Delivering What Users Want

thl f e Evolution o

f Census Bure

Small Area Data 

Paper presented at the annual meeting of th

American Statistical Association, 

Miami FL August 1 2011

Michael S. S

Miami, FL August

1, 2011

U.S. Census AdministratiServices DiviHistory Staff History Staff

This presentation is released to inform interested parties of ongoing research an

encourage discussion. The views expressed on statistical issues are those of the author and not necessarily those of the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Issue The Issue

• Users of Small Area Data Heavily Users of Small Area Data Heavily

Influenced the Creation of the 

American Community Survey (ACAmerican Community Survey (AC

Provide Timely and Reliable Smal

Data

• When Did the Need for Small Are

Data Arise? How Has Their Usage Changed?
Outline

• Early Attempts to Expand Data Products

the 1880 and 1890 Censuses the 1880 and 1890 Censuses

• Uses of Newly Available Census Tract D

1910-1945 

• Extension Beyond Large Cities, 1946-19• Demands for Data to Document Program

for Data to Document Program

and Empower Communities, 1964-2010

• Small Area Data Users in the Creation o

Small Area Data Users in the Creation o

ACS, 1993-2010
Early Attempts to Expand 

Products: the 1880 and 1

Censuses

• Pre

-1880: Civic 1880: Civic Boosterism Boosterism

•

J g ohn Shaw Billin

gs and Public Hea
Map of Billings's Sanita

Di i i str cts in N Y k C

New 

Yor

k C

Source: John Shaw Billings, Vital statistics of New York city and covering a period of six years ending May 31, 1890, WashingtoGovernment Printing Office, 1894, p. 164
Detail of Manhattan from 

Source: John Shaw Billings, Vital statistics of New York city and covering a period of six years ending May 31, 1890, WashingtoGovernment Printing Office 1894 p 164 Government Printing Office, 1894, p. 164
Uses of Newly Available Cen

Tract Data 1910 Tract Data, 1910

-1945 (Pa

(Pa

• The Problem with The Problem with Data by Wards Data by Wards

Rev. Dr. Walter Laidlaw

• Invention of the Census Tract• Request for Block Data
Uses of Newly Available Cen

T D 1910 Tract 

Data, 1910

-1945 (P 

1945 (Pa

• H d Whi l G & H l h Howar

d Whipple 

Green 

&

Healt

h

Agencies in Cleveland

• Green’s Outreach• Expansion of Municipal Services Expansion of Municipal Services• Grants in Aid
Uses of Newly Available Cen

T D 1910 Tract 

Data, 1910

-1945 (P 

1945 (Pa

• Business Site 

Selection

• Increasing Bu

Selection Re

quests for 

• Marketing Products

Data

Marketing Products
TIGER* launched

Firsts in Publication of Small Area Dat

deaths by wards

first central business 

districts

standard 

metropolitan areas &

TIGER launched

Prototy

beca

Am

Commu

(

deaths by wards (1886) metropolitan areas & urbanized areas

first ZIP 

code data

Ame

(

census tracts

selec

1880 1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000

sanitary districts 

(1893)

census tracts

in NYC (1913)

Census Bureau 

assumes cost for 

1st census 

county divisions

Ub T i

voting district da

entire nat

selec

tracts and blocks

GBF/DIME* created

Urban Transportation 

Planning Package

*GBF/DIME is Geographic Base File/Dual Independent Map EncodingTIGER is Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing TIGER is Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing
Growth of Census Tracts 

1910

-1960

160180200

20,00025,000

s

1910 1960

100120140

15,000

er of Tracts

406080

5,000

10,000

Numbe

0

20

0

Census Tra

Census Year

Cities Cove

Source: Swift, “Dr. Laidlaw’s Vision,” 1956 and U.S. Census BureTract Manuals
Extending Beyond Centr

Ci i 1946 Ci

ties, 1946

-1964

F L di t D d Forces 

Leading 

to 

Deman

d Census Bureau Re

for Data

• Suburbanization

Census Bureau Re• Standard Metro

Areas (SMAs)

• Movement West & 

South

• “Tracting” entir
Growth of Census Tracts 1910-

1960

160180200

20,00025,000

1960

100120140

15,000

Tracts

406080

5,000

10,000

Number of T

020

0

N

Census Trac

Census Year

Cities Cover

Source: Swift, “Dr. Laidlaw’s Vision,” 1956 and U.S. Census BureCensus Tract Manuals
Pittsburgh’s North Side: an a

sl df l ate

d

for renewal

Source: Pittsburgh Regional Planning Association and the Pittsburgh CCommission, “North Side Study,” April 1954, p. 44.
De a ds o ata to ocu 

mands for Data to Docum

Programs and Empower 

Communities 1964 Communities, 1964-197

• Economic Opportunity Act Economic Opportunity Act• New Haven Census Use Study• ADMATCH & Geographic Base 

Fil /D l I d d M E File/Dual Independent Map Enco
Use a d ccess b ty te 

and Accessibility Exten

as Computing Power Expan

1970-2010

• Redistricting & Public Law 94 Redistricting & Public Law 94-17• Voting g Ri hts Act
Growth of Small Area Data 1960 Growth of Small Area Data 1960

Number of Census Tracts/ 

BNAs 1960-2010

Number of Census 

60,00070,00080,000

acts 8 000 000

10,000,00012,000,000

cks

20 00030,00040,00050,000

mber of Tra Census Tracts 4,000,000 6,000,000

8,000,000

mber of Bloc n

c

0

10,00020,000

Num

0

2,000,000

Numc

Census Year Census Year

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 1960-2010 Census of Population and Housing Histories
Creation of the America

Community Survey Community Survey

• Efforts to Simplify the Decennial 

Census

• Lobbying by Data Users for More 

Frequent Release of Data Frequent Release of Data

• Prototype 1993, Field Testing 19

2003
Creation of the America

C iS ommunity 

Survey

• Look for the forthcoming, U.S. Ce

Bureau, History of the AmericanCommunity Survey
For More Informatio

For More Informatio

Michael S. Snow301-763-9912Michael.S.Snow@census.govThe History Staff301

-763

-1167

ACSD.Website@census.govCensus Bureau Historywww.census.gov/history