

Persons for Whom Poverty Status is Determined—

Poverty status was determined for all persons except

institutionalized persons, persons in military group quarters

and in college dormitories, and unrelated individuals under

15 years old. These groups also were excluded from the

denominator when calculating poverty rates.

Specified Poverty Levels—Since the poverty levels currently in use by the Federal Government do not meet all

the needs of data users, some of the data are presented

for alternate levels. These specified poverty levels are

obtained by multiplying the income cutoffs at the poverty

level by the appropriate factor. For example, the average

income cutoff at 125 percent of poverty level was $15,843

($12,674 x 1.25) in 1989 for a family of four persons.

Weighted Average Thresholds at the Poverty

Level—The average thresholds shown in the first column

of table A are weighted by the presence and number of

children. For example, the weighted average threshold for

a given family size is obtained by multiplying the threshold

for each presence and number of children category within

the given family size by the number of families in that

category. These products are then aggregated across the

entire range of presence and number of children categories, and the aggregate is divided by the total number of

families in the group to yield the weighted average threshold at the poverty level for that family size.

Since the basic thresholds used to determine the poverty status of families and unrelated individuals are applied

to all families and unrelated individuals, the weighted

average poverty thresholds are derived using all families

and unrelated individuals rather than just those classified

as being below the poverty level. To obtain the weighted

poverty thresholds for families and unrelated individuals

below alternate poverty levels, the weighted thresholds

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shown in table A may be multiplied directly by the appropriate factor. The weighted average thresholds presented

in the table are based on the March 1990 Current Population Survey. However, these thresholds would not differ

significantly from those based on the 1990 census.

Income Deficit—Represents the difference between the

total income of families and unrelated individuals below the

poverty level and their respective poverty thresholds. In

computing the income deficit, families reporting a net

income loss are assigned zero dollars and for such cases

the deficit is equal to the poverty threshold.

This measure provided an estimate of the amount which

would be required to raise the incomes of all poor families

and unrelated individuals to their respective poverty thresholds. The income deficit is thus a measure of the degree of

impoverishment of a family or unrelated individual. However, caution must be used in comparing the average

deficits of families with different characteristics. Apparent

differences in average income deficits may, to some

extent, be a function of differences in family size.

Mean Income Deficit—Represents the amount obtained

by dividing the total income deficit of a group below the

poverty level by the number of families (or unrelated

individuals) in that group.

Comparability—The poverty definition used in the 1990

and 1980 censuses differed slightly from the one used in

the 1970 census. Three technical modifications were

made to the definition used in the 1970 census as described

below:

1. The separate thresholds for families with a female

householder with no husband present and all other

families were eliminated. For the 1980 and 1990

censuses, the weighted average of the poverty thresholds for these two types of families was applied to all

types of families, regardless of the sex of the householder.

2. Farm families and farm unrelated individuals no longer

had a set of poverty thresholds that were lower than

the thresholds applied to nonfarm families and unrelated individuals. The farm thresholds were 85 percent

of the corresponding levels for nonfarm families in the

1970 census. The same thresholds were applied to all

families and unrelated individuals regardless of residence in 1980 and 1990.

3. The thresholds by size of family were extended from

seven or more persons in 1970 to nine or more

persons in 1980 and 1990.

These changes resulted in a minimal increase in the

number of poor at the national level. For a complete

discussion of these modifications and their impact, see the

Current Population Reports, Series P-60, No. 133.

The population covered in the poverty statistics derived

from the 1980 and 1990 censuses was essentially the

same as in the 1970 census. The only difference was that

in 1980 and 1990, unrelated individuals under 15 years old

were excluded from the poverty universe, while in 1970,

only those under 14 years old were excluded. The poverty

data from the 1960 census excluded all persons in group

quarters and included all unrelated individuals regardless

of age. It was unlikely that these differences in population

coverage would have had significant impact when comparing the poverty data for persons since the 1960 censuses.

Current Population Survey—Because of differences in

the questionnaires and data collection procedures, estimates of the number of persons below the poverty level

by various characteristics from the 1990 census may

differ from those reported in the March 1990 Current

Population Survey.

RACE

The data on race were derived from answers to questionnaire item 4, which was asked of all persons. The

concept of race as used by the Census Bureau reflects

Table A. Poverty Thresholds in 1989 by Size of Family and Number of Related Children Under 18 Years

Size of Family Unit

Weighted

average

thresholds

Related children under 18 years

None One Two Three Four Five Six Seven

Eight or

more

One person (unrelated individual). $6,310

Under 65 years. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,451 $6,451

65 years and over . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,947 5,947

Two persons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,076

Householder under 65 years . . . 8,343 8,303 $8,547

Householder 65 years and

over . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,501 7,495 8,515

Three persons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,885 9,699 9,981 $9,990

Four persons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,674 12,790 12,999 12,575 $12,619

Five persons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14,990 15,424 15,648 15,169 14,798 $14,572

Six persons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16,921 17,740 17,811 17,444 17,092 16,569 $16,259

Seven persons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19,162 20,412 20,540 20,101 19,794 19,224 18,558 $17,828

Eight persons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21,328 22,830 23,031 22,617 22,253 21,738 21,084 20,403 $20,230

Nine or more persons . . . . . . . . . . 25,480 27,463 27,596 27,229 26,921 26,415 25,719 25,089 24,933 $23,973

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self-identification; it does not denote any clear-cut scientific definition of biological stock. The data for race represent self-classification by people according to the race

with which they most closely identify. Furthermore, it is

recognized that the categories of the race item include

both racial and national origin or socio-cultural groups.

During direct interviews conducted by enumerators, if a

person could not provide a single response to the race

question, he or she was asked to select, based on

self-identification, the group which best described his or

her racial identity. If a person could not provide a single

race response, the race of the mother was used. If a single

race response could not be provided for the person’s

mother, the first race reported by the person was used. In

all cases where occupied housing units, households, or

families are classified by race, the race of the householder

was used.

The racial classification used by the Census Bureau

generally adheres to the guidelines in Federal Statistical

Directive No. 15, issued by the Office of Management and

Budget, which provides standards on ethnic and racial

categories for statistical reporting to be used by all Federal

agencies. The racial categories used in the 1990 census

data products are provided below.

White—Includes persons who indicated their race as

‘‘White’’ or reported entries such as Canadian, German,

Italian, Lebanese, Near Easterner, Arab, or Polish.

Black—Includes persons who indicated their race as

‘‘Black or Negro’’ or reported entries such as African

American, Afro-American, Black Puerto Rican, Jamaican,

Nigerian, West Indian, or Haitian.

American Indian, Eskimo, or Aleut—Includes persons

who classified themselves as such in one of the specific

race categories identified below.

American Indian—Includes persons who indicated their

race as ‘‘American Indian,’’ entered the name of an

Indian tribe, or reported such entries as Canadian

Indian, French-American Indian, or Spanish-American

Indian.

American Indian Tribe—Persons who identified themselves as American Indian were asked to report their

enrolled or principal tribe. Therefore, tribal data in

tabulations reflect the written tribal entries reported

on the questionnaires. Some of the entries (for

example, Iroquois, Sioux, Colorado River, and Flathead) represent nations or reservations.

The information on tribe is based on self-identification

and therefore does not reflect any designation of

Federally- or State-recognized tribe. Information on

American Indian tribes is presented in summary tape

files and special data products. The information is

derived from the American Indian Detailed Tribal

Classification List for the 1990 census. The classification list represents all tribes, bands, and clans that

had a specified number of American Indians reported

on the census questionnaire.

Eskimo—Includes persons who indicated their race as

‘‘Eskimo’’ or reported entries such as Arctic Slope,

Inupiat, and Yupik.

Aleut—Includes persons who indicated their race as

‘‘Aleut’’ or reported entries such as Alutiiq, Egegik, and

Pribilovian.

Asian or Pacific Islander—Includes persons who reported

in one of the Asian or Pacific Islander groups listed on the

questionnaire or who provided write-in responses such as

Thai, Nepali, or Tongan. A more detailed listing of the

groups comprising the Asian or Pacific Islander population

is presented in figure 2 below. In some data products,

information is presented separately for the Asian population and the Pacific Islander population.

Figure 2. Asian or Pacific Islander Groups Reported

in the 1990 Census

Asian Pacific Islander

Chinese Hawaiian

Filipino Samoan

Japanese Guamanian

Asian Indian Other Pacific Islander1

Korean Carolinian

Vietnamese Fijian

Cambodian Kosraean

Hmong Melanesian3

Laotian Micronesian3

Thai Northern Mariana Islander

Other Asian1 Palauan

Bangladeshi Papua New Guinean

Bhutanese Ponapean (Pohnpeian)

Borneo Polynesian3

Burmese Solomon Islander

Celebesian Tahitian

Ceram Tarawa Islander

Indochinese Tokelauan

Indonesian Tongan

Iwo-Jiman Trukese (Chuukese)

Javanese Yapese

Malayan Pacific Islander, not specified

Maldivian

Nepali

Okinawan

Pakistani

Sikkim

Singaporean

Sri Lankan

Sumatran

Asian, not specified2

1

In some data products, specific groups listed under ‘‘Other Asian’’ or

‘‘Other Pacific Islander’’ are shown separately. Groups not shown are

tabulated as ‘‘All other Asian’’ or ‘‘All other Pacific Islander,’’ respectively.

2

Includes entries such as Asian American, Asian, Asiatic, Amerasian,

and Eurasian.

3

Polynesian, Micronesian, and Melanesian are Pacific Islander cultural

groups.

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Asian—Includes ‘‘Chinese,’’ ‘‘Filipino,’’ ‘‘Japanese,’’ ‘‘Asian

Indian,’’ ‘‘Korean,’’ ‘‘Vietnamese,’’ and ‘‘Other Asian.’’ In

some tables, ‘‘Other Asian’’ may not be shown separately,

but is included in the total Asian population.

Chinese—Includes persons who indicated their race as

‘‘Chinese’’ or who identified themselves as Cantonese,

Tibetan, or Chinese American. In standard census reports,

persons who reported as ‘‘Taiwanese’’ or ‘‘Formosan’’

are included here with Chinese. In special reports on the

Asian or Pacific Islander population, information on

persons who identified themselves as Taiwanese are

shown separately.

Filipino—Includes persons who indicated their race as

‘‘Filipino’’ or reported entries such as Philipino, Philipine,

or Filipino American.

Japanese—Includes persons who indicated their race

as ‘‘Japanese’’ and persons who identified themselves

as Nipponese or Japanese American.

Asian Indian—Includes persons who indicated their

race as ‘‘Asian Indian’’ and persons who identified

themselves as Bengalese, Bharat, Dravidian, East Indian,

or Goanese.

Korean—Includes persons who indicated their race as

‘‘Korean’’ and persons who identified themselves as

Korean American.

Vietnamese—Includes persons who indicated their race

as ‘‘Vietnamese’’ and persons who identified themselves as Vietnamese American.

Cambodian—Includes persons who provided a write-in

response such as Cambodian or Cambodia.

Hmong—Includes persons who provided a write-in response

such as Hmong, Laohmong, or Mong.

Laotian—Includes persons who provided a write-in response

such as Laotian, Laos, or Lao.

Thai—Includes persons who provided a write-in response

such as Thai, Thailand, or Siamese.

Other Asian—Includes persons who provided a write-in

response of Bangladeshi, Burmese, Indonesian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Amerasian, or Eurasian. See figure 2

for other groups comprising ‘‘Other Asian.’’

Pacific Islander—Includes persons who indicated their

race as ‘‘Pacific Islander’’ by classifying themselves into

one of the following groups or identifying themselves as

one of the Pacific Islander cultural groups of Polynesian,

Micronesian, or Melanesian.

Hawaiian—Includes persons who indicated their race as

‘‘Hawaiian’’ as well as persons who identified themselves as Part Hawaiian or Native Hawaiian.

Samoan—Includes persons who indicated their race as

‘‘Samoan’’ or persons who identified themselves as

American Samoan or Western Samoan.

Guamanian—Includes persons who indicated their race

as ‘‘Guamanian’’ or persons who identified themselves

as Chamorro or Guam.

Other Pacific Islander—Includes persons who provided

a write-in response of a Pacific Islander group such as

Tahitian, Northern Mariana Islander, Palauan, Fijian, or

a cultural group such as Polynesian, Micronesian, or

Melanesian. See figure 2 for other groups comprising

‘‘Other Pacific Islander.’’

Other Race—Includes all other persons not included in

the ‘‘White,’’ ‘‘Black,’’ ‘‘American Indian, Eskimo, or Aleut,’’

and the ‘‘Asian or Pacific Islander’’ race categories described

above. Persons reporting in the ‘‘Other race’’ category and

providing write-in entries such as multiracial, multiethnic,

mixed, interracial, Wesort, or a Spanish/ Hispanic origin

group (such as Mexican, Cuban, or Puerto Rican) are

included here.

Written entries to three categories on the race item—

‘‘Indian (Amer.),’’ ‘‘Other Asian or Pacific Islander (API),’’

and ‘‘Other race’’—were reviewed, edited, and coded by

subject matter specialists. (For more information on the

coding operation, see the section below that discusses

‘‘Comparability.’’)

The written entries under ‘‘Indian (Amer.)’’ and ‘‘Other

Asian or Pacific Islander (API)’’ were reviewed and coded

during 100-percent processing of the 1990 census questionnaires. A substantial portion of the entries for the

‘‘Other race’’ category also were reviewed, edited, and

coded during the 100-percent processing. The remaining

entries under ‘‘Other race’’ underwent review and coding

during sample processing. Most of the written entries

reviewed and coded during sample processing were those

indicating Hispanic origin such as Mexican, Cuban, or

Puerto Rican.

If the race entry for a member of a household was

missing on the questionnaire, race was assigned based

upon the reported entries of race by other household

members using specific rules of precedence of household

relationship. For example, if race was missing for the

daughter of the householder, then the race of her mother

(as female householder or female spouse) would be

assigned. If there was no female householder or spouse in

the household, the daughter would be assigned her father’s

(male householder) race. If race was not reported for

anyone in the household, the race of a householder in a

previously processed household was assigned. This procedure is a variation of the general imputation procedures

described in Appendix C, Accuracy of the Data, in 1990

census reports and technical documentation.

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Limitation of the Data—In the 1980 census, a relatively

high proportion (20 percent) of American Indians did not

report any tribal entry in the race item. Evaluation of the

pre-census tests indicated that changes made for the 1990

race item should improve the reporting of tribes in the rural

areas (especially on reservations) for the 1990 census.

The results for urban areas were inconclusive. Also, the

precensus tests indicated that there may be overreporting

of the Cherokee tribe. An evaluation of 1980 census data

showed overreporting of Cherokee in urban areas or areas

where the number of American Indians was sparse.

In the 1990 census, respondents sometimes did not fill

in a circle or filled the ‘‘Other race’’ circle and wrote in a

response, such as Arab, Polish, or African American in the

shared write-in box for ‘‘Other race’’ and ‘‘Other API’’

responses. During the automated coding process, these

responses were edited and assigned to the appropriate

racial designation. Also, some Hispanic origin persons did

not fill in a circle, but provided entries such as Mexican or

Puerto Rican. These persons were classified in the ‘‘Other

race’’ category during the coding and editing process.

There may be some minor differences between sample

data and 100-percent data because sample processing

included additional edits not included in the 100-percent

processing.

