U S C E N S U S B U R E A U

Census 2000 Special Reports

U.S. Department of Commerce

Economics and Statistics Administration 

U.S. CENSUS BUREAU 

CENSR-19

Issued December 2004

By 

Yvonne J. Gist

and

Lisa I. Hetzel

Helping You Make Informed Decisions

We the People:

Aging in the United States
This report was prepared by Yvonne J. Gist and Lisa I. Hetzel,

under the supervision of Karen Humes, Chief, and Annetta C.

Smith, (former) Chief, Age and Special Populations Branch, 

Judy Belton, Chief, Race and Hispanic Origin Review Branch, and

Jorge del Pinal, Assistant Division Chief, Special Population

Statistics, Population Division. John F. Long, Chief, Population

Division, provided overall direction. 

General direction was provided by Judy G. Belton, Chief, Race and

Hispanic Origin Review Branch, Population Division. Within the Race

and Hispanic Origin Review Branch, Linda M. Chase provided

principal statistical assistance, and additional assistance was

provided by Debra A. Niner and Paula L. Vines. The contents 

of the report were reviewed by Marjorie F. Hanson and Denise I.

Smith, Population Division. Steve Smith, Population Division, provided computer programming support.

Paulette Lichtman-Panzer and Jeanne Waples of the Decennial

Management Division provided decennial policy review of this

report. Paul W. Livermore and Dawn E. Haines, under the

guidance of Philip M. Gbur of Decennial Statistical Studies Division,

conducted sampling review. 

Jan Sweeney, Theodora Forgione, Jamie Peters, and 

Mary Stinson, of the Administrative and Customer Services

Division, Walter C. Odom, Chief, provided publications and printing management, graphics design and composition, and editorial

review for print and electronic media. General direction and production management were provided by Susan L. Rappa, Chief,

Publications Services Branch. 

Acknowledgments
U.S. Census Bureau We the People: Aging in the United States 1

This report provides a portrait of

the social and economic characteristics of the population aged 65

and over in the United States at the

national level.1 It is part of the

Census 2000 Special Reports series

that presents several demographic,

social, and economic characteristics collected from Census 2000.

The data contained in this report

are based on the sample of households who responded to the

Census 2000 long form questionnaire. Estimated population and

housing unit totals based on tabulations from only the sample

counts may differ from the official

100-percent counts. 

A companion brief titled The 65

Years and Over Population: 2000,

based on the short-form data from

Census 2000, provides more

information on this topic.2 It presents data on the population 65

years and over for the United

States, regions, states, counties,

and places of 100,000 or more and

highlights comparisons with data

from the 1990 census.

In 2000, the 65-and-older population comprised 35.0 million people. Within this group, 18.5 million people or 53 percent were

aged 65 to 74, 12.3 million or 

35 percent were aged 75 to 84,

and 4.2 million or 12 percent were

aged 85 and over.

Women outnumbered men in this

group: 20.6 million women compared with 14.4 million men. The

age groups 65 to 74 years and 85

and older each had nearly 2 million

more women than men, and the

75-to-84 age group had nearly 

3 million more.

We the People: 

Aging in the United States

Table 1.

Population 65 and Over by Age and Sex: 2000

(Data based on sample. For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see

www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

Age

Population Percent

Total Male Female Total Male Female

65 years and over . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34,978,972 14,382,370 20,596,602 100.0 100.0 100.0

65 to 74 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18,501,149 8,355,575 10,145,574 52.9 58.1 49.3

75 to 84 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,317,262 4,823,419 7,493,843 35.2 33.5 36.4

85 years and over . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,160,561 1,203,376 2,957,185 11.9 8.4 14.4

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 4.

People aged 65 and over are

referred to as the older population in this report. Although

the number of people in this

age group increased from

31.2 million people in 1990 to

35.0 million in 2000, their

proportion of the total population dropped from 12.5 percent in 1990 to 12.4 percent

in 2000.*

* Data in the shaded areas were

obtained from: Summary Tape File 3

for 1990 census data, and Summary

File 4 and Census 2000 special tabulations for Census 2000 data. 

