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We’ve come a long way since

the first census in 1790 that

counted 3.9 million people.

Then the census was taken in

the 13 original states, plus the

districts of Kentucky, Maine,

Vermont, and the Southwest

Territory (of Tennessee).

Federal Marshalls asked six

questions: name of head of

family and number of persons

in household and the number

of persons in each household

of the following descriptions:

Free White males 16 years and

upward, free White males

under 16 years, free White

females, all other free persons

(by sex and color) and slaves. 

In the 210 years since the

first census, the census has

grown to a sophisticated tool.

Census 2000, taken April 1,

2000, counted 281,421,906

people in the 50 states and the

District of Columbia. The questionnaire included seven questions for each household: name, sex, age,

relationship, Hispanic

origin, race, and

whether the housing

unit was owned or

rented. In addition to

these seven questions,

about 17 percent of

the households got a

much longer questionnaire including questions about ancestry,

income, mortgage,

and size of the housing unit. Census 2000

not only counted the

population, but also

sampled the socio-economic status of the

population, providing

a tool for government,

educators, business

owners, and others to

get a snapshot of the state of

the nation. 

I. Importance of the

Census: What it is

used for and why

The U.S. Constitution, Article I,

Section 2 mandates that an apportionment of representatives among

the states, for the House of

Representatives, be carried out

every 10 years (decennially).

Apportionment is the process of

dividing the 435 seats in the U.S.

House of Representatives among

the 50 states. Congress decides

the method to carry out the apportionment and, since 1940, has used

the method of ‘equal proportions’ in

accordance with Title 2, U.S. Code. 

Using equal portions, each state is

assigned one congressional seat (as

provided by the Constitution). The

apportionment formula then allocates the remaining 385 seats one

at a time among the 50 states until

all 435 seats are assigned.

In addition to apportionment,

the decennial census results are

used to:

· distribute almost $200 billion

annually in federal, state, local,

and tribal funds; 

· draw state legislative districts;

· evaluate the success of programs

or identify populations in need of

services; 

· and many other purposes. The

URL http://www.census.gov/

dmd/www/content.htm has a

comprehensive review of each of

the questions and why it

is asked.

While the federal government uses

census data for many purposes,

businesses, students, and many

others also use census data.

Businesses may use the data to

decide where to locate an outlet, or

to select products for a specific

area. Students research neighborhoods and cities for class projects

and the local parent-teacher organization may use data to track trends

in the local area. Historians, 

1

Census 2000 Basics

State gaining 2 seats in the House

State gaining 1 seat in the House

No change

State losing 1 seat in the House

State losing 2 seats in the House

Change from 1990 to 2000

Census Region Boundary

Note: Numbers represent reapportioned

totals of U.S. representatives.

Total U.S. representatives: 435

WEST

REGION MIDWEST

REGION

NORTHEAST

REGION

SOUTH

REGION

AK

1

HI

2

WA

9

OR

5

CA

53

NV

3

AZ

8

ID

2

MT

1

WY

1

UT

3 CO

7

NM

3

ND

1

SD

1

NE

3

KS

4

MN

8

IA

5

MO

9

WI

8

IL

19

MI

15

IN

9

OH

18

OK

5

TX

32

AR

4

LA

7

WV

3 VA

11

NC

13

KY

6

TN

9

MS

4

AL

7

FL

 25

GA

13

SC

6

DE 1

MD 8

ME

2

NH NY 2 29

PA

19

MA 10

RI 2

CT 5

NJ 13

VT

1

Figure 1.

Apportionment of the U.S. House of 

Representatives for the 108th Congress

(For information on confidentiality protection, nonsampling error, and 

definitions, see www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/pl94-171.pdf)
writers, and other researchers use

census data to get a flavor of what

the country looked like at a particular point in time. 

II. Census 2000

Activities

Taking the decennial census is a big

project. For Census 2000, many

people were hired to assist in

counting the population; temporary

employment peaked at about

475,000 one week. In preparation

for this effort, the U.S. Census

Bureau developed operational plans

that were evaluated by using the

results of test censuses to find out

how response would be affected.

A. Questionnaire

Deciding which subjects to include

in Census 2000 was an interactive

process involving the Census

Bureau, the Office of Management

and Budget, and the U.S. Congress.

To balance concerns about the

intrusiveness of the decennial census and the government’s need for

data, only those subjects having

specific federal justification for

their inclusion were on the Census

2000 questionnaire. 

For Census 2000, as in several previous censuses, two forms were

used—a short form and a long

form. The short form was sent to

every household, and the long

form, containing the seven 100 percent questions plus the sample

questions, was sent to only a limited number of households. 

Generally, about one in every six

houses nationwide received the

long form. The rate varied from

one in two households in some

smaller areas, to one in eight

households for more densely populated areas. 

Changes to the Questionnaire.

One new subject was added to the

Census 2000 questionnaire: grandparents as caregivers. This additional question complied with legislation passed by the 104th

Congress requiring that the decennial census obtain information

about grandparents who have primary responsibility for care of

grandchildren (Title 13, U.S. Code,

Chapter 5, Section 141). Several

questions from the 1990 Census,

including information about children ever born, source of water,

sewage disposal, and condominium

status, were dropped for Census

2000. 