Comparability—Differences between the 1990 census

and earlier censuses affect the comparability of data for

certain racial groups and American Indian tribes. The 1990

census was the first census to undertake, on a 100-

percent basis, an automated review, edit, and coding

operation for written responses to the race item. The

automated coding system used in the 1990 census greatly

reduced the potential for error associated with a clerical

review. Specialists with a thorough knowledge of the race

subject matter reviewed, edited, coded, and resolved

inconsistent or incomplete responses. In the 1980 census,

there was only a limited clerical review of the race responses

on the 100-percent forms with a full clerical review conducted only on the sample questionnaires.

Another major difference between the 1990 and preceding censuses is the handling of the write-in responses

for the Asian or Pacific Islander populations. In addition to

the nine Asian or Pacific Islander categories shown on the

questionnaire under the spanner ‘‘Asian or Pacific Islander

(API),’’ the 1990 census race item provided a new residual

category, ‘‘Other API,’’ for Asian or Pacific Islander persons who did not report in one of the listed Asian or Pacific

Islander groups. During the coding operation, write-in

responses for ‘‘Other API’’ were reviewed, coded, and

assigned to the appropriate classification. For example, in

1990, a write-in entry of Laotian, Thai, or Javanese is

classified as ‘‘Other Asian,’’ while a write-in entry of

Tongan or Fijian is classified as ‘‘Other Pacific Islander.’’ In

the 1990 census, these persons were able to identify as

‘‘Other API’’ in both the 100-percent and sample operations.

In the 1980 census, the nine Asian or Pacific Islander

groups were also listed separately. However, persons not

belonging to these nine groups wrote in their specific racial

group under the ‘‘Other’’ race category. Persons with a

written entry such as Laotian, Thai, or Tongan, were

tabulated and published as ‘‘Other race’’ in the 100-

percent processing operation in 1980, but were reclassified as ‘‘Other Asian and Pacific Islander’’ in 1980 sample

tabulations. In 1980 special reports on the Asian or Pacific

Islander populations, data were shown separately for

‘‘Other Asian’’ and ‘‘Other Pacific Islander.’’

The 1970 questionnaire did not have separate race

categories for Asian Indian, Vietnamese, Samoan, and

Guamanian. These persons indicated their race in the

‘‘Other’’ category and later, through the editing process,

were assigned to a specific group. For example, in 1970,

Asian Indians were reclassified as ‘‘White,’’ while Vietnamese, Guamanians, and Samoans were included in the

‘‘Other’’ category.

Another difference between 1990 and preceding censuses is the approach taken when persons of Spanish/

Hispanic origin did not report in a specific race category but

reported as ‘‘Other race’’ or ‘‘Other.’’ These persons

commonly provided a write-in entry such as Mexican,

Venezuelan, or Latino. In the 1990 and 1980 censuses,

these entries remained in the ‘‘Other race’’ or ‘‘Other’’

category, respectively. In the 1970 census, most of these

persons were included in the ‘‘White’’ category.

REFERENCE WEEK

The data on labor force status and journey to work were

related to the reference week; that is, the calendar week

preceding the date on which the respondents completed

their questionnaires or were interviewed by enumerators.

This week is not the same for all respondents since the

enumeration was not completed in one week. The occurrence of holidays during the enumeration period could

affect the data on actual hours worked during the reference week, but probably had no effect on overall measurement of employment status (see the discussion below on

‘‘Comparability’’).

Comparability—The reference weeks for the 1990 and

1980 censuses differ in that Passover and Good Friday

occurred in the first week of April 1980, but in the second

week of April 1990. Many workers presumably took time

off for those observances. The differing occurrence of

these holidays could affect the comparability of the 1990

and 1980 data on actual hours worked for some areas if

the respective weeks were the reference weeks for a

significant number of persons. The holidays probably did

not affect the overall measurement of employment status

since this information was based on work activity during

the entire reference week.

RESIDENCE IN 1985

The data on residence in 1985 were derived from

answers to questionnaire item 14b, which asked for the

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State (or foreign country), county, and place of residence

on April 1, 1985, for those persons reporting in question

14a that on that date they lived in a different house than

their current residence. Residence in 1985 is used in

conjunction with location of current residence to determine

the extent of residential mobility of the population and the

resulting redistribution of the population across the various

States, metropolitan areas, and regions of the country.

When no information on residence in 1985 was reported

for a person, information for other family members, if

available, was used to assign a location of residence in

1985. All cases of nonresponse or incomplete response

that were not assigned a previous residence based on

information from other family members were allocated the

previous residence of another person with similar characteristics who provided complete information.

The tabulation category, ‘‘Same house,’’ includes all

persons 5 years old and over who did not move during the

5 years as well as those who had moved but by 1990 had

returned to their 1985 residence. The category, ‘‘Different

house in the United States,’’ includes persons who lived in

the United States in 1985 but in a different house or

apartment from the one they occupied on April 1, 1990.

These movers are then further subdivided according to the

type of move.

In most tabulations, movers are divided into three

groups according to their 1985 residence: ‘‘Different house,

same county,’’ ‘‘Different county, same State,’’ and ‘‘Different State.’’ The last group may be further subdivided

into region of residence in 1985. The category, ‘‘Abroad,’’

includes those persons who were residing in a foreign

country, Puerto Rico, or an outlying area of the U.S. in

1985, including members of the Armed Forces and their

dependents. Some tabulations show movers who were

residing in Puerto Rico or an outlying area in 1985 separately from those residing in other countries.

In tabulations for metropolitan areas, movers are categorized according to the metropolitan status of their current and previous residences, resulting in such groups as

movers within an MSA/ PMSA, movers between MSA/

PMSA’s, movers from nonmetropolitan areas to MSA/ PMSA,

and movers from central cities to the remainder of an

MSA/ PMSA. In some tabulations, these categories are

further subdivided by size of MSA/ PMSA, region of current

or previous residence, or movers within or between central

cities and the remainder of the same or a different MSA/ PMSA.

The size categories used in some tabulations for both

1985 and 1990 residence refer to the populations of the

MSA/ PMSA on April 1, 1990; that is, at the end of the

migration interval.

Some tabulations present data on inmigrants, outmigrants, and net migration. ‘‘Inmigrants’’ are generally defined

as those persons who entered a specified area by crossing

its boundary from some point outside the area. In some

tabulations, movers from abroad are included in the number of inmigrants; in others, only movers within the United

States are included.

‘‘Outmigrants’’ are persons who depart from a specific

area by crossing its boundary to a point outside it, but

without leaving the United States. ‘‘Net migration’’ is

calculated by subtracting the number of outmigrants from

the number of inmigrants and, depending upon the particular tabulation, may or may not include movers from

abroad. The net migration for the area is net inmigration if

the result was positive and net outmigration if the result

was negative. In the tabulations, net outmigration is indicated by a minus sign (-).

Inmigrants and outmigrants for States include only

those persons who did not live in the same State in 1985

and 1990; that is, they exclude persons who moved

between counties within the same State. Thus, the sum of

the inmigrants to (or outmigrants from) all counties in any

State is greater than the number of inmigrants to (or

outmigrants from) that State. However, in the case of net

migration, the sum of the nets for all the counties within a

State equal the net for the State. In the same fashion, the

net migration for a division or region equals the sum of the

nets for the States comprising that division or region, while

the number of inmigrants and outmigrants for that division

or region is less than the sum of the inmigrants or

outmigrants for the individual States.

The number of persons who were living in a different

house in 1985 is somewhat less than the total number of

moves during the 5-year period. Some persons in the same

house at the two dates had moved during the 5-year period

but by the time of the census had returned to their 1985

residence. Other persons who were living in a different

house had made one or more intermediate moves. For

similar reasons, the number of persons living in a different

county, MSA/ PMSA, or State or moving between nonmetropolitan areas may be understated.

Comparability—Similar questions were asked on all previous censuses beginning in 1940, except the questions in

1950 referred to residence 1 year earlier rather than 5

years earlier. Although the questions in the 1940 census

covered a 5-year period, comparability with that census

was reduced somewhat because of different definitions

and categories of tabulation. Comparability with the 1960

and 1970 census is also somewhat reduced because

nonresponse was not allocated in those earlier censuses.

For the 1980 census, nonresponse was allocated in a

manner similar to the 1990 allocation scheme.

SCHOOL ENROLLMENT AND LABOR FORCE

STATUS

Tabulation of data on enrollment, educational attainment, and labor force status for the population 16 to 19

years old allows for calculation of the proportion of the age

group who are not enrolled in school and not high school

graduates or ‘‘dropouts’’ and an unemployment rate for the

‘‘dropout’’ population. Definitions of the three topics and

descriptions of the census items from which they were

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derived are presented in ‘‘Educational Attainment,’’ ‘‘Employment Status,’’ and ‘‘School Enrollment and Type of School.’’

The published tabulations include both the civilian and

Armed Forces populations, but labor force status is provided for the civilian population only. Therefore, the component labor force statuses may not add to the total lines

enrolled in school, high school graduate, and not high

school graduate. The difference is Armed Forces.

Comparability—The tabulation of school enrollment by

labor force status is similar to that published in 1980

census reports. The 1980 census tabulation included a

single data line for Armed Forces; however, enrollment,

attainment, and labor force status data were shown for the

civilian population only. In 1970, a tabulation was included

for 16 to 21 year old males not attending school.

SCHOOL ENROLLMENT AND TYPE OF SCHOOL

Data on school enrollment were derived from answers

to questionnaire item 11, which was asked of a sample of

persons. Persons were classified as enrolled in school if

they reported attending a ‘‘regular’’ public or private school

or college at any time between February 1, 1990, and the

time of enumeration. The question included instructions to

‘‘include only nursery school, kindergarten, elementary

school, and schooling which would lead to a high school

diploma or a college degree’’ as regular school. Instructions included in the 1990 respondent instruction guide,

which was mailed with the census questionnaire, further

specified that enrollment in a trade or business school,

company training, or tutoring were not to be included

unless the course would be accepted for credit at a regular

elementary school, high school, or college. Persons who

did not answer the enrollment question were assigned the

enrollment status and type of school of a person with the

same age, race or Hispanic origin, and, at older ages, sex,

whose residence was in the same or a nearby area.

Public and Private School—Includes persons who attended

school in the reference period and indicated they were

enrolled by marking one of the questionnaire categories for

either ‘‘public school, public college’’ or ‘‘private school,

private college.’’ The instruction guide defines a public

school as ‘‘any school or college controlled and supported

by a local, county, State, or Federal Government.’’ Schools

supported and controlled primarily by religious organizations or other private groups are defined as private.

Persons who filled both the ‘‘public’’ and ‘‘private’’ circles

are edited to the first entry, ‘‘public.’’

Level of School in Which Enrolled—Persons who were

enrolled in school were classified as enrolled in ‘‘preprimary school,’’ ‘‘elementary or high school,’’ or ‘‘college’’

according to their response to question 12 (years of school

completed or highest degree received). Persons who were

enrolled and reported completing nursery school or less

were classified as enrolled in ‘‘preprimary school,’’ which

includes kindergarten. Similarly, enrolled persons who had

completed at least kindergarten, but not high school, were

classified as enrolled in elementary or high school. Enrolled

persons who reported completing high school or some

college or having received a post-secondary degree were

classified as enrolled in ‘‘college.’’ Enrolled persons who

reported completing the twelfth grade but receiving ‘‘NO

DIPLOMA’’ were classified as enrolled in high school. (For

more information on level of school, see the discussion

under ‘‘Educational Attainment.’’)

Comparability—School enrollment questions have been

included in the census since 1840; grade attended was

first asked in 1940; type of school was first asked in 1960.

Before 1940, the enrollment question in various censuses

referred to attendance in the preceding six months or the

preceding year. In 1940, the reference was to attendance

in the month preceding the census, and in the 1950 and

subsequent censuses, the question referred to attendance

in the two months preceding the census date.

Until the 1910 census, there were no instructions limiting the kinds of schools in which enrollment was to be

counted. Starting in 1910, the instructions indicated that

attendance at ‘‘school, college, or any educational institution’’ was to be counted. In 1930 an instruction to include

‘‘night school’’ was added. In the 1940 instructions, night

school, extension school, or vocational school were included

only if the school was part of the regular school system.

Correspondence school work of any kind was excluded. In

the 1950 instructions, the term ‘‘regular school’’ was

introduced, and it was defined as schooling which ‘‘advances

a person towards an elementary or high school diploma or

a college, university, or professional school degree.’’ Vocational, trade, or business schools were excluded unless

they were graded and considered part of a regular school

system. On-the-job training was excluded, as was nursery

school. Instruction by correspondence was excluded unless

it was given by a regular school and counted towards

promotion.

In 1960, the question used the term ‘‘regular school or

college’’ and a similar, though expanded, definition of

‘‘regular’’ was included in the instructions, which continued

to exclude nursery school. Because of the census’ use of

mailed questionnaires, the 1960 census was the first in

which instructions were written for the respondent as well

as enumerators. In the 1970 census, the questionnaire

used the phrase ‘‘regular school or college’’ and included

instructions to ‘‘count nursery school, kindergarten, and

schooling which leads to an elementary school certificate,

high school diploma, or college degree.’’ Instructions in a

separate document specified that to be counted as regular

school, nursery school must include instruction as an

important and integral phase of its program, and continued

the exclusion of vocational, trade, and business schools.

The 1980 census question was very similar to the 1970

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question, but the separate instruction booklet did not

require that nursery school include substantial instructional

content in order to be counted.

The age range for which enrollment data have been

obtained and published has varied over the censuses.

Information on enrollment was recorded for persons of all

ages in the 1930 and 1940 and 1970 through 1990; for

persons under age 30, in 1950; and for persons age 5 to

34, in 1960. Most of the published enrollment figures

referred to persons age 5 to 20 in the 1930 census, 5 to 24

in 1940, 5 to 29 in 1950, 5 to 34 in 1960, 3 to 34 in 1970,

and 3 years old and over in 1980. This growth in the age

group whose enrollment was reported reflects increased

interest in the number of children in preprimary schools

and in the number of older persons attending colleges and

universities.

In the 1950 and subsequent censuses, college students

were enumerated where they lived while attending college,

whereas in earlier censuses, they generally were enumerated at their parental homes. This change should not affect

the comparability of national figures on college enrollment

since 1940; however, it may affect the comparability over

time of enrollment figures at sub-national levels.

Type of school was first introduced in the 1960 census,

where a separate question asked the enrolled persons

whether they were in a ‘‘public’’ or ‘‘private’’ school. Since

the 1970 census, the type of school was incorporated into

the response categories for the enrollment question and

the terms were changed to ‘‘public,’’ ‘‘parochial,’’ and

‘‘other private.’’ In the 1980 census, ‘‘private, church

related’’ and ‘‘private, not church related’’ replaced ‘‘parochial’’ and ‘‘other private.’’

Grade of enrollment was first available in the 1940

census, where it was obtained from responses to the

question on highest grade of school completed. Enumerators were instructed that ‘‘for a person still in school, the

last grade completed will be the grade preceding the one

in which he or she was now enrolled.’’ From 1950 to 1980,

grade of enrollment was obtained from the highest grade

attended in the two-part question used to measure educational attainment. (For more information, see the discussion under ‘‘Educational Attainment.’’) The form of the

question from which level of enrollment was derived in the

1990 census most closely corresponds to the question

used in 1940. While data from prior censuses can be

aggregated to provide levels of enrollment comparable to

the 1990 census, 1990 data cannot be disaggregated to

show single grade of enrollment as in previous censuses.