1 The text of this report discusses data

for the United States, including the 50 states

and the District of Columbia.

2 Lisa Hetzel and Annetta Smith, 2001,

The 65 Years and Over Population: 2000,

Washington, DC, Census 2000 Brief,

C2KBR/01-10, U.S. Census Bureau. This

report is available on the U.S. Census

Bureau’s Internet site at <www.census.gov

/prod/2001pubs/c2kbr01-10.pdf>.
• In 2000, 56 percent of people 65

and over were married, 32 percent were widowed, and 7 percent were divorced. Less than 

5 percent had never married. 

• The percentage of the older population that was married declined

with age. Among those 65 to

74, two-thirds were married,

compared with less than onethird for those 85 and over. 

• The percentage of the older

population that was widowed

increased from 21 percent for

those 65 to 74, to 40 percent

for the age group 75 to 84, and

to 61 percent for the 85-andover population.

The sex ratio of the older

population was much lower

than that of the total

population.

• In 2000, the sex ratio for the

total population was 96 (or 

96 males per 100 females),

compared with 70 for people 

65 and over. 

• The sex ratio dropped steadily

with age. The sex ratio for

people 65 to 74 years was 82;

by age 85 and over, the sex

ratio dropped to 41, representing more than 2 women for

every man. 

2 We the People: Aging in the United States U.S. Census Bureau

Figure 1.

Sex Ratio: 2000

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 4.

(Males per 100 females. Data based on sample. For information on confidentiality 

protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see 

www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

Total population 65 and older 65 to 74 75 to 84 85 and older

40.7

96.1

69.8

82.4

64.4

Figure 2.

Marital Status: 2000

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 special tabulation. 

85 and older

75 to 84 

65 to 74 

65 and older

Total population,

15 and older

(Percent distribution. Data based on sample. For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, 

and definitions, see www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

Never married Married Widowed Divorced

3.3

27.1 56.5 6.6 9.7

4.4 56.0 32.4 7.2

4.3 65.7 20.7 9.3

4.2 50.1 40.3 5.4

4.9 30.7 61.1 

A higher percentage of older

men than older women were

married: 75 percent compared with 43 percent.

Forty-five percent of older

women, compared with 

14 percent of older men,

were widowed.

3 Married includes spouse present and

spouse absent.

More than half of the older population was married.3
U.S. Census Bureau We the People: Aging in the United States 3

Twenty-eight percent 

of people 65 and over 

lived alone, compared 

with 10 percent of the 

total population.

• In 2000, 28 percent of the population 65 and over lived alone

in households. This percentage

varied by age, from 22 percent

for the 65-to-74 year old group

to 39 percent for those 85 

and over. 

• About 6 percent of the 65-andover population lived in group

quarters. About 2 percent of

people 65 to 74 lived in group

quarters, compared with 22 percent for people 85 and over. 

Figure 3.

Living Arrangements: 2000

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 special tabulation. 

85 and older

75 to 84

65 to 74

65 and older

Total population

(Percent distribution. Data based on sample. For information on confidentiality 

protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see 

www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

Living in group quarters

Living alone in a household

Living with others in a household

87.6 

9.7 

2.8

66.2 

28.2 

5.7

76.1 

22.1 

1.8

60.3 

33.7 

6.0

39.2 

38.9 

21.9

Approximately 7.5 million

older women lived alone,

compared with 2.4 million

older men. 
4 We the People: Aging in the United States U.S. Census Bureau

• In 2000, 13 percent of the

older population spoke a language other than English at

home, compared with 

18 percent for the total population 5 and older.

• Six percent of the older population spoke a language other

than English at home and also

spoke English very well,

compared with 10 percent for

the total population 5 and older.

Figure 5.

Language Spoken at Home and English-Speaking Ability: 2000

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 4.

(Percent distribution. Data based on sample. For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, 

nonsampling error, and definitions, see www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

Only English 

at home

Non-English at home, English spoken 

less than "very well"

Non-English at home, 

English spoken "very well"

65 and older

Total population,

5 and older 82.1 9.8 8.1 

87.4 5.9 6.7

A higher percentage of the older population than the total population 5 and older 

spoke only English at home.