One important change for Census

2000 was the question on disability. In 1990, the question was

“Does this person have a physical,

mental or other health condition

which has lasted for more than 6

months and that limits the amount

of work this person can do at a job

or prevents this person from working at a job.” In 2000, the question

was revised to inquire about blindness, deafness, and the ability to

perform physical and mental tasks.

Also in 1990, the questions on disability were asked for those 15

years and older; while in 2000, the

data were collected for persons 5

years and over.

Additionally, there was a revision to

the question on race. Respondents

were given the option of selecting

one or more race categories to 

indicate their racial identities. 

2

Figure 2.

Census 2000 Content

100-percent characteristics (short form): A limited

number of questions were asked of every person and housing unit in the United States. Information is available on:

· Name · Hispanic or Latino origin

· Household relationship · Race 

· Sex · Tenure (whether the

·Age home is owned or rented) 

Sample characteristics (long form): Additional questions were asked of a sample of persons and housing units.

Data are provided on:

Population

Social Characteristics

· Marital status

· Place of birth, citizenship,

and year of entry

· School enrollment and

educational attainment

·Ancestry

· Residence 5 years ago

(migration)

· Language spoken at home

and ability to speak English

· Veteran status

· Disability

· Grandparents as caregivers

Economic Characteristics

· Labor force status

· Place of work and journey

to work

· Occupation, industry, and

class of worker

· Work status in 1999

· Income in 1999

Housing

Physical Characteristics

·Units in structure

· Year structure built

· Number of rooms and

number of bedrooms

· Year moved into residence

· Plumbing and kitchen

facilities

· Telephone service

· Vehicles available

· Heating fuel

· Farm residence

Financial Characteristics

· Value of home or monthly

rent paid

·Utilities, mortgage, taxes,

insurance, and fuel costs
The race question included 15 separate response categories and 3

areas where respondents could

write in a more specific race group.

The response categories and writein answers were combined to create the five Office of Management

and Budget race categories plus

“Some other race.” The Census

2000 Brief Overview of Race and

Hispanic Origin <http://www.census.gov/prod/2001pubs/c2kbr01-

1.pdf> provides an overview of

these questions and national

results. One side effect of the

change in this question is that

the 2000 data aren’t directly comparable to the 1990 data on race.

B. Address List 

Development

To mail out the questionnaires, 

the Census Bureau had to have an

accurate address list for the country. One of the important initiatives

for Census 2000 was the Local

Update of Census Addresses (LUCA)

Program <http://www.census.gov/

dmd/www/LUCA.htm> made possible by the Census Address List

Improvement Act of 1994 (Public

Law 103-430). Under LUCA, the

Census Bureau and local governmental officials worked together 

to update mailing and address

information.

In addition to LUCA, the Census

Bureau worked with the U.S. Postal

Service (USPS) using a postal check

to validate addresses and to identify and add addresses that were

missing from their database. The

Census Bureau also used enumerators, the Census Bureau staff who

go door-to-door gathering the data,

to canvass roads and streets looking for living quarters. After block

canvassing was completed, the

information was added to the

TIGER® database. The Census

Bureau also planned for an update

just prior to Census Day (April 1,

2000) of newly constructed units

and followed up after Census Day

with a check on vacant buildings.

As a result, more than 80 percent

of all households had USPS-delivered questionnaires. For rural

areas (e.g., those with a rural route

number or a post office box), the

Census Bureau had a door-to-door

canvass to identify each structure

and locate it on census maps. 

C. Promotion

Census 2000 was the first decennial census to use a paid advertising

campaign. The campaign featured

print and broadcast media, as well

as outdoor advertising to encourage positive informative coverage

that emphasized the importance of

responding to the census.

The core message of the campaign

was "This is your future. Don't

leave it blank." Five advertising

agencies were used - one to create

the core message, and the others to

tailor the message to specific audiences. The Census Bureau used an

integrated plan to generate publicity and to encourage everyone to

respond to the census. The Census

Bureau established partnerships

with many diverse groups and all

levels of government both to publicize the census and to encourage

participation. Numerous promotions and special events were held

across the country.

D. Mailing

An advance letter was sent out to

alert the public to the importance

of Census 2000. It stated that individuals could request a census

3

Figure 3.

Census 2000 Question on Race
questionnaire in Spanish,

Vietnamese, Tagalog, Chinese, or

Korean. The U.S. Postal Service

delivered questionnaires between

March 13-15. A follow-up postcard

was sent out Census Day to remind

those who had not yet completed

their questionnaires to fill them out

and thanked those who had already

done so. The “Be Counted” program allowed people who hadn’t

received a questionnaire to pick up

a questionnaire in community locations across the country and fill it

out. And, enumerators followed up

with the households that did not

return their questionnaires, making

multiple contacts (telephone calls

and personal visits) to housing

units believed to be occupied. 

As a result of the advertising campaign and follow-up, the national

final response rate was 67 percent.

This exceeded the projected

response rate of 61 percent and

was better than the 65 percent

response rate from the 1990 census. This was the first time in census history that the mail response

rate increased from the previous

census. 