Data on school enrollment were also collected and

published by other Federal, State, and local government

agencies. Where these data were obtained from administrative records of school systems and institutions of higher

learning, they were only roughly comparable with data from

population censuses and household surveys because of

differences in definitions and concepts, subject matter

covered, time references, and enumeration methods. At

the local level, the difference between the location of the

institution and the residence of the student may affect the

comparability of census and administrative data. Differences between the boundaries of school districts and

census geographic units also may affect these comparisons.

SELF-CARE LIMITATION STATUS

The data on self-care limitation status were derived from

answers to questionnaire item 19b, which was asked of a

sample of persons 15 years old and over. Persons were

identified as having a self-care limitation if they had a

health condition that had lasted for 6 or more months and

which made it difficult to take care of their own personal

needs, such as dressing, bathing, or getting around inside

the home.

The term ‘‘health condition’’ referred to both physical

and mental conditions. A temporary health problem, such

as a broken bone that was expected to heal normally was

not considered a health condition.

Comparability—This was the first time that a question on

self-care limitation was included in the census.

SEX

The data on sex were derived from answers to questionnaire item 3, which was asked of all persons. For most

cases in which sex was not reported, it was determined by

the appropriate entry from the person’s given name and

household relationship. Otherwise, sex was imputed according to the relationship to the householder and the age and

marital status of the person. For more information on

imputation, see Appendix C, Accuracy of the Data, in 1990

census reports and technical documentation.

Sex Ratio—A measure derived by dividing the total number of males by the total number of females and multiplying

by 100.

Comparability—A question on the sex of individuals has

been asked of the total population in every census.

VETERAN STATUS

Data on veteran status, period of military service, and

years of military service were derived from answers to

questionnaire item 17, which was asked of a sample of

persons.

Veteran Status—The data on veteran status were derived

from responses to question 17a. For census data products, a ‘‘civilian veteran’’ is a person 16 years old or over

who had served (even for a short time) but is not now

serving on active duty in the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force,

Marine Corps, or the Coast Guard, or who served as a

Merchant Marine seaman during World War II. Persons

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who served in the National Guard or military Reserves are

classified as veterans only if they were ever called or

ordered to active duty not counting the 4-6 months for

initial training or yearly summer camps. All other civilians

16 years old and over are classified as nonveterans.

Period of Military Service—Persons who indicated in

question 17a that they had served on active duty (civilian

veterans) or were now on active duty were asked to

indicate in question 17b the period or periods in which they

served. Persons serving in at least one wartime period are

classified in their most recent wartime period. For example,

persons who served both during the Korean conflict and

the post-Korean peacetime era between February 1955

and July 1964 are classified in one of the two ‘‘Korean

conflict’’ categories. If the same person had also served

during the Vietnam era, he or she would instead be

included in the ‘‘Vietnam era and Korean conflict’’ category. The responses were edited to eliminate inconsistencies between reported period(s) of service and the age of

the person and to cancel out reported combinations of

periods containing unreasonable gaps (for example, a

person could not serve during World War I and the Korean

conflict without serving during World War II). Note that the

period of service categories shown in this report are

mutually exclusive.

Years of Military Service—Persons who indicated in

question 17a that they had served on active duty (civilian

veterans) or were now on active duty were asked to report

the total number of years of active-duty service in question

17c. The data were edited for consistency with responses

to question 17b (Period of Military Service) and with the

age of the person.

Limitation of the Data—There may be a tendency for the

following kinds of persons to report erroneously that they

served on active duty in the Armed Forces: (a) persons

who served in the National Guard or military Reserves but

were never called to active duty; (b) civilian employees or

volunteers for the USO, Red Cross, or the Department of

Defense (or its predecessor Departments, War and Navy);

and (c) employees of the Merchant Marine or Public Health

Service. There may also be a tendency for persons to

erroneously round up months to the nearest year in

question 17c (for example, persons with 1 year 8 months

of active duty military service may mistakenly report ‘‘2

years’’).

Comparability—Since census data on veterans were

based on self-reported responses, they may differ from

data from other sources such as administrative records of

the Department of Defense. Census data may also differ

from Veterans Administration data on the benefits-eligible

population, since factors determining eligibility for veterans

benefits differ from the rules for classifying veterans in the

census.

The wording of the question on veteran status (17a) for

1990 was expanded from the veteran/ not veteran question in 1980 to include questions on current active duty

status and service in the military Reserves and the National

Guard. The expansion was intended to clarify the appropriate response for persons in the Armed Forces and for

persons who served in the National Guard or military

Reserve units only. For the first time in a census, service

during World War II as a Merchant Marine Seaman was

considered active-duty military service and persons with

such service were counted as veterans. An additional

period of military service, ‘‘September 1980 or later’’ was

added in 1990. As in 1970 and 1980, persons reporting

more than one period of service are shown in the most

recent wartime period of service category. Question 17c

(Years of Military Service) was new for 1990.

WORK DISABILITY STATUS

The data on work disability were derived from answers

to questionnaire item 18, which was asked of a sample of

persons 15 years old and over. Persons were identified as

having a work disability if they had a health condition that

had lasted for 6 or more months and which limited the kind

or amount of work they could do at a job or business. A

person was limited in the kind of work he or she could do

if the person had a health condition which restricted his or

her choice of jobs. A person was limited in the amount of

work if he or she was not able to work full-time. Persons

with a work disability were further classified as ‘‘Prevented

from working’’ or ‘‘Not prevented from working.’’

The term ‘‘health condition’’ referred to both physical

and mental conditions. A temporary health problem, such

as a broken bone that was expected to heal normally, was

not considered a health condition.

Comparability—The wording of the question on work

disability was the same in 1990 as in 1980. Information on

work disability was first collected in 1970. In that census,

the work disability question did not contain a clause

restricting the definition of disability to limitations caused

by a health condition that had lasted 6 or more months;

however, it did contain a separate question about the

duration of the disability.

WORK STATUS IN 1989

The data on work status in 1989 were derived from

answers to questionnaire item 31, which was asked of a

sample of persons. Persons 16 years old and over who

worked 1 or more weeks according to the criteria described

below are classified as ‘‘Worked in 1989.’’ All other

persons 16 years old and over are classified as ‘‘Did not

work in 1989.’’ Some tabulations showing work status in

1989 include 15 year olds; these persons, by definition, are

classified as ‘‘Did not work in 1989.’’

Weeks Worked in 1989

The data on weeks worked in 1989 were derived from

responses to questionnaire item 31b. Question 31b (Weeks

Worked in 1989) was asked of persons 16 years old and

over who indicated in question 31a that they worked in

1989.

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The data pertain to the number of weeks during 1989 in

which a person did any work for pay or profit (including paid

vacation and paid sick leave) or worked without pay on a

family farm or in a family business. Weeks of active service

in the Armed Forces are also included.

Usual Hours Worked Per Week Worked in 1989

The data on usual hours worked per week worked in

1989 were derived from answers to questionnaire item

31c. This question was asked of persons 16 years old and

over who indicated that they worked in 1989.

The data pertain to the number of hours a person

usually worked during the weeks worked in 1989. The

respondent was to report the number of hours worked per

week in the majority of the weeks he or she worked in

1989. If the hours worked per week varied considerably

during 1989, the respondent was to report an approximate

average of the hours worked per week. The statistics on

usual hours worked per week in 1989 are not necessarily

related to the data on actual hours worked during the

census reference week (question 21b).

Persons 16 years old and over who reported that they

usually worked 35 or more hours each week during the

weeks they worked are classified as ‘‘Usually worked full

time;’’ persons who reported that they usually worked 1 to

34 hours are classified as ‘‘Usually worked part time.’’

Year-Round Full-Time Workers—All persons 16 years

old and over who usually worked 35 hours or more per

week for 50 to 52 weeks in 1989.

Number of Workers in Family in 1989—The term ‘‘worker’’

as used for these data is defined based on the criteria for

Work Status in 1989.

Limitation of the Data—It is probable that the number of

persons who worked in 1989 and the number of weeks

worked are understated since there was some tendency

for respondents to forget intermittent or short periods of

employment or to exclude weeks worked without pay.

There may also be a tendency for persons not to include

weeks of paid vacation among their weeks worked; one

result may be that the census figures may understate the

number of persons who worked ‘‘50 to 52 weeks.’’

Comparability—The data on weeks worked collected in

the 1990 census were comparable with data from the

1980, 1970, and 1960 censuses, but may not be entirely

comparable with data from the 1940 and 1950 censuses.

Since the 1960 census, two separate questions have been

used to obtain this information. The first identified persons

with any work experience during the year and, thus,

indicated those persons for whom the questions on number of weeks worked applied. In 1940 and 1950, however,

the questionnaires contained only a single question on

number of weeks worked.

In 1970, persons responded to the question on weeks

worked by indicating one of six weeks-worked intervals. In

1980 and 1990, persons were asked to enter the specific

number of weeks they worked.

YEAR OF ENTRY

The data on year of entry were derived from answers to

questionnaire item 10, which was asked of a sample of

persons. The question, ‘‘When did this person come to the

United States to stay?’’ was asked of persons who indicated in the question on citizenship that they were not born

in the United States. (For more information, see the

discussion under ‘‘Citizenship.’’)

The 1990 census questions, tabulations, and census

data products about citizenship and year of entry include

no reference to immigration. All persons who were born

and resided outside the United States before becoming

residents of the United States have a date of entry. Some

of these persons are U.S. citizens by birth (e.g., persons

born in Puerto Rico or born abroad of American parents).

To avoid any possible confusion concerning the date of

entry of persons who are U.S. citizens by birth, the term,

‘‘year of entry’’ is used in this report instead of the term

‘‘year of immigration.’’

Limitation of the Data—The census questions on nativity,

citizenship, and year of entry were not designed to measure the degree of permanence of residence in the United

States. The phrase, ‘‘to stay’’ was used to obtain the year

in which the person became a resident of the United

States. Although the respondent was directed to indicate

the year he or she entered the country ‘‘to stay,’’ it was

difficult to ensure that respondents interpreted the phrase

correctly.

Comparability—A question on year of entry, (alternately

called ‘‘year of immigration’’) was asked in each decennial

census from 1890 to 1930, 1970, and 1980. In 1980, the

question on year of entry included six arrival time intervals.

The number of arrival intervals was expanded to ten in

1990. In 1980, the question on year of entry was asked

only of the foreign-born population. In 1990, all persons

who responded to the long-form questionnaire and were

not born in the United States were to complete the

question on year of entry.

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HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS

LIVING QUARTERS

Living quarters are classified as either housing units or

group quarters. (For more information, see the discussion

of ‘‘Group Quarters’’ under Population Characteristics.)

Usually, living quarters are in structures intended for

residential use (for example, a one-family home, apartment

house, hotel or motel, boarding house, or mobile home).

Living quarters also may be in structures intended for

nonresidential use (for example, the rooms in a warehouse

where a guard lives), as well as in places such as tents,

vans, shelters for the homeless, dormitories, barracks, and

old railroad cars.

Housing Units—A housing unit is a house, an apartment,

a mobile home or trailer, a group of rooms or a single room

occupied as separate living quarters or, if vacant, intended

for occupancy as separate living quarters. Separate living

quarters are those in which the occupants live and eat

separately from any other persons in the building and

which have direct access from outside the building or

through a common hall.

The occupants may be a single family, one person living

alone, two or more families living together, or any other

group of related or unrelated persons who share living

arrangements. For vacant units, the criteria of separateness and direct access are applied to the intended occupants whenever possible. If that information cannot be

obtained, the criteria are applied to the previous occupants.

Both occupied and vacant housing units are included in

the housing unit inventory, except that recreational vehicles, boats, vans, tents, railroad cars, and the like are

included only if they are occupied as someone’s usual

place of residence. Vacant mobile homes are included

provided they are intended for occupancy on the site

where they stand. Vacant mobile homes on dealers’ sales

lots, at the factory, or in storage yards are excluded from

the housing inventory.

If the living quarters contains nine or more persons

unrelated to the householder or person in charge (a total of

at least 10 unrelated persons), it is classified as group

quarters. If the living quarters contains eight or fewer

persons unrelated to the householder or person in charge,

it is classified as a housing unit.

Occupied Housing Units—A housing unit is classified as

occupied if it is the usual place of residence of the person

or group of persons living in it at the time of enumeration,

or if the occupants are only temporarily absent; that is,

away on vacation or business. If all the persons staying in

the unit at the time of the census have their usual place of

residence elsewhere, the unit is classified as vacant. A

household includes all the persons who occupy a housing

unit as their usual place of residence. By definition, the

count of occupied housing units for 100-percent tabulations is the same as the count of households or householders. In sample tabulations, the counts of household

and occupied housing units may vary slightly because of

different sample weighting methods.

Vacant Housing Units—A housing unit is vacant if no one

is living in it at the time of enumeration, unless its occupants are only temporarily absent. Units temporarily occupied at the time of enumeration entirely by persons who

have a usual residence elsewhere also are classified as

vacant. (For more information, see discussion under ‘‘Usual

Home Elsewhere.’’)

New units not yet occupied are classified as vacant

housing units if construction has reached a point where all

exterior windows and doors are installed and final usable

floors are in place. Vacant units are excluded if they are

open to the elements; that is, the roof, walls, windows,

and/ or doors no longer protect the interior from the

elements, or if there is positive evidence (such as a sign on

the house or in the block) that the unit is condemned or is

to be demolished. Also excluded are quarters being used

entirely for nonresidential purposes, such as a store or an

office, or quarters used for the storage of business supplies or inventory, machinery, or agricultural products.

Hotels, Motels, Rooming Houses, Etc.—Occupied rooms

or suites of rooms in hotels, motels, and similar places are

classified as housing units only when occupied by permanent residents; that is, persons who consider the hotel as

their usual place of residence or have no usual place of

residence elsewhere. Vacant rooms or suites of rooms are

classified as housing units only in those hotels, motels, and

similar places in which 75 percent or more of the accommodations are occupied by permanent residents.

If any of the occupants in a rooming or boarding house

live and eat separately from others in the building and have

direct access, their quarters are classified as separate

housing units.

Staff Living Quarters—The living quarters occupied by

staff personnel within any group quarters are separate

housing units if they satisfy the housing unit criteria of

separateness and direct access; otherwise, they are considered group quarters.

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Comparability—The first Census of Housing in 1940

established the ‘‘dwelling unit’’ concept. Although the term

became ‘‘housing unit’’ and the definition has been modified slightly in succeeding censuses, the 1990 definition is

essentially comparable to previous censuses. There was

no change in the housing unit definition between 1980 and

1990.

ACREAGE

The data on acreage were obtained from questionnaire

items H5a and H19a. Question H5a was asked at all

occupied and vacant one-family houses and mobile homes.

Question H19a was asked on a sample basis at occupied

and vacant one-family houses and mobile homes.

Question H5a asks whether the house or mobile home

is located on a place of 10 or more acres. The intent of this

item is to exclude owner-occupied and renter-occupied

one-family houses on 10 or more acres from the specified

owner- and renter-occupied universes for value and rent

tabulations.

Question H19a provides data on whether the unit is

located on less than 1 acre. The main purpose of this item,

in conjunction with question H19b on agricultural sales, is

to identify farm units. (For more information, see discussion under ‘‘Farm Residence.’’)

For both items, the land may consist of more than one

tract or plot. These tracts or plots are usually adjoining;

however, they may be separated by a road, creek, another

piece of land, etc.