• About 11 percent of the total

population and 10 percent of

those 65 and over were 

foreign born.

• Seven percent of the older population were foreign-born naturalized U.S. citizens, compared with

5 percent of the total population. 

• A majority of the foreign-born

older population in each age

group had become naturalized

citizens by 2000. 

Figure 4.

Nativity and Citizenship Status: 2000

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 special tabulation. 

(Percent distribution. Data based on sample. For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, 

nonsampling error, and definitions, see www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

Native Foreign born, not a citizen Foreign born, naturalized citizen

85 and older

75 to 84

65 to 74

65 and older

Total population 88.9 4.5 6.6 

90.5 6.9 

89.8 3.2 7.0 

91.6 6.4 

90.3 7.8

2.7

2.1

1.9

The majority of the 

foreign-born older population (62 percent) entered the

United States prior to 1970.

Ten percent of people 65 and over were foreign born.
U.S. Census Bureau We the People: Aging in the United States 5

• Of those who spoke a language

other than English at home, 

38 percent of the older population and 60 percent of the total

population 5 and older 

spoke Spanish.

• Other Indo-European languages

were spoken by 44 percent of

the older population who spoke

a language other than English at

home, compared with 21 percent of the total population 

5 and older.

• Fourteen percent of older people and 15 percent of the total

population 5 and older who

spoke a language other than

English at home spoke Asian

and Pacific Island languages.

Figure 6.

Type of Language Other than English 

Spoken at Home: 2000

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 4.

(Percent distribution. Data based on sample. For information on confidentiality 

protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see 

www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

Other languages

Asian and Pacific

Island languages

Other IndoEuropean languages

Spanish

Total population, 5 and older

65 and older

4.0

59.9 

21.3 

14.8 

4.0

38.0 

43.8 

14.3 

Of the people who spoke a language other than English at home, 

Indo-European languages other than Spanish were the most prominently used 

by people 65 and older. 
6 We the People: Aging in the United States U.S. Census Bureau

• Among the older population,

high school completion rates

varied by age group. In 2000, 

70 percent of people 65 to 74

had completed high school or

more education, compared with

63 percent of those 75 to 84

and 53 percent of those 85 

and over. 

• Eighteen percent of the older

population had some college or

an associate’s degree, and 

15 percent had completed a

bachelor’s degree or more

education. 

• The percentage of the older

population with a bachelor’s

degree or more varied by age:

17 percent of people 65 to 74

had a bachelor’s degree, compared with 14 percent of the 75-

to-84 year old population and

13 percent of those 85 and over. 

• Nearly half (47 percent) of people 85 and over had not completed high school.

Figure 7.

Educational Attainment: 2000

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 special tabulation. 

(Percent distribution. Data based on sample. For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, 

nonsampling error, and definitions, see www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

Less than high 

school graduate

Some college or 

associate's degree

High school 

graduate 

Bachelor's degree 

or more

85 and older

75 to 84 

65 to 74 

65 and older

Total population,

25 and older

12.5

19.6 

34.5 

30.2 

36.7 

47.0

28.6 

32.0 

32.8 

32.5 

26.7

27.4 

18.1 

19.7 

17.2 

13.8

24.4 

15.4 

17.3 

13.5 

In 2000, nearly two-thirds of the population 65 and over had completed high school 

or had more education.

A higher percentage of older

men than older women had a

bachelor’s degree or more.

The rates for those 65 to 74

were 23 percent for men and

13 percent for women. For

the age group 85 and over,

the difference was much

smaller: 16 percent for men

and 11 percent for women.
• Among the total population 16

and over, 71 percent of men and

58 percent of women were in

the labor force. In contrast, the

percentages of men and women

65 and over in the labor force

were 18 percent and 10 percent,

respectively. 

• Both men and women in the 

65-to-74 age group were more

likely than those in older age

groups to be in the labor force,

with participation rates of 

25 percent for men and 15 percent for women, compared with

5 percent for men and 3 percent

for women 85 and over.