E. Technology 

A major improvement in automation for taking Census 2000 was 

a data capture method that 

took advantage of available hardware and software representing

advances in information technology

and systems. Returned questionnaires were processed at the

Census Bureau’s National Processing

Center located in Jeffersonville,

Indiana, and three other centers, to

carry out the following functions: 

· A full electronic data capture and

processing system recorded an

image of every questionnaire. 

· Questionnaires returned by mail

were sorted automatically to

ensure timely capture of critical

information. This was needed

before follow-up could occur

with addresses for which no

response, or an incomplete

response, was received. 

· Optical mark recognition was

used for all check-box data

items. 

· Intelligent character recognition

(ICR) was used to capture writein character-based data items. 

· A clerical keying operation captured and resolved difficult ICR

cases. 

· A quality assurance review was

conducted on data keying and

scanning activities.

· Electronic imaging captured the

data, reducing the logistical and

staffing requirements that handling large volumes of paper

questionnaires would have

required. 

After the census was taken, the

Census Bureau evaluated the 

coverage using a coverage measurement survey. Each of the past

few censuses have had debates

about undercount and whether or

not data should be “adjusted,” 

and the 2000 Census was no

exception. In October 2001, after

the coverage measurement survey

was evaluated, the decision to use

the unadjusted Census 2000 

figures was announced. 

Another important technological

advance between the 1990 and

2000 censuses was the development and use of the Internet. In

1996, the Census Bureau made a

decision to use the Internet to disseminate Census 2000 data and

publications. This was followed by

the development and implementation of what is now the American

Factfinder (AFF). AFF has data from

multiple sources (e.g. 1990 census,

1997 Economic Census) and also

has thematic and reference maps so

that users can see the area for

which they want data. See page 8

for more information on AFF.

F. Results 

After the census was taken, numbers were reported on a schedule

determined in part by U.S. law. The

results of the census are reported:

· To the President. Title 13, U.S.

Code requires that the apportionment population counts for each

state be delivered to the

President within 9 months of the

census date. Apportionment

counts are the population counts

for each state, which determine

the number of members each

gets in the U. S. House of

Representatives.

On December 28, 2000, the

apportionment counts were

delivered to the President. These

counts showed that the resident

population of the United States

on April 1, 2000, was

281,421,906, an increase of 13.2

percent over the 248,709,873

persons counted during the 1990

Census. 

· To the states. According to Title

2, U.S. Code, within 15 days of

receiving the apportionment population counts from the

President, the Clerk of the House

must inform each state governor

of the number of representatives

to which each state is entitled.

· In March 2001, the Census

Bureau released the first results

of Census 2000 data, which were

used by the states for redrawing

Congressional and State

Legislative Districts. 

III. Confidentiality

Census Bureau officials are

extremely aware of the importance

of confidentiality in taking the 

4
census and in reporting the results.

Under Title 13, United States Code,

the Census Bureau cannot share the

individual answers it receives with

others, including welfare agencies,

the Immigration and Naturalization

Service, the Internal Revenue

Service, courts, or police. The military personnel who help with the

census on-base are sworn to protect the confidentiality of your

answers. Anyone who breaks this

law can receive up to 5 years in

prison and $5,000 in fines. 

The computer systems and programs used to store and process

information collected are configured to ensure that an individual’s

information is protected from any

unauthorized access; access to the

Census Bureau’s computer systems

is controlled through secure technology including passwords, firewalls, encryption, and auditing to

prevent unauthorized access. 

To protect respondent confidentiality, names and addresses are separated from the electronic files that

contain an individual’s answers

when no longer needed. The

Census Bureau withholds data if

they represent a population (within

a geographic area) so small that the

numbers might identify someone. 

The Census Bureau works hard to

ensure that confidentiality is not

breached. Edits are performed on

all data products to make sure confidential information is not released

for any individual or household.

Confidentiality means that only

sworn employees of the Census

Bureau may have access to individual census information for a period

of 72 years, with the exception that

individuals or their legal representatives can obtain official transcripts of information about themselves from a census for use as evidence of age, relationship, citizenship, etc.

After 72 years the records are

released to the public. Copies of

census schedules (forms on which

the enumerators recorded information) from 1790-1930 are available

on microform for research at the

National Archives and at libraries.

The questionnaires used for Census

2000 will be available for

researchers on April 1, 2072.

IV. Geographic Areas

Census geography provides the

framework for interpreting, analyzing, and understanding census

data. The Census Bureau classifies

all geographic entities into two

broad categories: legal and administrative entities, and statistical

entities. 

Legal/Administrative entities

generally originate from charters,

laws, treaties, resolutions, or court

decisions. They include:

· Congressional District. One

of the 435 areas from which people are elected to the U.S. House

of Representatives. 

· County. The primary legal division of every state except Alaska

and Louisiana. A number of geographic entities are not legally

designated as a county, but are

recognized by the Census Bureau

as equivalent to a county for

data presentation purposes.

These include the boroughs, city

and boroughs, municipalities,

and census areas in Alaska;

parishes in Louisiana; and cities

that are independent of any

county in Maryland, Missouri,

Nevada, and Virginia. They also

include the municipios in Puerto

Rico, districts and islands in

American Samoa, municipalities

in the Northern Mariana Islands,

and islands in the Virgin Islands

of the United States. Because

they contain no primary legal

divisions, the Census Bureau

treats the District of Columbia

and Guam each as equivalent to

a county (as well as equivalent to

a state) for data presentation

purposes. In American Samoa, a

county is a minor civil division.