Comparability—Question H5a is similar to that asked in

1970 and 1980. This item was asked for the first time of

mobile home occupants in 1990. Question H19a is an

abbreviated form of a question asked on a sample basis in

1980. In previous censuses, information on city or suburban lot and number of acres was obtained also.

AGRICULTURAL SALES

Data on the sales of agricultural crops were obtained

from questionnaire item H19b, which was asked on a

sample basis at occupied one-family houses and mobile

homes located on lots of 1 acre or more. Data for this item

exclude units on lots of less than 1 acre, units located in

structures containing 2 or more units, and all vacant units.

This item refers to the total amount (before taxes and

expenses) received in 1989 from the sale of crops, vegetables, fruits, nuts, livestock and livestock products, and

nursery and forest products, produced on ‘‘this property.’’

Respondents new to a unit were asked to estimate total

agricultural sales in 1989 even if some portion of the sales

had been made by other occupants of the unit.

This item is used mainly to classify housing units as farm

or nonfarm residences, not to provide detailed information

on the sale of agricultural products. Detailed information

on the sale of agricultural products is provided by the

Census Bureau’s Census of Agriculture (Factfinder for the

Nation: Agricultural Statistics, Bureau of the Census, 1989).

(For more information, see the discussion under ‘‘Farm

Residence.’’)

BEDROOMS

The data on bedrooms were obtained from questionnaire item H9, which was asked at both occupied and

vacant housing units. This item was asked on a sample

basis. The number of bedrooms is the count of rooms

designed to be used as bedrooms; that is, the number of

rooms that would be listed as bedrooms if the house or

apartment were on the market for sale or for rent. Included

are all rooms intended to be used as bedrooms even if

they currently are being used for some other purpose. A

housing unit consisting of only one room, such as a

one-room efficiency apartment, is classified, by definition,

as having no bedroom.

Comparability—Data on bedrooms have been collected

in every census since 1960. In 1970 and 1980, data for

bedrooms were shown only for year-round units. In past

censuses, a room was defined as a bedroom if it was used

mainly for sleeping even if also used for other purposes.

Rooms that were designed to be used as bedrooms but

used mainly for other purposes were not considered to be

bedrooms. A distribution of housing units by number of

bedrooms calculated from data collected in a 1986 test

showed virtually no differences in the two versions except

in the two bedroom category, where the previous ‘‘use’’

definition showed a slightly lower proportion of units.

BOARDED-UP STATUS

Boarded-up status was obtained from questionnaire

item C2 and was determined for all vacant units. Boarded-up

units have windows and doors covered by wood, metal, or

masonry to protect the interior and to prevent entry into the

building. A single-unit structure, a unit in a multi-unit

structure, or an entire multi-unit structure may be boarded-up

in this way. For certain census data products, boarded-up

units are shown only for units in the ‘‘Other vacant’’

category. A unit classified as ‘‘Usual home elsewhere’’ can

never be boarded up. (For more information, see the

discussion under ‘‘Usual Home Elsewhere.’’)

Comparability—This item was first asked in the 1980

census and was shown only for year-round vacant housing

units. In 1990, data are shown for all vacant housing units.

BUSINESS ON PROPERTY

The data for business on property were obtained from

questionnaire item H5b, which was asked at all occupied

and vacant one-family houses and mobile homes. This

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question is used to exclude owner-occupied one-family

houses with business or medical offices on the property

from certain statistics on financial characteristics.

A business must be easily recognizable from the outside. It usually will have a separate outside entrance and

have the appearance of a business, such as a grocery

store, restaurant, or barber shop. It may be either attached

to the house or mobile home or be located elsewhere on

the property. Those housing units in which a room is used

for business or professional purposes and have no recognizable alterations to the outside are not considered as

having a business. Medical offices are considered

businesses for tabulation purposes.

Comparability—Data on business on property have been

collected since 1940.

CONDOMINIUM FEE

The data on condominium fee were obtained from

questionnaire item H25, which was asked at owner-occupied

condominiums. This item was asked on a sample basis. A

condominium fee normally is charged monthly to the

owners of the individual condominium units by the condominium owners association to cover operating, maintenance, administrative, and improvement costs of the common property (grounds, halls, lobby, parking areas, laundry

rooms, swimming pool, etc.) The costs for utilities and/ or

fuels may be included in the condominium fee if the units

do not have separate meters.

Data on condominium fees may include real estate tax

and/ or insurance payments for the common property, but

do not include real estate taxes or fire, hazard, and flood

insurance for the individual unit already reported in questions H21 and H22.

Amounts reported were the regular monthly payment,

even if paid by someone outside the household or remain

unpaid. Costs were estimated as closely as possible when

exact costs were not known.

The data from this item were added to payments for

mortgages (both first and junior mortgages and home

equity loans); real estate taxes; fire, hazard, and flood

insurance payments; and utilities and fuels to derive ‘‘Selected

Monthly Owner Costs’’ and ‘‘Selected Monthly Owner

Costs as a Percentage of Household Income in 1989’’ for

condominium owners.

Comparability—This is a new item in 1990.

CONDOMINIUM STATUS

The data on condominium housing units were obtained

from questionnaire item H18, which was asked on a

sample basis at both occupied and vacant housing units.

Condominium is a type of ownership that enables a person

to own an apartment or house in a development of similarly

owned units and to hold a common or joint ownership in

some or all of the common areas and facilities such as

land, roof, hallways, entrances, elevators, swimming pool,

etc. Condominiums may be single-family houses as well as

units in apartment buildings. A condominium unit need not

be occupied by the owner to be counted as such. A unit

classified as ‘‘mobile home or trailer’’ or ‘‘other’’ (see

discussion under ‘‘Units in Structure’’) cannot be a condominium unit.

Limitation of the Data—Testing done prior to the 1980

and 1990 censuses indicated that the number of condominiums may be slightly overstated.

Comparability—In 1970, condominiums were grouped

together with cooperative housing units, and the data were

reported only for owner-occupied cooperatives and condominiums. Beginning in 1980, the census identified all

condominium units and the data were shown for renteroccupied and vacant year-round condominiums as well as

owner occupied. In 1970 and 1980, the question on

condominiums was asked on a 100-percent basis. In 1990,

it was asked on a sample basis.

CONTRACT RENT

The data on contract rent (also referred to as ‘‘rent

asked’’ for vacant units) were obtained from questionnaire

item H7a, which was asked at all occupied housing units

that were rented for cash rent and all vacant housing units

that were for rent at the time of enumeration.

Housing units that are renter occupied without payment

of cash rent are shown separately as ‘‘No cash rent’’ in

census data products. The unit may be owned by friends or

relatives who live elsewhere and who allow occupancy

without charge. Rent-free houses or apartments may be

provided to compensate caretakers, ministers, tenant farmers, sharecroppers, or others.

Contract rent is the monthly rent agreed to or contracted for, regardless of any furnishings, utilities, fees,

meals, or services that may be included. For vacant units,

it is the monthly rent asked for the rental unit at the time of

enumeration.

If the contract rent includes rent for a business unit or

for living quarters occupied by another household, the

respondent was instructed to report that part of the rent

estimated to be for his or her unit only. Respondents were

asked to report rent only for the housing unit enumerated

and to exclude any rent paid for additional units or for

business premises.

If a renter pays rent to the owner of a condominium or

cooperative, and the condominium fee or cooperative

carrying charge is also paid by the renter to the owner, the

respondent was instructed to include the fee or carrying

charge.

If a renter receives payments from lodgers or roomers

who are listed as members of the household, the respondent was instructed to report the rent without deduction for

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any payments received from the lodgers or roomers. The

respondent was instructed to report the rent agreed to or

contracted for even if paid by someone else such as

friends or relatives living elsewhere, or a church or welfare

agency.

In some tabulations, contract rent is presented for all

renter-occupied housing units, as well as specified renteroccupied and vacant-for-rent units. Specified renter-occupied

and specified vacant-for-rent units exclude one-family houses

on 10 or more acres. (For more information on rent, see

the discussion under ‘‘Gross Rent.’’)

Median and Quartile Contract Rent—The median divides

the rent distribution into two equal parts. Quartiles divide

the rent distribution into four equal parts. In computing

median and quartile contract rent, units reported as ‘‘No

cash rent’’ are excluded. Median and quartile rent calculations are rounded to the nearest whole dollar. (For more

information on medians and quartiles, see the definitions

under ‘‘Technical Terms.’’)

Aggregate Contract Rent—To calculate aggregate contract rent, the amount assigned for the category ‘‘Less

than $80’’ is $50. The amount assigned to the category

‘‘$1,000 or more’’ is $1,250. Mean contract rent is rounded

to the nearest whole dollar. (For more information on

aggregates and means, see the definitions under ‘‘Technical Terms.’’)

Limitation of the Data—In the 1970 and 1980 censuses,

contract rent for vacant units had high allocation rates,

about 35 percent.

Comparability—Data on this item have been collected

since 1930. For 1990, quartiles were added because the

range of rents and values in the United States has

increased in recent years. Upper and lower quartiles can

be used to note large rent and value differences among

various geographic areas.

DURATION OF VACANCY

The data for duration of vacancy (also referred to as

‘‘months vacant’’) were obtained from questionnaire item

D, which was completed by census enumerators. The

statistics on duration of vacancy refer to the length of time

(in months and years) between the date the last occupants

moved from the unit and the time of enumeration. The

data, therefore, do not provide a direct measure of the total

length of time units remain vacant.

For newly constructed units which have never been

occupied, the duration of vacancy is counted from the date

construction was completed. For recently converted or

merged units, the time is reported from the date conversion or merger was completed. Units occupied by an entire

household with a usual home elsewhere are assigned to

the ‘‘Less than 1 month’’ interval.

Comparability—Similar data have been collected since

1960. In 1970 and 1980, these data were shown only for

year-round vacant housing units. In 1990, these data are

shown for all vacant housing units.

FARM RESIDENCE

The data on farm residence were obtained from questionnaire items H19a and H19b. An occupied one-family

house or mobile home is classified as a farm residence if:

(1) the housing unit is located on a property of 1 acre or

more, and (2) at least $1,000 worth of agricultural products

were sold from the property in 1989. Group quarters and

housing units that are in multi-unit buildings or vacant are

not included as farm residences.

A one-family unit occupied by a tenant household

paying cash rent for land and buildings is enumerated as a

farm residence only if sales of agricultural products from its

yard (as opposed to the general property on which it is

located) amounted to at least $1,000 in 1989. A one-family

unit occupied by a tenant household that does not pay

cash rent is enumerated as a farm residence if the

remainder of the farm (including its yard) qualifies as a

farm.

Farm residence is provided as an independent data item

only for housing units located in rural areas. It may be

derived for housing units in urban areas from the data

items on acreage and sales of agricultural products on the

public-use microdata sample (PUMS) files. (For more

information on PUMS, see Appendix F, Data Products and

User Assistance, in 1990 census reports and technical

documentation.)

The farm population consists of persons in households

living in farm residences. Some persons who are counted

on a property classified as a farm (including in some cases

farm workers) are excluded from the farm population. Such

persons include those who reside in multi-unit buildings or

group quarters.

Comparability—These are the same criteria that were

used to define a farm residence in 1980. In 1960 and 1970,

a farm was defined as a place of 10 or more acres with at

least $50 worth of agricultural sales or a place of less than

10 acres with at least $250 worth of agricultural sales.

Earlier censuses used other definitions. Note that the

definition of a farm residence differs from the definition of

a farm in the Census of Agriculture (Factfinder for the

Nation: Agricultural Statistics, Bureau of the Census, 1989).

GROSS RENT

Gross rent is the contract rent plus the estimated

average monthly cost of utilities (electricity, gas, and

water) and fuels (oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.) if these

are paid for by the renter (or paid for the renter by

someone else). Gross rent is intended to eliminate differentials which result from varying practices with respect to

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the inclusion of utilities and fuels as part of the rental

payment. The estimated costs of utilities and fuels are

reported on a yearly basis but are converted to monthly

figures for the tabulations. Renter units occupied without

payment of cash rent are shown separately as ‘‘No cash

rent’’ in the tabulations. Gross rent is calculated on a

sample basis.

Comparability—Data on gross rent have been collected

since 1940 for renter-occupied housing units. In 1980,

costs for electricity and gas were collected as average

monthly costs. In 1990, all utility and fuel costs were

collected as yearly costs and divided by 12 to provide an

average monthly cost.

GROSS RENT AS A PERCENTAGE OF

HOUSEHOLD INCOME IN 1989

Gross rent as a percentage of household income in

1989 is a computed ratio of monthly gross rent to monthly

household income (total household income in 1989 divided

by 12). The ratio was computed separately for each unit

and was rounded to the nearest whole percentage. Units

for which no cash rent is paid and units occupied by

households that reported no income or a net loss in 1989

comprise the category ‘‘Not computed.’’ This item is

calculated on a sample basis.

HOUSE HEATING FUEL

The data on house heating fuel were obtained from

questionnaire item H14, which was asked at occupied

housing units. This item was asked on a sample basis. The

data show the type of fuel used most to heat the house or

apartment.

Utility Gas—Includes gas piped through underground

pipes from a central system to serve the neighborhood.

Bottled, Tank, or LP Gas—Includes liquid propane gas

stored in bottles or tanks which are refilled or exchanged

when empty.

Fuel Oil, Kerosene, Etc.—Includes fuel oil, kerosene,

gasoline, alcohol, and other combustible liquids.

Wood—Includes purchased wood, wood cut by household

members on their property or elsewhere, driftwood, sawmill or construction scraps, or the like.

Solar Energy—Includes heat provided by sunlight which is

collected, stored, and actively distributed to most of the

rooms.

Other Fuel—Includes all other fuels not specified elsewhere.

No Fuel Used—Includes units that do not use any fuel or

that do not have heating equipment.

Comparability—Data on house heating fuel have been

collected since 1940. The category, ‘‘Solar energy’’ is new

for 1990.

INSURANCE FOR FIRE, HAZARD, AND FLOOD

The data on fire, hazard, and flood insurance were

obtained from questionnaire item H22, which was asked at

a sample of owner-occupied one-family houses, condominiums, and mobile homes. The statistics for this item refer to

the annual premium for fire, hazard, and flood insurance on

the property (land and buildings); that is, policies that

protect the property and its contents against loss due to

damage by fire, lightning, winds, hail, flood, explosion, and

so on.

Liability policies are included only if they are paid with

the fire, hazard, and flood insurance premiums and the

amounts for fire, hazard, and flood cannot be separated.

Premiums are included even if paid by someone outside

the household or remain unpaid. When premiums are paid

on other than a yearly basis, the premiums are converted

to a yearly basis.

The payment for fire, hazard, and flood insurance is

added to payments for real estate taxes, utilities, fuels, and

mortgages (both first and junior mortgages and home

equity loans) to derive ‘‘Selected Monthly Owner Costs’’

and ‘‘Selected Monthly Owner Costs as a Percentage of

Household Income in 1989.’’

A separate question (H23d) determines whether insurance premiums are included in the mortgage payment to

the lender(s). This makes it possible to avoid counting

these premiums twice in the computations.

Comparability—Data on payment for fire and hazard

insurance were collected for the first time in 1980. Flood

insurance was not specifically mentioned in the wording of

the question in 1980. The question was asked only at

owner-occupied one-family houses. Excluded were mobile

homes, condominiums, houses with a business or medical

office on the property, houses on 10 or more acres, and

housing units in multi-unit buildings. In 1990, the question

was asked of all one-family owner-occupied houses, including houses on 10 or more acres. It also was asked at

mobile homes, condominiums, and one-family houses with

a business or medical office on the property.