• The median earnings of fulltime, year-round workers 16 and

older for both men and women

were higher than those of their

65-and-over counterparts.

• In 1999, the median earnings

for full-time, year-round workers

65 and older were $31,600 for

men and $22,500 for women.

• In each age group, older men

who worked full-time, year-round

had higher median earnings than

older women. Women 65 to 74

who worked full-time, year-round

earned 71 cents for every dollar

earned by their male counterparts, compared with 79 cents

for women 75 to 84 and 83

cents for women 85 and older. 

U.S. Census Bureau We the People: Aging in the United States 7

The percentages of older men and older women in the labor force decreased 

steadily with age.

Figure 8.

Labor Force Participation Rate by Sex: 2000 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 special tabulation.

(Percent of specified population that is in the labor force. Data based on sample. 

For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and 

definitions, see www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

Men

Women

85 and older

75 to 84

65 to 74

65 and older

Total population,

16 and older

2.6

70.7 

18.4 

24.9 

10.5 

4.8

57.5 

9.7 

15.3 

4.9 

Among older full-time, year-round workers, men aged 65 to 74 had the highest 

median earnings in 1999. 

Figure 9.

Median Earnings by Sex: 1999

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 special tabulation.

(For employed, full-time, year-round workers. Data based on sample. For information 

on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, 

see www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

Men

Women

85 and older

75 to 84

65 to 74

65 and older

All workers,

16 and older

$21,790

$37,057 

$31,556 

$32,532 

$26,438 

$26,099

$27,194 

$22,511 

$23,005 

$20,831 
8 We the People: Aging in the United States U.S. Census Bureau

Ninety percent of

households with a

householder 65 and over

received social security

income.

• One out of three households

with a householder 65 and over

had earnings as a source of

income, compared with four out

of five of all households.

• Eighty-eight percent of householders 65 to 74 received social

security. The proportions rose

to 92 percent and 91 percent,

respectively, for householders

75 to 84 and 85 and over.

• Less than 50 percent of households with a householder 65

and over received other retirement income.

Figure 10.

Household Income by Selected Source: 1999

1

 Earnings are defined as the sum of wage or salary income and net income from selfemployment. Earnings represent the amount of income received regularly before 

deductions for personal income taxes, social security, bond purchases, union dues, 

medicare deductions, etc.

2

 Social security income includes social security pensions and survivor benefits, 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.

3

 Retirement income includes: (1) retirement pensions and survivor benefits from a former 

employer; labor union; federal, state, or local government; and the U.S. military; 

(2) income from workers' compensation; disability income from 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. This category 

does not include social security income.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 special tabulation.

(Percent of households classified by age of householder. Data based on sample. 

For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and 

definitions, see www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

Earnings1 

Social security2 

Retirement3

 85 and older

 75 to 84

 65 to 74

 65 and older

Total households,

15 and older

38.6

80.5 

25.7 

16.7

33.6 

89.8 

47.8

45.7 

87.9 

49.8

22.6 

92.0 

47.7

12.8 

91.3 

In 1999, the average annual

social security income

received by households with

householders 65 and over

was $12,300. Another

source of income for the

older population, retirement

income, averaged $17,900

per year for comparable

households who received

this type of income.
• In 1999, 9.9 percent of the 

65-and-over population and

12.4 percent of the total population were in poverty. 

• Among the older population,

those 85 and over were the most

likely to be living below the

poverty level (14.7 percent). For

people 65 to 74, the poverty rate

was 8.5 percent, compared with

10.6 percent for those 75 to 84.

• In 2000, in occupied units,

78 percent of householders 

65 and over owned a home,

compared with 66 percent of

householders 15 and over.

• Among the older groups, the percentage owning a home declined

with age. In 2000, 81 percent of

householders 65 to 74 owned

their home, compared with 

77 percent for those 75 to 84.

• Householders 85 and over had

the lowest homeownership rate

among the older population 

(65 percent), similar to that of

all householders (66 percent).

U.S. Census Bureau We the People: Aging in the United States 9

Among people 85 and over,

16.9 percent of women lived

below the poverty level in

1999, compared with 

9.6 percent of men.