· Incorporated Place (cities,

towns, villages, etc.). A type 

of governmental unit, incorporated under state law as a city,

town (except in New England,

New York, and Wisconsin), borough (except in Alaska and New

York), or village, generally to 

provide a wide array of specific

governmental services for a concentration of people within legally prescribed boundaries. New

for Census 2000 are “city and

borough” and “municipality,”

which serve as both place- and

county-level entities in Alaska. 

· Minor Civil Division (MCD).

The primary governmental or

administrative division of a county or statistically equivalent entity in many states and statistically

equivalent entities. MCDs are

identified by a variety of terms,

such as township, town (in 8

states), or district. The Census

Bureau recognizes MCDs in 28

states, the District of Columbia,

Puerto Rico, and the Island Areas.

In 20 states and American

Samoa, all or many MCDs are

active general-purpose governmental units. Many MCDs are not

general-purpose governmental

units, and therefore do not have

elected officials to carry out legal

functions; instead, they serve as

nonfunctioning administrative

entities. 

· State. A primary governmental

division of the United States. The

Census Bureau treats the District

of Columbia as the equivalent of

a state for data presentation 

purposes. It also treats a number

of entities that are not legal 

5
divisions of the United States

(e.g. Island Areas) as the equivalent of states for data presentation purposes.

· United States. The 50 states

and the District of Columbia.

· Voting District (VTD). The

generic name for a geographic

entity - such as an election district, precinct, or ward - established by state, local, and tribal

governments for the purpose of

conducting elections. Some

reviewing officials adjusted the

boundaries of the voting districts

(VTDs) they submitted to conform to census block boundaries

for data presentation purposes,

and therefore a VTD for which

Census 2000 provides data

might not exactly represent the

legal entity; the Census Bureau

refers to such VTDs as pseudovoting districts (pseudo-VTDs).

Such VTDs, as well as any others

for which state officials did not

specify a status, are identified by

a “P” in the VTD indicator field of

the Public Law (PL) data file.

Statistical entities usually evolve

from practice, custom, usage, or

need, and generally the Census

Bureau develops criteria and guidelines for their identification and

delineation. They include:

· Block Group (BG). A statistical

subdivision of a census tract. A

BG consists of all tabulation

blocks whose numbers begin

with the same digit in a census

tract. BGs generally contain

between 300 and 3,000 people,

with an optimum size of 1,500

people. The BG is the lowestlevel geographic entity for which

the Census Bureau tabulates

sample data from a decennial

census. 

· Census Block. An area bounded on all sides by visible and/or

nonvisible features shown on a

map prepared by the Census

Bureau. A block is the smallest

geographic entity for which the

Census Bureau tabulates decennial census data. The census

blocks were completely renumbered for Census 2000 using

4- digit numbers.

· Census County Divisions

(CCD). A statistical subdivision

of a county, established and

delineated cooperatively by the

Census Bureau and state, local,

and tribal officials for data presentation purposes. CCDs have

been established in 21 states.

· Census Designated Place

(CDP). A geographic entity that

serves as the statistical counterpart of an incorporated place for

the purpose of presenting census

data for an area with a concentration of population, housing,

and commercial structures that is

identifiable by name, but is not

within an incorporated place.

CDPs usually are defined cooperatively with state, local, and 

tribal officials based on Census

Bureau guidelines. For Census

2000, for the first time, CDPs did

not have to meet minimum population threshold to qualify for

the tabulation of census data.

Note: A CDP in Puerto Rico is

called a comunidad or zona

urbana. 

· Census Regions and

Divisions. The 50 states and

the District of Columbia have

been grouped into four regions,

each containing two or three

divisions.

· Census Tract. A small, relatively permanent statistical subdivision of a county or statistically

equivalent entity, delineated for

data presentation purposes by a

local group of census data users

or the geographic staff of a

regional census center in accordance with Census Bureau guidelines. Census tracts generally

contain between 1,000 and

8,000 people. Census tract

boundaries are delineated with

the intention of being stable over

many decades, so they generally

follow relatively permanent visible features. However, they may

follow governmental unit boundaries and other invisible features

in some instances; the boundary

of a state or county is always a

census tract boundary. Block

Numbering Areas (BNAs) are now

called census tracts. 

· Metropolitan Area (MA). A

large population nucleus, together with adjacent communities

that have a high degree of economic and social integration with

that nucleus. (Some MAs are

defined around two or more

nuclei.) MA is a collective term,

established by the federal Office

of Management and Budget in

1990, to refer to metropolitan

statistical areas (MSAs), consolidated metropolitan statistical

areas (CMSAs), and primary metropolitan statistical areas

(PMSAs).

Metropolitan Statistical Area

(MSA). An MSA is a metropolitan

area (MA) that is not closely

associated with another MA. An

MSA consists of one or more

6
counties, except in New England,

where MSAs are defined in terms

of county subdivisions (primarily

cities and towns).

