There are a number of differences between the 1990 and 2000 census questionnaires. In general, only subjects that had specific federal legislative justification were recommended for Census 2000, leading to the elimination of some items and the inclusion of one new subject. Other changes were made to reduce respondent burden or clarify the questions.
Some highlights follow below.
Several housing topics, which were previously on the long-form, have been deleted altogether, including source of water, type of sewage disposal and condominium status. This delineation is similar to the 1990 breakdown. However, Census 2000 will mark the first time respondents will be allowed to indicate if they belong to more than one race. It will most certainly have an impact on comparability with past data. Respondents may write in an Asian or Pacific Islander group if the appropriate group is not listed.