4 More information on poverty from

Census 2000 is available in Alemayehu

Bishaw and John Iceland, 2003, Poverty:

1999, Washington, DC, Census 2000 Brief,

C2KBR-19. This report is available on the

U.S. Census Bureau’s Internet site at

<www.census.gov/prod/2003pubs

/c2kbr-19.pdf>. The official measure of

poverty comes from the Current Population

Survey. See <www.census.gov/prod

/2004pubs/p60-226.pdf>.

The poverty rate of the older population was lower than that of the total population.4

Within occupied units, a higher percentage of householders 65 and over than

householders 15 and over owned their homes. 

Figure 11.

Poverty Rate: 1999

Note: Poverty status was determined for everyone except those in institutions, military

group quarters, or college dormitories, and unrelated individuals under 15 years old.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 special tabulation. 

(Percent of specified age group in poverty. Data based on sample. For information 

on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, 

see www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

Total population 65 and older 65 to 74 75 to 84 85 and older

12.4

9.9 8.5 10.6

14.7

Figure 12.

Homeownership Rate: 2000

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 4.

(Percentage of occupied housing units classified by age of householder. Data based 

on sample. For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling 

error, and definitions, see www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

All occupied 65 and older 65 to 74 75 to 84 85 and older

units

66.2

77.6

80.9

76.6

65.3
Over one-fourth of

grandparents 65 and over

living with grandchildren

under 18 were caregivers

for their grandchildren.

• Grandparents 65 and over were

less likely to be caregivers for

their grandchildren than the

total of grandparents aged 

30 and over.

• A higher percentage of grandparents aged 65 to 74 cared for

their grandchildren (30 percent)

than did grandparents aged 75

to 84 and those 85 and over 

(18 percent and 9 percent,

respectively). 

10 We the People: Aging in the United States U.S. Census Bureau

Figure 13.

Grandparents Who Were Caregivers for 

Their Coresident Grandchildren: 2000

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 special tabulation. 

(Percent of grandparents living in households with one or more own 

grandchildren under 18 years. Data based on sample. For information on 

confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, 

see www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

Total 65 and older 65 to 74 75 to 84 85 and older

grandparents,

30 and older

8.9

42.0

25.7

30.1

17.5
U.S. Census Bureau We the People: Aging in the United States 11

Among the disabilities

reported by the older

population in 2000,

physical disabilities were

the most prevalent.5

• For 3 of the 5 disabilities measured by Census 2000, the disability rate of the population 65

and over was at least 3 times the

rate of the total population. The

population 65 and over reported

mental disabilities at twice the

rate of the total population.

• The percentage of the older

population who reported each

type of disability increased 

with age. 

• Forty-seven percent of the population 85 and over reported a

disability that caused difficulties

going outside the home, compared with 13 percent for people

65 to 74.

• Thirty-five percent of people 85

and over reported a sensory disability and 28 percent reported

a mental disability.

Figure 14.

Disabilities by Type: 2000

* Due to physical, mental, or emotional condition lasting 6 months or more.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 special tabulation.

(Percent of the civilian noninstitutionalized population. Data based on sample. 

For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, 

and definitions, see www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

Total population, 5 and older 

65 and older 

65 to 74 

75 to 84 

85 and older

47.3

3.6 

14.2 

8.7 

16.9 

34.9

8.2 

28.6 

21.5 

32.7 

53.1

4.8 

10.8 

6.3 

12.8 

27.7

2.6 

9.5 

5.3 

11.1 

26.9

7.1 

20.4 

13.3 

23.6 

Sensory

(Long lasting 

blindness, deafness, or

hearing impairment)

Physical

(Long lasting, substantial

limitation on one or more

basic physical activities,

such as walking,

climbing stairs, reaching,

lifting, or carrying)

Mental*

(Learning,

remembering,

or concentrating)

Self-care*

(Dressing, bathing,

or getting around

inside the home)

Difficulty going

outside the home*

(Going outside the

home alone to shop or

visit a doctor's office)

Forty-two percent of the

population 65 and over

reported some type of longlasting condition or a

disability in 2000. Thirty-two

percent of people 65 to 74

reported at least one disability, in contrast with 72 percent

of people 85 and over.