KITCHEN FACILITIES

Data on kitchen facilities were obtained from questionnaire item H11, which was asked at both occupied and

vacant housing units. A unit has complete kitchen facilities

when it has all of the following: (1) an installed sink with

piped water, (2) a range, cook top and convection or

microwave oven, or cookstove, and (3) a refrigerator. All

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kitchen facilities must be located in the structure. They

need not be in the same room. Portable cooking equipment is not considered a range or cookstove. An ice box is

not considered to be a refrigerator.

Comparability—Data on complete kitchen facilities were

collected for the first time in 1970. Earlier censuses

collected data on individual components, such as kitchen

sink and type of refrigeration equipment. In 1970 and 1980,

data for kitchen facilities were shown only for year-round

units. In 1990, data are shown for all housing units.

MEALS INCLUDED IN RENT

The data on meals included in the rent were obtained

from questionnaire item H7b, which was asked of all

occupied housing units that were rented for cash and all

vacant housing units that were for rent at the time of

enumeration.

The statistics on meals included in rent are presented

for specified renter-occupied and specified vacant-for-rent

units. Specified renter-occupied and specified vacant-forrent units exclude one-family houses on 10 or more acres.

(For more information, see the discussion under ‘‘Contract

Rent.’’)

Comparability—This is a new item in 1990. It is intended

to measure ‘‘congregate’’ housing, which generally is

considered to be housing units where the rent includes

meals and other services, such as transportation to shopping and recreation.

MOBILE HOME COSTS

The data on mobile home costs were obtained from

questionnaire item H26, which was asked at owner-occupied

mobile homes. This item was asked on a sample basis.

These data include the total yearly costs for personal

property taxes, land or site rent, registration fees, and

license fees on all owner-occupied mobile homes. The

instructions are to not include real estate taxes already

reported in question H21.

Costs are estimated as closely as possible when exact

costs are not known. Amounts are the total for an entire

12-month billing period, even if they are paid by someone

outside the household or remain unpaid.

The data from this item are added to payments for

mortgages, real estate taxes, fire, hazard, and flood insurance payments, utilities, and fuels to derive selected

monthly owner costs for mobile homes owners.

Comparability—This item is new for 1990.

MORTGAGE PAYMENT

The data on mortgage payment were obtained from

questionnaire item H23b, which was asked at owner

occupied one-family houses, condominiums, and mobile

homes. This item was asked on a sample basis. Question

H23b provides the regular monthly amount required to be

paid the lender for the first mortgage (deed of trust,

contract to purchase, or similar debt) on the property.

Amounts are included even if the payments are delinquent

or paid by someone else. The amounts reported are

included in the computation of ‘‘Selected Monthly Owner

Costs’’ and ‘‘Selected Monthly Owner Costs as a Percentage of Household Income in 1989’’ for units with a

mortgage.

The amounts reported include everything paid to the

lender including principal and interest payments, real estate

taxes, fire, hazard, and flood insurance payments, and

mortgage insurance premiums. Separate questions determine whether real estate taxes and fire, hazard, and flood

insurance payments are included in the mortgage payment

to the lender. This makes it possible to avoid counting

these components twice in the computation of ‘‘Selected

Monthly Owner Costs.’’

Comparability—Information on mortgage payment was

collected for the first time in 1980. It was collected only at

owner-occupied one-family houses. Excluded were mobile

homes, condominiums, houses with a business or medical

office on the property, one-family houses on 10 or more

acres, and housing units in multi-unit buildings. In 1990, the

questions on monthly mortgage payments were asked of

all owner-occupied one-family houses, including one-family

houses on 10 or more acres. They were also asked at

mobile homes, condominiums, and one-family houses with

a business or medical office.

The 1980 census obtained total regular monthly mortgage payments, including payments on second or junior

mortgages, from a single question. Two questions were

used in 1990; one for regular monthly payments on first

mortgages, and one for regular monthly payments on

second or junior mortgages or home equity loans. (For

more information, see the discussion under ‘‘Second or

Junior Mortgage Payment.’’)

MORTGAGE STATUS

The data on mortgage status were obtained from questionnaire items H23a and H24a, which were asked at

owner-occupied one-family houses, condominiums, and

mobile homes. ‘‘Mortgage’’ refers to all forms of debt

where the property is pledged as security for repayment of

the debt. It includes such debt instruments as deeds of

trust, trust deeds, contracts to purchase, land contracts,

junior mortgages and home equity loans.

A mortgage is considered a first mortgage if it has prior

claim over any other mortgage or if it is the only mortgage

on the property. All other mortgages, (second, third, etc.)

are considered junior mortgages. A home equity loan is

generally a junior mortgage. If no first mortgage is reported,

but a junior mortgage or home equity loan is reported, then

the loan is considered a first mortgage.

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In most census data products, the tabulations for ‘‘Selected

Monthly Owner Costs’’ and ‘‘Selected Monthly Owner

Costs as a Percentage of Household Income in 1989’’

usually are shown separately for units ‘‘with a mortgage’’

and for units ‘‘not mortgaged.’’ The category ‘‘not mortgaged’’ is comprised of housing units owned free and clear

of debt.

Comparability—A question on mortgage status was included

in the 1940 and 1950 censuses, but not in the 1960 and

1970 censuses. The item was reinstated in 1980 along

with a separate question dealing with the existence of

second or junior mortgages. In 1980, the mortgage status

questions were asked at owner-occupied one-family houses

on less than 10 acres. Excluded were mobile homes,

condominiums, houses with a business or medical office,

houses on 10 or more acres, and housing units in multi-unit

buildings. In 1990, the questions were asked of all onefamily owner-occupied housing units, including houses on

10 or more acres. They were also asked at mobile homes,

condominiums, and houses with a business or medical

office.

PERSONS IN UNIT

This item is based on the 100-percent count of persons

in occupied housing units. All persons occupying the

housing unit are counted, including the householder, occupants related to the householder, and lodgers, roomers,

boarders, and so forth.

The data on ‘‘persons in unit’’ show the number of

housing units occupied by the specified number of persons. The phrase ‘‘persons in unit’’ is used for housing

tabulations, ‘‘persons in households’’ for population items.

Figures for ‘‘persons in unit’’ match those for ‘‘persons in

household’’ for 100-percent data products. In sample

products, they may differ because of the weighting

process.

Median Persons in Unit—In computing median persons

in unit, a whole number is used as the midpoint of an

interval; thus, a unit with 4 persons is treated as an interval

ranging from 3.5 to 4.5 persons. Median persons is rounded

to the nearest hundredth. (For more information on medians, see the definition under ‘‘Technical Terms.’’)

Persons in Occupied Housing Units—This is the total

population minus those persons living in group quarters.

‘‘Persons per occupied housing unit’’ is computed by

dividing the population living in housing units by the

number of occupied housing units.

PERSONS PER ROOM

‘‘Persons per room’’ is obtained by dividing the number

of persons in each occupied housing unit by the number of

rooms in the unit. Persons per room is rounded to the

nearest hundredth. The figures shown refer, therefore, to

the number of occupied housing units having the specified

ratio of persons per room.

Mean Persons Per Room—This is computed by dividing

persons in housing units by the aggregate number of

rooms. This is intended to provide a measure of utilization.

A higher mean may indicate a greater degree of utilization

or crowding; a low mean may indicate under-utilization.

(For more information on means, see the definition under

‘‘Technical Terms.’’)

PLUMBING FACILITIES

The data on plumbing facilities were obtained from

questionnaire item H10, which was asked at both occupied

and vacant housing units. This item was asked on a

sample basis. Complete plumbing facilities include hot and

cold piped water, a flush toilet, and a bathtub or shower. All

three facilities must be located inside the house, apartment, or mobile home, but not necessarily in the same

room. Housing units are classified as lacking complete

plumbing facilities when any of the three facilities are not

present.

Comparability—The 1990 data on complete plumbing

facilities are not strictly comparable with the 1980 data. In

1980, complete plumbing facilities were defined as hot and

cold piped water, a bathtub or shower, and a flush toilet in

the housing unit for the exclusive use of the residents of

that unit. In 1990, the Census Bureau dropped the requirement of exclusive use from the definition of complete

plumbing facilities. Of the 2.3 million year-round housing

units classified in 1980 as lacking complete plumbing for

exclusive use, approximately 25 percent of these units had

complete plumbing but the facilities were also used by

members of another household. From 1940 to 1970,

separate and more detailed questions were asked on

piped water, bathing, and toilet facilities. In 1970 and 1980,

the data on plumbing facilities were shown only for yearround units.

POVERTY STATUS OF HOUSEHOLDS IN 1989

The data on poverty status of households were derived

from answers to the income questions. The income items

were asked on a sample basis. Households are classified

below the poverty level when the total 1989 income of the

family or of the nonfamily householder is below the appropriate poverty threshold. The income of persons living in

the household who are unrelated to the householder is not

considered when determining the poverty status of a

household, nor does their presence affect the household

size in determining the appropriate poverty threshold. The

poverty thresholds vary depending upon three criteria: size

of family, number of children, and age of the family

householder or unrelated individual for one and twopersons households. (For more information, see the discussion of ‘‘Poverty Status in 1989’’ and ‘‘Income in 1989’’

under Population Characteristics.)

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REAL ESTATE TAXES

The data on real estate taxes were obtained from

questionnaire item H21, which was asked at owner-occupied

one-family houses, condominiums, and mobile homes. The

statistics from this question refer to the total amount of all

real estate taxes on the entire property (land and buildings)

payable in 1989 to all taxing jurisdictions, including special

assessments, school taxes, county taxes, and so forth.

Real estate taxes include State, local, and all other real

estate taxes even if delinquent, unpaid, or paid by someone who is not a member of the household. However,

taxes due from prior years are not included. If taxes are

paid on other than a yearly basis, the payments are

converted to a yearly basis.

The payment for real estate taxes is added to payments

for fire, hazard, and flood insurance; utilities and fuels; and

mortgages (both first and junior mortgages and home

equity loans) to derive ‘‘Selected Monthly Owner Costs’’

and ‘‘Selected Monthly Owner Costs as a Percentage of

Household Income in 1989.’’ A separate question (H23c)

determines whether real estate taxes are included in the

mortgage payment to the lender(s). This makes it possible

to avoid counting taxes twice in the computations.

Comparability—Data for real estate taxes were collected

for the first time in 1980. The question was asked only at

owner-occupied one-family houses. Excluded were mobile

homes or trailers, condominiums, houses with a business

or medical office on the property, houses on 10 or more

acres, and housing units in multi-unit buildings. In 1990, the

question was asked of all one-family owner-occupied

houses, including houses on 10 or more acres. It also was

asked at mobile homes, condominiums, and one-family

houses with a business or medical office on the property.

ROOMS

The data on rooms were obtained from questionnaire

item H3, which was asked at both occupied and vacant

housing units. The statistics on rooms are in terms of the

number of housing units with a specified number of rooms.

The intent of this question is to count the number of whole

rooms used for living purposes.

For each unit, rooms include living rooms, dining rooms,

kitchens, bedrooms, finished recreation rooms, enclosed

porches suitable for year-round use, and lodger’s rooms.

Excluded are strip or pullman kitchens, bathrooms, open

porches, balconies, halls or foyers, half-rooms, utility rooms,

unfinished attics or basements, or other unfinished space

used for storage. A partially divided room is a separate

room only if there is a partition from floor to ceiling, but not

if the partition consists solely of shelves or cabinets.

Median Rooms—This measure divides the room distribution into two equal parts, one-half of the cases falling

below the median number of rooms and one-half above

the median. In computing median rooms, the whole number is used as the midpoint of the interval; thus, the

category ‘‘3 rooms’’ is treated as an interval ranging from

2.5 to 3.5 rooms. Median rooms is rounded to the nearest

tenth. (For more information on medians, see the definition

under ‘‘Technical Terms.’’)

Aggregate Rooms—To calculate aggregate rooms, an

arbitrary value of ‘‘10’’ is assigned to rooms for units falling

within the terminal category, ‘‘9 or more.’’ (For more

information on aggregates and means, see the definitions

under ‘‘Technical Terms.’’)

Comparability—Data on rooms have been collected since

1940. In 1970 and 1980, these data were shown only for

year-round housing units. In 1990, these data are shown

for all housing units.

SECOND OR JUNIOR MORTGAGE PAYMENT

The data on second or junior mortgage payments were

obtained from questionnaire items H24a and H24b, which

were asked at owner-occupied one-family houses, condominiums, and mobile homes. Question H24a asks whether

a second or junior mortgage or a home equity loan exists

on the property. Question H24b provides the regular

monthly amount required to be paid to the lender on all

second or junior mortgages and home equity loans. Amounts

are included even if the payments are delinquent or paid by

someone else. The amounts reported are included in the

computation of ‘‘Selected Monthly Owner Costs’’ and

‘‘Selected Monthly Owner Costs as a Percentage of Household Income in 1989’’ for units with a mortgage.

All mortgages other than first mortgages are classified

as ‘‘junior’’ mortgages. A second mortgage is a junior

mortgage that gives the lender a claim against the property

that is second to the claim of the holder of the first

mortgage. Any other junior mortgage(s) would be subordinate to the second mortgage. A home equity loan is a line

of credit available to the borrower that is secured by real

estate. It may be placed on a property that already has a

first or second mortgage, or it may be placed on a property

that is owned free and clear.

If the respondents answered that no first mortgage

existed, but a second mortgage did (as in the above case

with a home equity loan), a computer edit assigned the unit

a first mortgage and made the first mortgage monthly

payment the amount reported in the second mortgage.

The second mortgage data were then made ‘‘No’’ in

question H24a and blank in question H24b.

Comparability—The 1980 census obtained total regular

monthly mortgage payments, including payments on second or junior mortgages, from one single question. Two

questions were used in 1990: one for regular monthly

payments on first mortgages, and one for regular monthly

payments on second or junior mortgages and home equity

loans.

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SELECTED MONTHLY OWNER COSTS

The data on selected monthly owner costs were obtained

from questionnaire items H20 through H26 for a sample of

owner-occupied one-family houses, condominiums, and

mobile homes. Selected monthly owner costs is the sum of

payments for mortgages, deeds of trust, contracts to

purchase, or similar debts on the property (including

payments for the first mortgage, second or junior mortgages, and home equity loans); real estate taxes; fire,

hazard, and flood insurance on the property; utilities (electricity, gas, and water); and fuels (oil, coal, kerosene, wood,

etc.). It also includes, where appropriate, the monthly

condominium fee for condominiums and mobile home

costs (personal property taxes, site rent, registration fees,

and license fees) for mobile homes.

In certain tabulations, selected monthly owner costs are

presented separately for specified owner-occupied housing units (owner-occupied one-family houses on fewer

than 10 acres without a business or medical office on the

property),owner-occupied condominiums,and owner-occupied

mobile homes. Data usually are shown separately for units

‘‘with a mortgage’’ and for units ‘‘not mortgaged.’’

Median Selected Monthly Owner Costs—This measure

is rounded to the nearest whole dollar.

Comparability—The components of selected monthly owner

costs were collected for the first time in 1980. The 1990

tabulations of selected monthly owner costs for specified

owner-occupied housing units are virtually identical to

1980, the primary difference was the amounts of the first

and second mortgages were collected in separate questions in 1990, while the amounts were collected in a single

question in 1980. The component parts of the item were

tabulated for mobile homes and condominiums for the first

time in 1990.

In 1980, costs for electricity and gas were collected as

average monthly costs. In 1990, all utility and fuel costs

were collected as yearly costs and divided by 12 to provide

an average monthly cost.