Primary Metropolitan Statistical

Area (PMSA). If an area that

qualifies as a metropolitan area

(MA) has a population of

1,000,000 or more, two or more

primary metropolitan statistical

areas (PMSAs) may be defined

within it if they meet official

standards and local governments

favor that designation. When

PMSAs are established within an

MA, that MA is designated a consolidated metropolitan statistical

area. 

Consolidated Metropolitan

Statistical Area (CMSA). An area

becomes a CMSA if it qualifies as

a metropolitan area, has a population of 1,000,000 or more, has

component parts that qualify as

primary metropolitan statistical

areas (PMSAs) based on official

standards, and local governments favor the designation.

CMSAs consist of whole counties

except in New England, where

they consist of county subdivisions (primarily cities and

towns). 

· Public Use Microdata Area

(PUMA). A geographic entity for

which the U.S. Census Bureau

provides specially selected

extracts of raw data from a small

sample of long-form census

records that are screened to protect confidentiality of census

records. The extract files are

referred to as public use microdata samples (PUMS). Public use

microdata areas (PUMAs), which

must have a minimum census

population of 100,000 and cannot cross a state line, receive a

5-percent sample of the longform records; these records are

presented in state files. These

PUMAs are aggregated into

super-PUMAs, which must have a

minimum census population of

400,000 and receive a 1-percent

sample in a national file. PUMAs

and super-PUMAs are mutually

exclusive, that is, they use different records to create each sample. Data users can use these

files to create their own statistical tabulations and data summaries.

· Rural. All territory, population,

and housing units located outside of urbanized areas and

urban clusters.

· Urban. All territory, population,

and housing units located within

urbanized areas and urban clusters. 

· Urbanized Area (UA). Densely

settled area that has a census

population of at least 50,000.

The geographic core of block

groups or blocks must have a

population density of at least

1,000 people per square mile,

and adjacent block groups and

blocks with at least 500 people

per square mile. 

· Urban Cluster (UC). Consists

of a geographic core of block

groups or blocks must have a

population density of at least

1,000 people per square mile,

and adjacent block groups and

blocks with at least 500 people

per square mile that together

encompass a population of at

least 2,500 people, but fewer

than 50,000 people.

· ZIP Code Tabulation Area

(ZCTA). A statistical entity developed by the Census Bureau to

approximate the delivery area for

a U.S. Postal Service five-digit or

three-digit ZIP Code in the U.S.

and Puerto Rico. A ZCTA is an

aggregation of census blocks

that have the same predominant

ZIP Code associated with the

mailing addresses in the Census

Bureau’s Master Address File.

Thus, the Postal Service’s delivery

areas have been adjusted to

encompass whole census blocks

so that the Census Bureau can

tabulate census data for the

ZCTAs. ZCTAs do not include all

ZIP Codes used for mail delivery. 

7

Figure 4.

Geographic Hierarchy for the 2000 Decennial Census
There are both legal and statistical

American Indian, Alaska Native,

and native Hawaiian entities for

which the Census Bureau provides

data for Census 2000. The legal

entities consist of federally recognized American Indian reservations

and off-reservation trust land areas,

the tribal subdivisions that can

divide these entities, state recognized American Indian reservations,

Alaska Native Regional

Corporations, and Hawaiian home

lands. The statistical entities are

Alaska Native village statistical

areas, Oklahoma tribal statistical

areas, tribal designated statistical

areas, and state designated

American Indian statistical areas.

Tribal subdivisions can exist within

the statistical Oklahoma tribal statistical areas.

For more information on these

areas, as well as other census

geography, see the Geographic

Changes for Census 2000 +

Glossary <http://www.census.gov/

geo/www/tiger/glossary.html>,

which provides good background

for Census 2000 users including

changes from 1990 geography and

new terms. The Geographic Areas

Reference Manual (1994) <http://

www.census.gov/geo/www/garm.h

tml> has excellent background

and user aids. 

The geographic areas may work in

a hierarchical fashion, with smaller

areas nested within larger ones

(e.g., blocks in block groups, in

census tracts in counties, etc.).

Some areas, like ZIP Code

Tabulation Areas, are given only as

subsets of the nation (see Figure 4).

One easy way to understand the

relationships of the geographic

areas is to use the American

FactFinder (AFF). An address

search shows a series “Geographies

Containing” that address. Users

can click on block, block group,

census tract, etc., and press the

“map it” button to explore the different levels of geography. 

When you look up the “National

Zoo,” AFF displays the census geographies for that area (see Figure 5).

After selecting the tract number

(5.01) and clicking on the “map it”

button, the map shown in Figure 6

is displayed.

The labels show you the city,

county, and state (or in this case,

the equivalents), tract numbers,

and more. 

V. Census 2000 Data

Releases

Census 2000 is the first census for

which the Internet site is the primary means of disseminating the

data. Whatever you’re looking for,

you will find it first on the Census

Bureau’s Web site. In addition to

formatted tables, the Census

Bureau Web site has maps and data

sets available for downloading (file

transfer protocol (ftp)), printing,

viewing, and manipulating. 

Web Site and American

FactFinder

The Census Bureau Web site provides online access to much of the

census and many of its data, publications, products, and programs.