5 More information on disability from

Census 2000 is available in Judith Waldrop

and Sharon M. Stern, 2003, Disability: 2000,

Washington, DC, Census 2000 Brief, C2KBR17. This report is available on the U.S. Census

Bureau’s Internet site at <www.census.gov

/prod/2003pubs/c2kbr-17.pdf>.
12 We the People: Aging in the United States U.S. Census Bureau

ACCURACY OF THE

ESTIMATES

The data contained in this report

are based on the sample of households that responded to the

Census 2000 long form.

Nationally, approximately 1 out of

every 6 housing units was included

in this sample. As a result, the

sample estimates may differ somewhat from the 100-percent figures

that would have been obtained if

all housing units, people within

those housing units, and people

living in group quarters had been

enumerated using the same questionnaires, instructions, enumerators, and so forth. The sample

estimates also differ from the values that would have been obtained

from different samples of housing

units, and hence of people living in

those housing units, and people

living in group quarters. The deviation of a sample estimate from

the average of all possible samples

is called the sampling error. 

In addition to the variability that

arises from sampling, both sample

data and 100-percent data are subject to nonsampling error.

Nonsampling error may be introduced during any of the various

complex operations used to collect

and process data. Such errors may

include: not enumerating every

household or every person in the

sample or the population, failing to

obtain all required information

from the respondents, obtaining

incorrect or inconsistent information, and recording information

incorrectly. In addition, errors can

occur during the field review of the

enumerators’ work, during clerical

handling of the census questionnaires, or during the electronic

processing of the questionnaires.

While it is impossible to completely

eliminate error from an operation

as large and complex as the decennial census, the Census Bureau

attempts to control the sources of

such error during the data collection and processing operations.

The primary sources of error and

the programs instituted to control

error in Census 2000 are described

in detail in Summary File 4

Technical Documentation under

Chapter 8, Accuracy of the Data,

located at <www.census.gov/prod

/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf>.

Nonsampling error may affect the

data in two ways: first, errors that

are introduced randomly will

increase the variability of the data

and, therefore, should be reflected

in the standard errors; and second,

errors that tend to be consistent in

one direction will bias both sample

and 100-percent data in that direction. For example, if respondents

consistently tend to underreport

their incomes, then the resulting

estimates of households or families by income category will tend

to be understated for the higherincome categories and overstated

for the lower-income categories.

Such biases are not reflected in the

standard errors.

All statements in this Census 2000

Special Report have undergone statistical testing and all comparisons

are significant at the 90-percent

confidence level, unless otherwise

noted. The estimates in the table

and figures may vary from actual

values due to sampling and nonsampling errors. As a result, the

estimates used to summarize statistics for one population group may

not be statistically different from

estimates for another population

group. Further information on the

accuracy of the data is located at

<www.census.gov/prod/cen2000

/doc/sf4.pdf>. For further information on the computation and use of

standard errors, contact the

Decennial Statistical Studies

Division at 301-763-4242.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

The Census 2000 Summary File 3

and Summary File 4 data are available from American FactFinder on

the Census Bureau’s Web site

<factfinder.census.gov>. For information on confidentiality protection, nonsampling error, sampling

error, and definitions, also see

<www.census.gov/prod/cen2000

/doc/sf4.pdf> or contact the

Customer Services Center at 

301-763-INFO (4636).

Information on population and

housing topics is presented in the

Census 2000 Brief and Census

2000 Special Report series, located

on the Census Bureau’s Web site at 

<www.census.gov/population

/www/cen2000/briefs.html>.

These series present information

on race, Hispanic origin, age, sex,

household type, housing tenure,

and social, economic, and housing

characteristics, such as ancestry,

income, and housing costs.

For more information on age in the

United States, visit the U.S. Census

Bureau’s Internet site at 

<www.census.gov/population

/www/socdemo/age.html>. 

To find information about the availability of data products, including

reports, CD-ROMs, and DVDs, call

the Customer Services Center at

301-763-INFO (4636).