SELECTED MONTHLY OWNER COSTS AS A

PERCENTAGE OF HOUSEHOLD INCOME IN

1989

The information on selected monthly owner costs as a

percentage of household income in 1989 is the computed

ratio of selected monthly owner costs to monthly household income in 1989. The ratio was computed separately

for each unit and rounded to the nearest whole percentage. The data are tabulated separately for specified owneroccupied units, condominiums, and mobile homes.

Separate distributions are often shown for units ‘‘with a

mortgage’’ and for units ‘‘not mortgaged.’’ Units occupied

by households reporting no income or a net loss in 1989

are included in the ‘‘not computed’’ category. (For more

information, see the discussion under ‘‘Selected Monthly

Owner Costs.’’)

Comparability—The components of selected monthly owner

costs were collected for the first time in 1980. The tabulations of ‘‘Selected Monthly Owner Costs as a Percentage

of Household Income in 1989’’ for specified owner-occupied

housing units are comparable to 1980.

SEWAGE DISPOSAL

The data on sewage disposal were obtained from

questionnaire item H16, which was asked at both occupied

and vacant housing units. This item was asked on a

sample basis. Housing units are either connected to a

public sewer, to a septic tank or cesspool, or they dispose

of sewage by other means. A public sewer may be

operated by a government body or by a private organization. A housing unit is considered to be connected to a

septic tank or cesspool when the unit is provided with an

underground pit or tank for sewage disposal. The category,

‘‘Other means’’ includes housing units which dispose of

sewage in some other way.

Comparability—Data on sewage disposal have been collected since 1940. In 1970 and 1980, data were shown

only for year-round housing units. In 1990, data are shown

for all housing units.

SOURCE OF WATER

The data on source of water were obtained from questionnaire item H15, which was asked at both occupied and

vacant housing units. Housing units may receive their

water supply from a number of sources. A common source

supplying water to five or more units is classified as a

‘‘Public system or private company.’’ The water may be

supplied by a city, county, water district, water company,

etc., or it may be obtained from a well which supplies water

to five or more housing units. If the water is supplied from

a well serving four or fewer housing units, the units are

classified as having water supplied by either an ‘‘Individual

drilled well’’ or an ‘‘Individual dug well.’’ Drilled wells or

small diameter wells are usually less than 1-1/ 2 feet in

diameter. Dug wells are usually larger than 1-1/ 2 feet wide

and generally hand dug. The category, ‘‘Some other

source’’ includes water obtained from springs, creeks,

rivers, lakes, cisterns, etc.

Comparability—Data on source of water have been collected since 1940. In 1970 and 1980, data were shown

only for year-round housing units. In 1990, data are shown

for all housing units.

TELEPHONE IN HOUSING UNIT

The data on telephones were obtained from questionnaire item H12, which was asked at occupied housing

units. This item was asked on a sample basis. A telephone

must be inside the house or apartment for the unit to be

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classified as having a telephone. Units where the respondent uses a telephone located inside the building but not in

the respondent’s living quarters are classified as having no

telephone.

Comparability—Data on telephones in 1980 are comparable to 1990. The 1960 and 1970 censuses collected data

on telephone availability. A unit was classified as having a

telephone available if there was a telephone number on

which occupants of the unit could be reached. The telephone could have been in another unit, in a common hall,

or outside the building.

TENURE

The data for tenure were obtained from questionnaire

item H4, which was asked at all occupied housing units. All

occupied housing units are classified as either owner

occupied or renter occupied.

Owner Occupied—A housing unit is owner occupied if the

owner or co-owner lives in the unit even if it is mortgaged

or not fully paid for. The owner or co-owner must live in the

unit and usually is the person listed in column 1 of the

questionnaire. The unit is ‘‘Owned by you or someone in

this household with a mortgage or loan’’ if it is being

purchased with a mortgage or some other debt arrangement such as a deed of trust, trust deed, contract to

purchase, land contract, or purchase agreement. The unit

is also considered owned with a mortgage if it is built on

leased land and there is a mortgage on the unit.

A housing unit is ‘‘Owned by you or someone in this

household free and clear (without a mortgage)’’ if there is

no mortgage or other similar debt on the house, apartment,

or mobile home including units built on leased land if the

unit is owned outright without a mortgage. Although owneroccupied units are divided between mortgaged and owned

free and clear on the questionnaire, census data products

containing 100-percent data show only total owner-occupied

counts. More extensive mortgage information was collected on the long-form questionnaire and are shown in

census products containing sample data. (For more information, see the discussion under ‘‘Mortgage Status.’’)

Renter Occupied—All occupied housing units which are

not owner occupied, whether they are rented for cash rent

or occupied without payment of cash rent, are classified as

renter occupied. ‘‘No cash rent’’ units are separately

identified in the rent tabulations. Such units are generally

provided free by friends or relatives or in exchange for

services such as resident manager, caretaker, minister, or

tenant farmer. Housing units on military bases also are

classified in the ‘‘No cash rent’’ category. ‘‘Rented for cash

rent’’ includes units in continuing care, sometimes called

life care arrangements. These arrangements usually involve

a contract between one or more individuals and a health

services provider guaranteeing the individual shelter, usually a house or apartment, and services, such as meals or

transportation to shopping or recreation.

Comparability—Data on tenure have been collected since

1890. In 1970, the question on tenure also included a

category for condominium and cooperative ownership. In

1980, condominium units and cooperatives were dropped

from the tenure item, and since 1980, only condominium

units are identified in a separate question.

For 1990, the response categories were expanded to

allow the respondent to report whether the unit was owned

with a mortgage or free and clear (without a mortgage).

The distinction between units owned with a mortgage and

units owned free and clear was added in 1990 to improve

the count of owner-occupied units. Research after the

1980 census indicated some respondents did not consider

their units owned if they had a mortgage.

UNITS IN STRUCTURE

The data on units in structure (also referred to as ‘‘type

of structure’’) were obtained from questionnaire item H2,

which was asked at all housing units. A structure is a

separate building that either has open spaces on all sides

or is separated from other structures by dividing walls that

extend from ground to roof. In determining the number of

units in a structure, all housing units, both occupied and

vacant, are counted. Stores and office space are excluded.

The statistics are presented for the number of housing

units in structures of specified type and size, not for the

number of residential buildings.

1-Unit, Detached—This is a 1-unit structure detached

from any other house; that is, with open space on all four

sides. Such structures are considered detached even if

they have an adjoining shed or garage. A one-family house

that contains a business is considered detached as long as

the building has open space on all four sides. Mobile

homes or trailers to which one or more permanent rooms

have been added or built also are included.

1-Unit, Attached—This is a 1-unit structure that has one

or more walls extending from ground to roof separating it

from adjoining structures. In row houses (sometimes called

townhouses), double houses, or houses attached to nonresidential structures, each house is a separate, attached

structure if the dividing or common wall goes from ground

to roof.

2 or More Units—These are units in structures containing

2 or more housing units, further categorized as units in

structures with 2, 3 or 4, 5 to 9, 10 to 19, 20 to 49, and 50

or more units.

Mobile Home or Trailer—Both occupied and vacant

mobile homes to which no permanent rooms have been

added are counted in this category. Mobile homes or

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trailers used only for business purposes or for extra

sleeping space and mobile homes or trailers for sale on a

dealer’s lot, at the factory, or in storage are not counted in

the housing inventory.

Other—This category is for any living quarters occupied as

a housing unit that does not fit the previous categories.

Examples that fit this category are houseboats, railroad

cars, campers, and vans.

Comparability—Data on units in structure have been

collected since 1940 and on mobile homes and trailers

since 1950. In 1970 and 1980, these data were shown only

for year-round housing units. In 1990, these data are

shown for all housing units. In 1980, the data were

collected on a sample basis. The category, ‘‘Boat, tent,

van, etc.’’ was replaced in 1990 by the category ‘‘Other.’’

In some areas, the proportion of units classified as ‘‘Other’’

is far larger than the number of units that were classified as

‘‘Boat, tent, van, etc.’’ in 1980.

USUAL HOME ELSEWHERE

The data for usual home elsewhere are obtained from

questionnaire item B, which was completed by census

employees. A housing unit temporarily occupied at the

time of enumeration entirely by persons with a usual

residence elsewhere is classified as vacant. The occupants are classified as having a ‘‘Usual home elsewhere’’

and are counted at the address of their usual place of

residence. Typical examples are people in a vacation

home, persons renting living quarters temporarily for work,

and migrant workers.

Limitation of the Data—Evidence from previous censuses suggests that in some areas enumerators marked

units as ‘‘vacant—usual home elsewhere’’ when they

should have marked ‘‘vacant—regular.’’

Comparability—Data for usual home elsewhere was tabulated for the first time in 1980.

UTILITIES

The data on utility costs were obtained from questionnaire items H20a through H20d, which were asked of

occupied housing units. These items were asked on a

sample basis.

Questions H20a through H20d asked for the yearly cost

of utilities (electricity, gas, water) and other fuels (oil, coal,

wood, kerosene, etc.). For the tabulations, these yearly

amounts are divided by 12 to derive the average monthly

cost and are then included in the computation of ‘‘Gross

Rent,’’ ‘‘Gross Rent as a Percentage of Household Income

in 1989,’’ ‘‘Selected Monthly Owner Costs,’’ and ‘‘Selected

Monthly Owner Costs as a Percentage of Household

Income in 1989.’’

Costs are recorded if paid by or billed to occupants, a

welfare agency, relatives, or friends. Costs that are paid by

landlords, included in the rent payment, or included in

condominium or cooperative fees are excluded.

Limitation of the Data—Research has shown that respondents tended to overstate their expenses for electricity and

gas when compared to utility company records. There is

some evidence that this overstatement is reduced when

yearly costs are asked rather than monthly costs. Caution

should be exercised in using these data for direct analysis

because costs are not reported for certain kinds of units

such as renter-occupied units with all utilities included in

the rent and owner-occupied condominium units with

utilities included in the condominium fee.

Comparability—The data on utility costs have been collected since 1980 for owner-occupied housing units, and

since 1940 for renter-occupied housing units. In 1980,

costs for electricity and gas were collected as average

monthly costs. In 1990, all utility and fuel costs were

collected as yearly costs and divided by 12 to provide an

average monthly cost.

VACANCY STATUS

The data on vacancy status were obtained from questionnaire item C1, which was completed by census enumerators. Vacancy status and other characteristics of

vacant units were determined by enumerators obtaining

information from landlords, owners, neighbors, rental agents,

and others. Vacant units are subdivided according to their

housing market classification as follows:

For Rent—These are vacant units offered ‘‘for rent,’’ and

vacant units offered either ‘‘for rent’’ or ‘‘for sale.’’

For Sale Only—These are vacant units being offered ‘‘for

sale only,’’ including units in cooperatives and condominium projects if the individual units are offered ‘‘for sale

only.’’

Rented or Sold, Not Occupied—If any money rent has

been paid or agreed upon but the new renter has not

moved in as of the date of enumeration, or if the unit has

recently been sold but the new owner has not yet moved

in, the vacant unit is classified as ‘‘rented or sold, not

occupied.’’

For Seasonal, Recreational, or Occasional Use—These

are vacant units used or intended for use only in certain

seasons or for weekend or other occasional use throughout the year.

Seasonal units include those used for summer or winter

sports or recreation, such as beach cottages and hunting

cabins. Seasonal units also may include quarters for such

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workers as herders and loggers. Interval ownership units,

sometimes called shared-ownership or time-sharing condominiums, also are included here.

For Migrant Workers—These include vacant units intended

for occupancy by migratory workers employed in farm work

during the crop season. (Work in a cannery, a freezer plant,

or a food-processing plant is not farm work.)

Other Vacant—If a vacant unit does not fall into any of the

classifications specified above, it is classified as ‘‘other

vacant.’’ For example, this category includes units held for

occupancy by a caretaker or janitor, and units held for

personal reasons of the owner.

Homeowner Vacancy Rate—This is the percentage relationship between the number of vacant units for sale and

the total homeowner inventory. It is computed by dividing

the number of vacant units for sale only by the sum of the

owner-occupied units and the number of vacant units that

are for sale only.

Rental Vacancy Rate—This is the percentage relationship of the number of vacant units for rent to the total

rental inventory. It is computed by dividing the number of

vacant units for rent by the sum of the renter-occupied

units and the number of vacant units for rent.

Comparability—Data on vacancy status have been collected since 1940. For 1990, the category, ‘‘seasonal/ recreational/ occasional use’’ combined vacant units classified in 1980 as ‘‘seasonal or migratory’’ and ‘‘held for

occasional use.’’ Also, in 1970 and 1980, housing characteristics generally were presented only for year-round

units. In 1990, housing characteristics are shown for all

housing units.

VALUE

The data on value (also referred to as ‘‘price asked’’ for

vacant units) were obtained from questionnaire item H6,

which was asked at housing units that were owned, being

bought, or vacant for sale at the time of enumeration.

Value is the respondent’s estimate of how much the

property (house and lot, mobile home and lot, or condominium unit) would sell for if it were for sale. If the house or

mobile home was owned or being bought, but the land on

which it sits was not, the respondent was asked to

estimate the combined value of the house or mobile home

and the land. For vacant units, value was the price asked

for the property.

Value was tabulated separately for all owner-occupied

and vacant-for-sale housing units, owner-occupied and

vacant-for-sale mobile homes or trailers, and specified

owner-occupied and specified vacant-for-sale housing units.

Specified owner-occupied and specified vacant-for-sale

housing units include only one-family houses on fewer than

10 acres without a business or medical office on the

property. The data for ‘‘specified units’’ exclude mobile

homes, houses with a business or medical office, houses

on 10 or more acres, and housing units in multi-unit

buildings.

Median and Quartile Value—The median divides the

value distribution into two equal parts. Quartiles divide the

value distribution into four equal parts. These measures

are rounded to the nearest hundred dollars. (For more

information on medians and quartiles, see the definitions

under ‘‘Technical Terms.’’)

Aggregate Value—To calculate aggregate value, the amount

assigned for the category ‘‘Less than $10,000’’ is $9,000.

The amount assigned to the category ‘‘$500,000 or more’’

is $600,000. Mean value is rounded to the nearest hundred

dollars. (For more information on aggregates and means,

see the definitions under ‘‘Technical Terms.’’)

Comparability—In 1980, value was asked only at owneroccupied or vacant-for-sale one-family houses on fewer

than 10 acres with no business or medical office on the

property and at all owner-occupied or vacant-for-sale

condominium housing units. Mobile homes were excluded.

Value data were presented for specified owner-occupied

housing units, specified vacant-for-sale-only housing units,

and owner-occupied condominium housing units.

In 1990, the question was asked at all owner-occupied

or vacant-for-sale-only housing units with no exclusions.

Data presented for specified owner-occupied and specified vacant-for-sale-only housing units will include onefamily condominium houses but not condominiums in

multi-unit structures since condominium units are now

identified only in long-form questionnaires.

For 1990, quartiles have been added because the range

of values and rents in the United States has increased in

recent years. Upper and lower quartiles can be used to

note large value and rent differences among various

geographic areas.

VEHICLES AVAILABLE

The data on vehicles available were obtained from

questionnaire item H13, which was asked at occupied

housing units. This item was asked on a sample basis.

These data show the number of households with a specified number of passenger cars, vans, and pickup or panel

trucks of one-ton capacity or less kept at home and

available for the use of household members. Vehicles

rented or leased for one month or more, company vehicles, and police and government vehicles are included if

kept at home and used for nonbusiness purposes. Dismantled or immobile vehicles are excluded. Vehicles kept at

home but used only for business purposes also are

excluded.