Using the “Subjects A to Z” is an

efficient way to research all kinds

of census-related topics.

Census 2000 data users will be

very interested in the American

FactFinder (AFF), the Census

Bureau’s primary online data

retrieval tool. AFF also includes

data from the 1990 Census, the

American Community Survey,

Census 2000 Supplementary

Survey, the 1997 Economic Census,

and Census 2000. Data are

released on AFF as soon as they are

available, usually on a flow basis,

state by state within each series. 

8

Figure 5.

American FactFinder Geographies Listing

Figure 6.

Map of Census Tract 5.02, Washington, DC
The Census Bureau has created a

“Census 2000 Gateway” page to

pull together background information, questionnaires, links to the

data sets, PDF files, tutorials, and

other user aids. 

Data Products

In addition to the large data sets,

the Census Bureau also produced a

series of briefs and special reports.

These provide background on the

topics, and also explain how the

data was analyzed, and differences

between 1990 and 2000 Census

data. The titles listed below, plus

new Briefs, are listed on the page:

<http://www.census.gov/population/ww/cen2000/briefs.html>.

Census 2000 Special Reports

· Demographic Trends in the 20th

Century

· Emergency and Transitional

Shelter Population: 2000 

· Mapping Census 2000: The

Geography of U.S. Diversity

· Racial and Ethnic Residential

Segregation in the United States:

1980-2000

Census 2000 Briefs:

· The 65 Years and Over

Population: 2000 

· Age: 2000 

· The American Indian and Alaska

Native Population: 2000 

· The Asian Population: 2000 

· The Black Population: 2000 

· Congressional Apportionment

· Gender: 2000 

· The Hispanic Population (also

issued in Spanish)

· Households and Families: 2000

· Housing Characteristics: 2000 

· The Native Hawaiian and Other

Pacific Islander Population: 2000 

· Overview of Race and Hispanic

Origin 

· Population Change and

Distribution: 1990-2000 

· The Two or More Races

Population: 2000 

· The United States in International

Context: 2000 

· The White Population: 2000

The additional briefs, listed below,

will be issued based on sample

data.

· Ancestry: 2000

· Disability Status: 2000

· Educational Attainment: 2000

· English Ability: 2000

· Employment Status: 2000

· The Foreign-Born Population:

2000

· Grandparents Living with

Grandchildren: 2000

· Home Values: 2000

· Household Income: 2000

· Housing Costs of Homeowners:

2000

· Housing Costs of Renters: 2000

· Journey-to-Work: 2000

· Language Use and Marital

Status: 2000

· Occupations: 2000

· Poverty: 2000

· Residential Mobility: 2000

· School Enrollment: 2000

· Structural and Occupancy

Characteristics: 2000

· Veterans: 2000

The Census Bureau’s Web site also

contains links to other PHC-T

(Census of Population and Housing)

tables. 

100-Percent Data Products

· Redistricting Data Summary File.

Provides population counts for

all persons and all person 18

years and over. It also has counts

of Hispanic/Latino persons by

race (63 categories) and not

Hispanic/Latino persons by race

(63 categories) for both the total

population and the population 18

years and over. 

Released on: Internet,

CD-ROM/DVD;

Lowest level geography: Blocks

· Demographic Profile. Selected

population and housing characteristics.

Released on: Internet, CDROM/DVD (w/Summary File 1),

paper 

Lowest level geography: 

Census Tracts

· Congressional District

Demographic Profile. Same as

profile described above, but for

Congressional Districts.

Released on: Internet,

CD-ROM/DVD (available

w/Summary File 1), paper

Lowest level geography:

Congressional Districts of the

106th Congress

· Race and Hispanic or Latino

Summary File. This file 

provides the same data as the

Redistricting Data Summary 

File, but for a higher level of

geography. 

9

Figure 7.

Important Web Pages

for Census 2000

Census Bureau Home page

www.census.gov

American FactFinder 

factfinder.census.gov

Census 2000 Gateway

www.census.gov/main/www/

cen2000.html
Released on: Internet (FTP only),

CD-ROM

Lowest level geography: Places

· Summary File 1 (SF 1). Presents

counts and basic cross-tabulations of information collected

from all people and housing

units. SF 1 provides population

counts for 63 race categories and

Hispanic or Latino, and population counts for many detailed

race and Hispanic or Latino categories, and American Indian and

Alaska Native tribes [Urban/rural

data are on the final national

file].

Released on: Internet,

CD-ROM/DVD, 

Lowest level geography: Blocks 

· Summary File 2 (SF 2).

Similar to SF 1, this file contains

100-percent population and

housing characteristics, but

tables in this file are given for

the United States, and a selected

list of detailed race and Hispanicor Latino-origin groups, as well

as American Indian and Alaska

Native tribes. Each of the 250

population groups is subject to a

population threshold.

[Urban/rural data are on the final

national file]

Released on: Internet,

CD-ROM/DVD

Lowest level geography:

Census Tracts 

· Advanced Query Function (100-

percent data). Allows user 

specified tabulations from full

microdata file; Includes safeguards against disclosure of

identifying information about

individuals and housing units.

Released on: Internet

Lowest level geography: 

Block Groups

· Summary Population and

Housing Characteristics (PHC-1).