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Vehicles Per Household—This is computed by dividing

aggregate vehicles available by the number of occupied

housing units.

Limitation of the Data—The 1980 census evaluations

showed that the number of automobiles was slightly overreported; the number of vans and trucks slightly underreported. The statistics do not measure the number of

vehicles privately owned or the number of households

owning vehicles.

Comparability—Data on automobiles available were collected from 1960 to 1980. In 1980, a separate question

also was asked on the number of trucks and vans. The

data on automobiles and trucks and vans were presented

separately and also as a combined vehicles available

tabulation. The 1990 data are comparable to the 1980

vehicles available tabulations.

YEAR HOUSEHOLDER MOVED INTO UNIT

The data on year householder moved into unit were

obtained from questionnaire item H8, which was asked at

occupied housing units. This item was asked on a sample

basis. These data refer to the year of the latest move by

the householder. If a householder moved back into a

housing unit he or she previously occupied, the year of the

latest move was reported. If the householder moved from

one apartment to another within the same building, the

year the householder moved into the present apartment

was reported. The intent is to establish the year the

present occupancy by the householder began. The year

that the householder moved in is not necessarily the same

year other members of the household moved, although in

the great majority of cases an entire household moves at

the same time.

Comparability—In 1960 and 1970, this question was

asked of every person and included in population reports.

This item in housing tabulations refers to the year the

householder moved in. In 1980 and 1990, the question

was asked only of the householder.

YEAR STRUCTURE BUILT

The data on year structure built were obtained from

questionnaire item H17, which was asked at both occupied

and vacant housing units. This item was asked on a

sample basis. Data on year structure built refer to when the

building was first constructed, not when it was remodeled,

added to, or converted. For housing units under construction that met the housing unit definition—that is, all exterior

windows, doors, and final usable floors were in place—the

category ‘‘1989 or March 1990’’ was used. For a houseboat or a mobile home or trailer, the manufacturer’s model

year was assumed to be the year built. The figures shown

in census data products relate to the number of units built

during the specified periods that were still in existence at

the time of enumeration.

Median Year Structure Built—The median divides the

distribution into two equal parts. The median is rounded to

the nearest calendar year. Median age of housing can be

obtained by subtracting median year structure built from

1990. For example, if the median year structure built is

1957, the median age of housing in that area is 33 years

(1990 minus 1957).

Limitation of the Data—Data on year structure built are

more susceptible to errors of response and nonreporting

than data on many other items because respondents must

rely on their memory or on estimates by persons who have

lived in the neighborhood a long time. Available evidence

indicates there is underreporting in the older-year-structurebuilt categories, especially ‘‘Built in 1939 or earlier.’’ The

introduction of the ‘‘Don’t know’’ category (see the discussion on ‘‘Comparability’’) may have resulted in relatively

higher allocation rates. Data users should refer to the

discussion in Appendix C, Accuracy of the Data,in the 1990

census reports and technical documentation and to the

allocation tables.

Comparability—Data on year structure built were collected for the first time in the 1940 census. Since then, the

response categories have been modified to accommodate

the 10-year period between each census. In 1990, the

category, ‘‘Don’t Know,’’ was added in an effort to minimize the response error mentioned in the paragraph above

on limitation of the data.

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TECHNICAL TERMS

ADDRESS CONTROL FILE (ACF)

The decennial census master address list that uniquely

identifies every collection unit (housing unit and group

quarters) in the census. The geographically structured file

contains about 100 million unit records. It can be used only

by Census Bureau staff because of confidentiality rules.

ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS

Birth, death, tax, and other records created during the

operations of Federal, State, and local government agencies. Such records may have secondary applications for

statistical purposes, as in preparing population estimates

between censuses or evaluating responses to particular

census questions.

AGGREGATE

The sum of the values for each of the elements in the

universe. For example, aggregate household income is the

sum of the incomes of all households in a given geographic area. Aggregates are frequently used in computing

mean values (mean equals aggregate divided by universe

count).

ALLOCATION

The process by which a characteristic (for example,

age, race, or rent) is assigned to a person or housing unit

in the absence of an acceptable entry on the census or

survey questionnaire. The general procedure for inserting

omitted entries or changing unacceptable entries is to

assign an entry for a person that is consistent with other

entries for that person or entries for other persons with

similar characteristics. The procedure is similar for missing

housing entries.

ASCII (AMERICAN STANDARD CODE FOR

INFORMATION INTERCHANGE)

A system of 8-bit codes developed by a committee of

the American National Standards Institute as the standard

code for presenting computerized information to be interchanged with another party. ASCII, along with EBCDIC, is

an optional recording language which can be specified on

9-track tape copies sold by the Census Bureau.

BASIC RECORD TAPE (BRT)

Census Bureau computer tapes containing the records

of edited census information about each housing unit and

each person. Neither names of individuals nor addresses

are included in these records. Basic record tapes are

confidential and access to them is restricted to Census

Bureau personnel for use in developing statistical summaries and public-use microdata.

BIT

A contraction of the term ‘‘binary digit’’; it is the smallest

unit used to represent information in a binary system.

BITS PER INCH (BPI)

A measure of recording density on magnetic tape. Data

tapes available from the Census Bureau are prepared in

densities of 1,600 or 6,250 bits per inch.

BLOCK (COMPUTER)

A set of characters on magnetic tape; i.e., that set of

data which is separated from others by an interblock gap of

.3 to .75 inches and which is read into a computer as a unit;

may be referred to as a physical record or recording block.

Each block may contain one or more logical records or

some fraction of a multiblock logical record.

BLOCK LENGTH

The total number of characters contained in one block

on magnetic tape.

BLOCKING FACTOR

The number of logical records combined into one block.

BOXHEAD

The portion of a statistical table in which are located the

captions for individual columns together with needed classifying and qualifying spanner heads. Spanner heads may

appear across one or more column heads to add further

descriptive captions to the columns.

BYTE

That group of bits normally taken to represent a character in a machine-readable file.

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CELL

In a tabulation, a field containing a single number,

usually a count of some kind of unit, such as persons or

housing units possessing some kind of characteristic (for

example, a certain age or number of rooms). In a statistical

table with rows and columns of numbers, a cell constitutes

the intersection of one row and one column. Sometimes

also termed tally cell or data item.

CENSUS

A survey in which information is collected from every

unit (for example, person, company, or institution) in the

survey universe; in other words, it is a 100-percent sample.

The most widely known census among those conducted

by the Census Bureau is the decennial census of population and housing, which aims to count all persons and

housing units in the United States. In practice, the Census

Bureau also applies the term ‘‘census’’ to a few programs

or surveys that do not involve complete counts of the

entire survey universe (for example, the census of transportation).

COEFFICIENT OF VARIATION (CV)

The ratio of the standard error (square root of the

variance) to the value being estimated, usually expressed

in terms of a percentage (also known as the relative

standard deviation). Thus, if the mean for the earnings of

part time employees (based on sample) was $2,000 and

the standard deviation of that figure was $200, the CV

would be 100 percent. The lower the CV, the higher the

relative reliability of the estimate.

COMPACT DISC–READ-ONLY MEMORY

(CD-ROM)

A laser disc, 4 3/ 4 inches in diameter, with a storage

capacity of about 633 megabytes. It holds the equivalent of

200,000 printed pages, 4 magnetic tapes, or 1,600 diskettes. Information on a CD-ROM cannot be changed; it

can only be ‘‘read’’ by a computer.

COMPUTER OUTPUT MICROFORM (COM)

The transfer of information from a computer to microfilm

or microfiche through an intermediate photographic device

but without intermediate display on paper.

CONFIDENCE INTERVAL

A range of values around an estimate having a known

probability of including the value being estimated, calculated to account for the impact of sampling variability.

Given a particular sampling scheme, if all possible samples

were selected, then a particular estimate (E) will differ from

the average estimate over all possible estimates by no

more than the standard error (s.e.) of the estimate about

two-thirds of the time. Thus, a 2/ 3-percent confidence

interval is defined as the range from E minus 1 s.e. to E

plus 1 s.e. An interval from E minus 2 s.e. to E plus 2 s.e.

constitutes a 95-percent confidence interval. If the standard error of an estimate of 2,000 were 200, then a

95-percent confidence interval would be from 1,600 to

2,400, and the data user could be 95 percent confidence

that the interval included the value being estimated.

CONFIDENTIALITY

In Census Bureau usage, the legal requirement that the

Bureau hold answers to census and survey questions in

strictest confidence and to publish no data which allows

inference of the characteristics of particular persons, housing units, or business establishments or companies. All

Bureau of the Census employees are under oath to comply

with the law guaranteeing confidentiality, Title 13, U.S.

Code.

CONFIDENTIALITY EDIT

The edit consists of two separate procedures. One

procedure, implemented on a sample of individual households from the internal 100-percent data files, matches

household records in different geographic areas using

specified control items. The 100-percent person and housing unit data are interchanged for these household records.

The other procedure, implemented on a subset of individual households from the internal sample data files, blanks

a subset of the sample data items on these household

records. Responses to the data items are imputed using

the same imputation procedures that were used for unanswered data items. For both of these procedures, a larger

subset of households is selected for small areas to provide

greater protection for these areas.

CROSS-TABULATIONS

The interrelation of two or more data characteristics,

where each of the categories of one variable are repeated

for each of the categories of the other variables. A

cross-tabulation is denoted where ‘‘by’’ is used as the

conjunction between variable terms, for example, age by

sex or age by sex by race.

DATA

(1) Two or more individual information elements (data

items), often synonymous with ‘‘statistics’’; (2) a general

term used to denote any or all facts or quantities represented by numbers, letters, or symbols; or (3) basic

elements of information that can be processed or produced by a computer.

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DATA DICTIONARY

The portion of the technical documentation for census

data files that includes information for each data element

in a record, including the data element’s length, number of

implied decimal places, and class (code or numeric). The

data dictionary is designed for use in machine-readable

form as input to a computer program.

DATA ITEM

The number or datum in a cell of a tabulation or table.

DEMOGRAPHIC DATA

Statistics related to the size, density, distribution, social

structure, and related characteristics of human populations. As used at the Census Bureau, ‘‘demographic data’’

often refers to socioeconomic data obtained from censuses and surveys of persons, households, and housing

units, as distinct from ‘‘economic data’’ collected from

business establishments and institutions.

DENSITY (TAPE)

The number of characters or groups of bits recorded on

an inch along the length of tape. Frequently used densities

are 1,600 and 6,250 BPI (bits per inch). A particular

computer tape drive is capable of reading only certain

specified densities on magnetic tape.

EBCDIC (EXTENDED BINARY-CODED DECIMAL

INTERCHANGE CODE)

A character set using 8-bit codes designed for use with

IBM 360/ 370 computers. EBCDIC, along with ASCII, is an

optional recording language which can be specified on

9-track tape copies sold by the Census Bureau.

ECONOMIC CENSUSES

Periodic and comprehensive canvasses of the Nation’s

industrial and business activities. The economic censuses

are authorized by law under Title 13 of the United States

Code, which requires that they be taken at 5-year intervals

covering years ending in ‘‘2’’ and ‘‘7.’’ The 1987 economic

censuses comprised the censuses of retail trade, wholesale trade, service industries, construction industries, manufactures, mineral industries, and transportation; the economic censuses of outlying areas; the enterprise statistics

program; the survey of minority-owned and business enterprises; and the survey of women-owned businesses. The

1992 Economic Censuses also cover communications;

utilities; and the financial, insurance, and real estate industries.

EDITING

The operations in the processing of census or survey

data which involve checking responses for completeness,

consistency and meaning, and making changes as necessary. For example, a computer check verifies that wives

are reported as married.

ENUMERATION

The act of collecting the information in a census; the

counting of all members of a population. A census taker is

called an enumerator.

ESTIMATE

A numeric value obtained from a statistical sample or

calculation scheme.

FIELD

A specified section of a record which is used for a

particular category of information and serves a similar

function in all records of that type in a group of records. For

example, in a record consisting of data for an area and

geographic codes which specify the area, the codes may

comprise a field at the beginning of that record.

FILE

(1) A collection of related logical records in a machinereadable medium; and (2) a collection of many logical

records with common identifying features contained in any

media, for example, computer tape.

FIPS PUB (FEDERAL INFORMATION

PROCESSING STANDARDS PUBLICATION)

National Institute of Standards and Technology publication series that deals with various aspects of informationprocessing standards. FIPS PUB include standards for

codes used to represent States, counties, metropolitan

areas, and places.

FOSDIC (FILM OPTICAL SENSING DEVICE FOR

INPUT TO COMPUTERS)

An optical-sensing system capable of interpreting the

location of filled-in circles on microfilm of a form and

transferring the information into computer-readable form.

FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION

A systematic arrangement of statistical data where the

elements in a universe are divided among the various

values or categories of one or more stratifiers, such that

the cells present the number of elements or their relative

frequency in each of the categories. (Does not include

aggregates, means, medians, ratios, etc.)

GBF/ DIME (GEOGRAPHIC BASE FILE/ DUAL

INDEPENDENT MAP ENCODING)-FILE

A geographic reference file from the 1980 census that

can be used to assign geographic codes to census records

or other records with addresses. The file is a computerized

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representation of much of the geographic information

within the built-up portion of an area. The basic unit of

analysis is the street segment with block-by-block address

ranges, census geographic codes, and x-y coordinate

values for intersections. The GBF/ Dime-File may be purchased from the National Archives and Records Administration, 202-501-5579.

GEOCODING

The assignment of alphanumeric codes representing

geographic entities to an address, establishment, location,

and so forth.

HEADING

The portion of a statistical table appearing above the

body and boxhead. It comprises the table number, title,

area designator, and headnote (if any).

See also: BOXHEAD; STUB

HIERARCHICAL RECORD STRUCTURE

A file structure where there are records of more than

one format present and the records of one format are

interrelated with the records of the other formats. (Files

where all records have the same format are referred to as

rectangular files.)

Example 1: (from STF 2)

Record A, area 1

Record B, area 1, total

Record B, area 1, Race 1

Record B, area 1, Race 2

.

.

.

Record B. area 1, Race n

Record A, area 2

Record B, area 2, total

Record B, area 2, Race 1

Etc.

Example 2: (from public-use microdata)

Household 1 record

Person 1 of household 1

Person 2 of household 1

Household 2 record

Person 1 of household 2

.

.

.

Household 3 record (vacant)

Household 4 record

Person 1 of household 4

Etc.

INTERPOLATION

Interpolation frequently is used in calculating medians

or quartiles based on interval data and in approximating

standard errors from tables. Linear interpolation is used to

estimate values of a function between two known values.

‘‘Pareto interpolation’’ is an alternative to linear interpolation. It is used by the Census Bureau in calculating median

income within intervals wider than $2,500. In Pareto interpolation, the median is derived by interpolating between

the logarithms of the upper and lower income limits of the

median category.

ISO 9660 (INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS

ORGANIZATION)

The standards that specify the volume and file structure

of CD-ROM’s for the interchange of information between

users of information processing systems. All Census Bureau

discs are manufactured according to these specifications,

allowing them to be used on a variety of drives.

LABEL

(1) An identification record for a tape or disc file. (The

Bureau includes IBM 360 and 370 OS labels on user

tapes.) (2) One or more characters used to identify a

statement or an item of data in a computer program.

LOGICAL RECORD

A collection of information relating to a specific unit of

observation. When the unit of observation changes, another

logical record occurs.

Example 1:

Logical record 1—Data for MSA A.

Logical record 2—Data for MSA B.