This report contains information

collected from all people and

housing units. This report will

be issued for each state, the

District of Columbia, Puerto Rico,

and a national summary volume.

Released on: Internet, paper

Lowest level geography: Places

· Population and Housing Unit

Counts (PHC-3). This report contains population and housing

unit totals for Census 2000, as

well as the 1990 and 1980 censuses. Information on area

measurements, population density, and apportionment counts

will be included. This report will

be issued for each state, the

District of Columbia, Puerto Rico,

and a national summary volume.

Released on: Internet, paper

Lowest level geography: Places

Sample Data Products:

· Demographic Profile. Demographic, social, economic, and

housing characteristics presented

in three separate tables. 

Released on: Internet, CDROM/DVD (w/Summary File 3),

paper

Lowest level geography: 

Census Tracts

· Congressional District Demographic Profile. Demographic,

social, economic, and housing

characteristics presented in three

separate tables. 

Released on: Internet, CDROM/DVD (w/Summary File 3),

paper

Lowest level geography:

Congressional Districts of the

106th Congress

· Summary File 3 (SF 3). SF 3 

contains tables with social, 

economic and housing characteristics compiled from a sample 

of approximately 19 million

housing units (about 1-in-6

households) that received

the Census 2000 long-form 

questionnaire. Many tables are

given for nine major race and

Hispanic or Latino groups.

Ancestry group population

counts are included.

Released on: Internet,

CD-ROM/DVD

Lowest level geography: 

Block Groups/Census Tracts

· Summary File 4 (SF 4). Similar to

SF 3, this file contains tabulations of population and housing

data from sample questions.

Tables in this file will be given

for the United States, and a

selected list of detailed race and

Hispanic- or Latino-origin groups,

American Indian and Alaska

Native tribes and various ancestry groups. Each of the 336 population groups is subject to a

population threshold.

Released on: Internet,

CD-ROM/DVD

Lowest level geography:

Census Tracts 

· Public Use Microdata Samples

(PUMS). Extracts of raw data

from a small (1-percent or 5-percent) sample of long-form census

records. Records are screened to

protect confidentiality.

One-percent files include data 

for the nation and states, as 

well as substate areas where

appropriate. Five-percent sample

have data for state and substate areas.

Released on: CD-ROM/DVD

Lowest level geography: Super

Public Use Microdata Areas

(Super-PUMAs) of 400,000+ for 

1-percent file; PUMAs of

100,000+ for 5-percent file.

· Advanced Query Function

(Sample Data). Allows user specified tabulations from full microdata file. Includes safeguards

against disclosure of identifying

information about individuals

and housing units.

Released on: Internet

Lowest level geography:

Census Tracts 

10
· Summary Social, Economic, and

Housing Characteristics (PHC-2).

Reports for each state include

information from the sample

population and housing subjects.

Released on: Internet, paper 

Lowest level geography: Places

· Congressional District Data

Summary File. 100-percent and

sample data for Congressional

Districts of the 108th Congress

Released on: Internet,

CD-ROM/DVD 

Lowest level geography: Census

Tracts within Congressional

Districts 

Both SF 2 and SF 4 contain data for

race, Hispanic- or Latino-origin

groups, American Indian and Alaska

Native tribes. SF 4 also contains

data for various ancestry groups. If

the population for the group does

not meet a threshold, or minimum

number of people, within a geographic area, the data are suppressed and not shown. If you are

looking at several areas on AFF, and

the threshold is not met, a note is

displayed. If you are using the CDROMs or DVD-ROMs, the area (e.g.

a tract number or county name)

does not appear. 

Where are the Data?

You can access information about

the products by viewing the extensive documentation on the Internet,

the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM, and in

printed publications. Each contains

a copy of the questionnaire, geographic terms and concepts, definitions of subject characteristics,

data collection and processing procedures, as well as product-specific

information. 

The data are available in multiple

formats and on several platforms. 

Internet. Internet access to the

data is through American

FactFinder and the Census 2000

Gateway. There are several, easyto-use, options. 

· Quick Tables give you a set of

key variables for areas down to

the census tract. 

· Geographic Comparison Tables

let you see how your state, city,

county, or metropolitan area

stacks up in comparison to others using key variables. 

· Thematic Maps illustrates the

data in a map format.

· Detailed Tables give you access

to all the tables released in each

dataset.

Downloading the Data. Every

American FactFinder data page has

a download tab on one of the menu

bars at the top of the screen so you

can download comma or tab delimited files into spreadsheet or data

base software. In addition, ASCII

files for each state are available on

the Internet via File Transfer

Protocol (FTP)

<http://ftp2.census.gov/>. These

files are available in ASCII (commadelimited) format, and do not come

with viewing software. 

CD-ROM or DVD. In addition to

the FTP site and American

FactFinder, the Summary Files are

available on CD-ROM (state by

state) or on one DVD (all 50 states).

Data are generally available in ASCII

format without accompanying software, and there is also a release of

the data with software that facilitates retrieval and manipulation of

the data. Whether downloading

information for a single area like a

census tract, or a city, or for a

group of geographic areas (e.g., all

counties, places, or ZIP Code 

tabulation areas in the country), the

software simplifies the process and

leads you through the steps.