Example 2:

Logical record 1—Data for total population in county A.

Logical record 2—Data for White population in county A.

Example 3:

Logical record 1—Microdata for household A.

Logical record 2—Microdata for person A1.

Logical record 3—Microdata for person A2.

LONG FORM

A census sample questionnaire containing the questions asked of all households plus the questions asked

only of a sample of households. In 1990, the long form was

distributed to about 17 percent of the housing units. In

governmental units with a population of fewer than 2,500

persons, a sampling rate of 1-in-2 was used. Census tracts

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and block numbering areas (BNA’s) with fewer than 2,000

housing units were sampled at 1-in-6 for those portions not

in governmental units with fewer than 2,500 persons.

Tracts and BNA’s with 2,000 or more housing units were

sampled at 1-in-8 for those portions not in small governmental units. List/ Enumerate areas were sampled at 1-in-6

with the exception of governmental units with fewer than

2,500 persons. Tribal Jurisdiction Statistical Areas, American Indian reservations, and Alaska Native villages were

sampled like all other governmental units with their sampling rates varying according to the size of the Indian and

Alaska Native populations as measured in the 1980 census. All persons in group quarters were sampled at 1-in-6.

MACHINE-READABLE

Capable of being input directly by electronic means to a

computer for further processing. Examples of machinereadable files include files stored on magnetic tape, CD-ROM,

and diskette.

MAGNETIC TAPE

A long strip of mylar plastic coated with ferrous oxide on

which information may be magnetically stored, read, or

erased by the presence or absence of a magnetic charge

at specific locations. When mentioned in census literature,

the reference is to 2,400 foot reels of 1/ 2-inch wide tape

on which data are recorded in digital form at various

densities.

MEAN

This measure represents an arithmetic average of a set

of values. It is derived by dividing the sum of a group of

numerical items (or aggregate) by the total number of

items. Aggregates are used in computing mean values. For

example, mean family income is obtained by dividing the

aggregate of all income reported by persons in families by

the total number of families. (Additional information on

means and aggregates is included in the separate explanations of many population and housing subjects.)

MEDIAN

This measure represents the middle value in a distribution. The median divides the total frequency into two equal

parts: one-half of the cases fall below the median and

one-half of the cases exceed the median. The median is

computed on the basis of the distribution as tabulated,

which is sometimes more detailed than the distribution

shown in specific census publications and other data

products.

In reports, if the median falls within the upper interval of

the tabulation distribution, the median is shown as the

initial value of the interval followed by a plus sign (+ ); if

within the lower interval, the median is shown as the upper

value of the category followed by a minus sign (–). For

summary tape files, if the median falls within the upper or

lower interval, it is set to a specified value. (Additional

information on medians is included in the separate explanations of many population and housing subjects.)

MICRODATA

Unaggregated records for individual respondents or

other reporting units in a census or survey. Because the

Bureau is required by law to maintain the confidentiality of

information which could be associated with a specific

respondent, the original census microdata, i.e., the ‘‘basic

record tapes,’’ may be used only by sworn census employees. On the other hand, under conditions where confidentiality is protected, samples of census microdata may be

released as ‘‘public-use microdata samples.’’

MICROFICHE

A sheet of photographic film, usually about 4 by 6

inches, that stores images of a reduced size in a grid

pattern. All 1990 reports will be available on microfiche.

MICROFILM

A long strip of photographic film, usually 16mm or 35mm

and generally stored on a reel with images arranged

sequentially, used for recording information in a reduced

size. The 1990 census questionnaires were microfilmed for

input to the FOSDIC system.

MICROFORM

A generic term for micro-images on film including both

microfiche and microfilm.

NONSAMPLING ERROR

The error arising at any stage in the data collection and

computer processing operations (of a survey or a census)

from such sources as varying interpretation of questions,

enumeration errors, respondents’ unwillingness or inability

to give correct answers, nonresponse, undercount, machine

error, and other sources exclusive of sampling error.

100-PERCENT DATA

Data collected in the decennial census on a 100-

percent basis from the entire population and all housing

units. Those questions asked of everyone (i.e., those that

appear on both the short and long forms) are known as the

complete-count or 100-percent questions.

The 100-percent data are tabulations of questions that

are based on responses drawn from all questionnaires.

Responses to the 100-percent questions on the long forms

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may be tabulated alone or in cross-classification with

responses to sample questions on the long form. The

resulting figures are sample data; that is, estimates rather

than complete counts.

PERCENTAGES, RATES, AND RATIOS

These measures are frequently presented in census

products to compare two numbers or two sets of measurements. These comparisons are made in two ways: (1)

subtraction, which provides an absolute measure of the

difference between two items, and (2) the quotient of two

numbers, which provides a relative measure of difference.

PERCENTILE

A value on a scale of 100 that indicates the percent of

a distribution that is equal to or below it. For example, if 90

percent of the families in an area have an income of

$35,000 or below and 10 percent have an income above,

then $35,000 is the 90th percentile for the family income

distribution. (The median is the same as the 50th percentile, where 50 percent of the families have an income

above, and 50 percent below a certain amount of money.)

POPULATION

(1) (noun) The number of inhabitants of an area. (2)

(adjective) Referring to data about persons, as in ‘‘population characteristics.’’ (3) (noun) A group of persons,

housing units, or other entities included in a census, or

from which samples are taken for statistical measurements.

PUBLIC-USE MICRODATA SAMPLE

A computerized file consisting of records of the questionnaire or interview responses in a census or survey for

individuals and housing units (with no names, addresses,

or other information that would permit identification), rather

than summary or tabulated statistics for geographic areas.

Users can manipulate the microdata files to prepare tabulations of their own design. In the case of population and

housing, only small samples of the census basic records

are prepared; tabulations of public-use microdata samples

are generally less reliable than published tabulations because

of the smaller sample size.

See also: MICRODATA.

QUARTILE

This measure divides a distribution into four equal parts.

The first quartile (or lower quartile) is the value that defines

the upper limit of the lowest one-quarter of the cases. The

second quartile is the median. The third quartile (or upper

quartile) defines the lower limit of the upper one-quarter of

the cases in the distribution. The difference between the

upper and lower quartiles is called the interquartile range.

This interquartile range is less affected by wide variations

than is the mean. Quartiles are presented for certain

financial characteristics such as housing value and rent.

REAPPORTIONMENT

The reallocation of a fixed number of representatives to

a set of geographic areas. The 435 seats in the U.S. House

of Representatives are reapportioned among the States

on the basis of the population of each State in the most

recent decennial census (as mandated by the Constitution)

using the method of ‘‘equal proportions’’ defined in Federal legislation.

RECODE

A reorganization of responses from the census questionnaire to form a new variable or to put the data into a

more usable form. Family membership, farm status, household income, and poverty status are examples of recodes

that form new variables from one or more items on the

questionnaire. Users of public-use microdata have the

freedom to create their own recodes; for example, valueincome ratio, age of oldest household member, selected

residential energy costs, and age in 5- or 10-year intervals.

RECORD

A collection of related codes and/ or data items treated

as a unit; a complete set of such records may form a file.

See also: BLOCK, LOGICAL RECORD

RECTANGULAR RECORD STRUCTURE

The pattern followed when the record layout is identical

for each record in the file. A schematic of this structure

forms a rectangle.

Example:

Person 1 record

Person 2 record

Person 3 record

See also: HIERARCHICAL RECORD STRUCTURE

SAMPLE DATA

The statistics collected from the part of a population

included in a sample in order to estimate information about

the whole of that population. ‘‘Sample data’’ also is used to

refer to the estimates of the characteristics of the population.

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SAMPLE WEIGHTING

The statistical weight given to the data depending on

the plan used to draw the sample. If half the people are

sampled, then multiplying by 2 would give an estimate for

the total population. The number by which one multiplies

(in this case 2) is the sample weight.

SAMPLING ERROR

That part of the error associated with a statistical

estimate that is due to the fact that only a subset (sample)

of the whole population was observed, as distinct from

errors due to imperfect selection, bias in response or

estimation, errors of observation and recording, etc.

See also: COEFFICIENT OF VARIATION; NONSAMPLING ERROR; STANDARD ERROR

SHORT FORM

A term used for census questionnaires that contain only

the questions asked of all persons and housing units; that

is, the 100-percent or complete-count questions. For the

1990 census, short forms were sent to approximately 83

percent of the population.

See also: LONG FORM

SPECIAL TABULATIONS

Data summaries for subject breakdowns and/ or geographic areas not shown in the reports and summary tape

files that are available for public use. Special tabulations

are performed by the Census Bureau at user request and

expense, and are subject to the same confidentiality

restrictions as other data products available from the

Census Bureau. Resulting data are available to other

users, initially, if they will share the cost of preparation and,

later, for simply the cost of reproduction.

STANDARD ERROR

Primarily a measure of sampling error, it is the square

root of the variance of the given estimate. Tables are

included in most census reports containing sample data

which allows derivation of approximate standard errors for

these data.

STRATIFIER

An attribute of the entities in a ‘‘universe’’ by which they

are distributed into categories, corresponding generally to

a specific question or combination of questions on the

questionnaire. For example, in a table, ‘‘family income’’

might be the stratifier by which counts of families are

distributed into a set of categories, each covering a

particular range of family income.

STUB

Information located on the left side of a statistical table,

devoted to a listing of line or row captions or descriptions,

together with needed headings and subheadings which

classify the line captions.

SUBSTITUTION

The imputation of data for a person or housing unit

known to be present but for which there is no information

on the questionnaire. A previously processed person or

unit is drawn from the file under certain criteria, and the full

set of characteristics for the person or unit is duplicated.

SUMMARY STATISTICS OR SUMMARY DATA

The results of aggregating or summarizing data from

individual units of observation (for example, persons) to

characterize the group of units (for example, the population of a specific area). Summary data may be in the form

of frequency counts (for example, the number of females

between the ages of 16 and 24 in a census tract), or may

be in the form of cross-tabulations or descriptive measures

such as means, medians, percents, or ratios.

SUMMARY TAPE FILE (STF)

A specified set of summary tapes issued from the 1990

census (for example, STF 1A or 2B) containing a broad

range of characteristics of population and housing by area.

The numeric character of the STF designation indicates

the basic series of tapes that share the same subject

matter and format. The alphabetic character identifies a

part containing records for certain types of geographic

entities. For example, ‘‘STF 1’’ refers collectively to all of

its parts—STF 1A, STF 1B, and STF 1C; STF 1A presents

data for BG’s, census tracts/ BNA’s, and certain larger

areas. (Some STF subfiles also are issued on CD-ROM,

diskette, and/ or microfiche.)

SURVEY

A data collection activity involving observations or questionnaires for a sample of a population. (A census is a

100-percent sample survey; it collects information about

every member of a population.) Surveys are normally less

expensive to conduct than censuses; hence, they may be

taken more frequently and can provide an information

update between censuses. Often, they are used to collect

a wider variety of information than is collected in a census.

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TABLE

(1) A systematic arrangement of data presented in rows

and/ or columns with appropriate titles, captions, etc.; and

(2) an arrangement of data items within a logical record in

a summary tape file or other computerized medium, characterized by a common universe.

TABULATION

(1) A table presenting statistics; and (2) the process of

summarizing data.

TAPE CARTRIDGE

A method of storing computer tape. Census Bureau

data files generally are available on tape cartridges (IBM

3480-compatible) for use on mainframe computers, in

addition to being offered on reels of tape.

TECHNICAL DOCUMENTATION

A publication or a section of a publication presenting

detailed and complete information regarding a computer

file. The text generally includes an abstract of the file, and

overview of the statistical program of which the file is a

part, a data dictionary that describes in detail the data that

appear in the file, a glossary of concepts, and a questionnaire facsimile. Technical documentation for files based on

sample data contain a source and reliability statement that

includes a description of the sample design, the weighting

procedures, and a presentation of sampling errors and/ or

a description of the ways to calculate them.

TIME SERIES

Information collected or recorded at intervals through

time (weekly, monthly, annually, or decennially); for example, a series giving the number of employed persons for

each month, a series on annual production, or a series on

monthly retail trade. A series may be made up of simple

counts (for example, population, unemployed persons, job

vacancies), dollar values (for example, income, inventories, purchases), or other types of data. It also may present

data in the form of an index.

TRACK

A path that runs lengthwise on a tape and on which

data, in the form of bits, are recorded. Tape copies sold by

the Census Bureau have 9 tracks running parallel to one

another.

UNDERCOUNT

The error in census data that results from the failure to

count some persons and/ or housing units in the census.

Undercount is a component of nonsampling error.

UNIVERSE

The set of entities of which the characteristics are

studied or investigated, or about which an inference is

made. For example, the universe of the population census

is all U.S. residents; and, with reference to census data

tables, the universe of a particular table might be stated as

persons 65 years old and over if the table distributes all

such persons into specific categories.

UNPUBLISHED DATA

Statistics that are not published in printed reports.

Unpublished data may be data products on computer tape,

CD-ROM, microfiche, diskette, or, infrequently, printout.

The data derive from a variety of sources; for example,

user-sponsored special tabulations, byproducts of regular

publication activities, or additional detail purposely included

in the several STF’s but not provided in the printed reports.

Among the reasons for not publishing the data are limited

audience interest, publication costs, and reliability considerations.

VARIANCE

The average squared differences of a set of observations about the expected value of the estimate. It is thus a

measure of the dispersion of the observations about the

expected value of the estimate. The square root of the

variance equals the standard deviation.

WEIGHT

A numerical coefficient that is applied to sample values

as a result of the process of developing estimates for the

surveyed population (the universe). The weight assigned to

a given sampling unit reflects (a) the product of the inverse

of its selection probability and (b) adjustments for nonresponse and various sample design features. For example,

for the 1990 census, long-form questionnaires were used

for a one-in-six sample of households in most areas. An

individual in that sample, on the average, has a weight of 6,

i.e., was counted as representing six persons.

74 TECHNICAL TERMS 1990 CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING—GUIDE
 JOBNAME: No Job Name PAGE: 1 SESS: 40 OUTPUT: Tue Dec 29 11:36:03 1992 / node2/ F main F / 90dec/ cphr/ 1b/ app

APPENDIX

Facsimiles of Respondent Instructions and

Questionnaire Pages

1990 CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING—GUIDE APPENDIX A–1
 JOBNAME: No Job Name PAGE: 2 SESS: 40 OUTPUT: Tue Dec 29 11:36:03 1992 / node2/ F main F / 90dec/ cphr/ 1b/ app

A–2 APPENDIX 1990 CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING—GUIDE
 JOBNAME: No Job Name PAGE: 3 SESS: 40 OUTPUT: Tue Dec 29 11:36:03 1992 / node2/ F main F / 90dec/ cphr/ 1b/ app

1990 CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING—GUIDE APPENDIX A–3
 JOBNAME: No Job Name PAGE: 4 SESS: 40 OUTPUT: Tue Dec 29 11:36:03 1992 / node2/ F main F / 90dec/ cphr/ 1b/ app

A–4 APPENDIX 1990 CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING—GUIDE
 JOBNAME: No Job Name PAGE: 5 SESS: 40 OUTPUT: Tue Dec 29 11:36:03 1992 / node2/ F main F / 90dec/ cphr/ 1b/ app

1990 CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING—GUIDE APPENDIX A–5
 JOBNAME: No Job Name PAGE: 6 SESS: 40 OUTPUT: Tue Dec 29 11:36:03 1992 / node2/ F main F / 90dec/ cphr/ 1b/ app

A–6 APPENDIX 1990 CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING—GUIDE