These files are available for purchase or through State Data

Centers, Federal Depository

Libraries, and other data providers

(see “Census 2000 Products and

Assistance” below). 

Geographic Products

The Census Bureau has a number of

products available to assist users in

identifying and mapping the census

geographic entities. Most of these

map products are available for

viewing or FTP on the Web site.

Paper copies of the Census 2000

maps are available for sale through

the Census Bureau’s Customer

Services Center at 301-763-INFO

(4636). 

All geographic products are derived

from the TIGER database. TIGER is

an acronym for the Topologically

Integrated Geographic Encoding

and Referencing System. It is a geographic database that automates

the mapping and related geographic activities required to support the

U.S. Census Bureau's census and

survey programs.

TIGER/Line®

http://www.census.gov/geo/

www/tiger/

UA Census 2000 TIGER/Line® Files

Census 2000 TIGER/Line® Files

Redistricting

Census 2000

TIGER/Line®

Files

108th CD

Census 2000

TIGER/Line®

Files

Post 2000 TIGER/Line®

2002 TIGER/Line® Files

Census 2000 Geographic

Data Files

http://www.census.gov/geo/www/

census2k.html

Census Block Relationship Files

Census Tract Relationship Files

Cartographic Boundary Files

http://www.census.gov/geo/

www/cob/

Census 2000 Maps

http://www.census.gov/geo/

www/maps/

· American Indian Tribal Census

Tract Outline maps

· Census Tract Outline Maps

· Census Block Maps for Places

· Census Block Maps for Counties

· P.L. 94-171 County Block Maps 

11
· P.L. 94-171 Voting District/State

Legislative District Outline Maps 

· Public Use Microdata Area

Outline maps

· State/County Outline maps

· State/County Subdivision maps

· Urbanized Area Outline maps

· Urban Cluster Outline maps

· ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA)

Outline maps

· 108th Congressional District

Atlas

· 108th Congressional District individual state-based maps

VI. Census 2000

Products and

Assistance

The Census Catalog and the Census

Product Update provide information

on how to order Census Bureau

products.

You can access the Census Catalog,

from the Census Bureau’s home

page or at <https://catalog.mso.

census. gov/>. The Catalog has a

“Census 2000” category that pulls

together all available titles and

gives short descriptions of the

Census 2000 products that are for

sale. You also may order products

through the Customer Services

Center at 301-763-INFO (4636). 

The Census Product Update is a

biweekly newsletter with information on recently released and key

upcoming Census Bureau data

products. In addition, it often has

user hints and updates for online

products. Subscribe to the e-mail

Update or view it online at:

<http://www.census.gov/mp/www

/cpu.html>.

Where To Go For Assistance 

The Census Bureau has a nationwide network to help users in 

getting census information. The

Web page <http://www.census.gov/

dmd/www/groupcnr.html> links to

the descriptions for and locations

of program participants 

where users can receive in-depth

assistance in using Census 2000

products and data. 

Resources for census information

include: 

· Census Bureau’s 12 Regional

Offices with Partnership and Data

Services staff who conduct data

workshops, seminars and training sessions on a variety of census topics. They respond to

inquiries via telephone, e-mail,

etc. The Web page <http://www.

census.gov/field/www/> lists

local information and services

that each of the offices provides.

There is also a map showing the

region covered by each of the

offices. Contact information for

the Regional Offices is as follows:

Atlanta 404-730-3833

Boston 617-424-0510

Charlotte 704-344-6144

Chicago 708-562-1740

Dallas 214-253-4481

Denver 303-969-7750

Detroit 313-259-1875 

Kansas City 913-551-6711

Los Angeles 818-904-6339

New York 212-264-4730

Philadelphia 215-656-7578

Seattle 206-553-5835

● State Data Centers located in

state agencies, universities,

libraries, and regional and local

governments. The State Data

Centers also provide training and

technical assistance, among

other services; 

● Census Information Centers,

located at 57 national, regional, 

and local nonprofit organizations, which represent and serve

the interests of underserved

communities; 

● Federal Depository Library

Program (FDLP) disseminates

information products from all

three branches of the government to more than 1,300

libraries nationwide. Libraries

identified as Regional Depository

Libraries usually have extensive

collections of Census Bureau

publications and electronic products. Other depository libraries

often have a more limited selection of census products, but each

should have publications for

their own state. All library

depository publications are available to the public.

Census 2000 contacts

For questions that require an

expert, (e.g. language spoken at

home, disability, commuting, residence rules), there is a list of contacts at http://www.census.gov/

contacts/www/c-census2000.html.

VII. Other Census

Services

The decennial census is well

known because it is a national

event involving every resident of

the United States. The Census

Bureau also conducts numerous

other censuses and surveys including the American Housing Survey,

the Consumer Expenditure Survey;

the Current Population Survey;

the Census of Governments; the

Economic Census, taken every

5 years; and the Survey of Income

and Program Participation;

among others. 

For information about the other

censuses and surveys, contact the

partners listed above, look at the

Census Bureau's Web site, call the

Customer Service Center 

(301) 763-INFO (4636),

or send e-mail to

<webmaster@census.gov>.

12