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United States Census Bureau

January 13, 2023

"USCB" redirects here. For the American college, see University of South Carolina Beaufort.

The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce and its director is appointed by the President of the United States.

United States Census Bureau
Agency overview
FormedJuly 1, 1902; 120 years ago (1902-07-01)
Preceding agency
  • Temporary census offices
HeadquartersSuitland, Maryland
Agency executive
Parent agencyDepartment of Commerce
Websitecensus.gov

The Census Bureau's primary mission is conducting the U.S. census every ten years, which allocates the seats of the U.S. House of Representatives to the states based on their population.[1] The bureau's various censuses and surveys help allocate over $675 billion in federal funds every year and it assists states, local communities, and businesses make informed decisions.[2][3][4] The information provided by the census informs decisions on where to build and maintain schools, hospitals, transportation infrastructure, and police and fire departments.[4]

In addition to the decennial census, the Census Bureau continually conducts over 130 surveys and programs a year,[5] including the American Community Survey, the U.S. Economic Census, and the Current Population Survey.[1] Furthermore, economic and foreign trade indicators released by the federal government typically contain data produced by the Census Bureau.

Legal mandate

 
Census headquarters in Suitland, Maryland

Article One of the United States Constitution (section II) directs the population be enumerated at least once every ten years and the resulting counts used to set the number of members from each state in the House of Representatives and, by extension, in the Electoral College. The Census Bureau now conducts a full population count every ten years in years ending with a zero and uses the term "decennial" to describe the operation. Between censuses, the Census Bureau makes population estimates and projections.[6]

In addition, Census data directly affects how more than $400 billion per year in federal and state funding is allocated to communities for neighborhood improvements, public health, education, transportation and more.[7] The Census Bureau is mandated with fulfilling these obligations: the collecting of statistics about the nation, its people, and economy. The Census Bureau's legal authority is codified in Title 13 of the United States Code.

The Census Bureau also conducts surveys on behalf of various federal government and local government agencies on topics such as employment, crime, health, consumer expenditures, and housing. Within the bureau, these are known as "demographic surveys" and are conducted perpetually between and during decennial (10-year) population counts. The Census Bureau also conducts economic surveys of manufacturing, retail, service, and other establishments and of domestic governments.

Between 1790 and 1840, the census was taken by marshals of the judicial districts.[8] The Census Act of 1840 established a central office[9] which became known as the Census Office. Several acts followed that revised and authorized new censuses, typically at the 10-year intervals. In 1902, the temporary Census Office was moved under the Department of Interior, and in 1903 it was renamed the Census Bureau under the new Department of Commerce and Labor. The department was intended to consolidate overlapping statistical agencies, but Census Bureau officials were hindered by their subordinate role in the department.[10]

An act in 1920 changed the date and authorized manufacturing censuses every two years and agriculture censuses every 10 years.[11] In 1929, a bill was passed mandating the House of Representatives be reapportioned based on the results of the 1930 Census.[11] In 1954, various acts were codified into Title 13 of the U.S. Code.[12]

By law, the Census Bureau must count everyone and submit state population totals to the U.S. President by December 31 of any year ending in a zero. States within the Union receive the results in the spring of the following year.

Data collection

 
U.S. Census Bureau Regions and Divisions

Census regions and divisions

The United States Census Bureau defines four statistical regions, with nine divisions.[13] The Census Bureau regions are "widely used...for data collection and analysis".[14] The Census Bureau definition is pervasive.[15][16][17]

Regional divisions used by the United States Census Bureau:[18][19]

  • Region 1: Northeast
    • Division 1: New England (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont)
    • Division 2: Mid-Atlantic (New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania)
  • Region 2: Midwest (Prior to June 1984, the Midwest Region was designated as the North Central Region.)[18]
    • Division 3: East North Central (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin)
    • Division 4: West North Central (Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota)
  • Region 3: South
  • Region 4: West
    • Division 8: Mountain (Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming)
    • Division 9: Pacific (Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington)

The current system was introduced for the 1910 census, but other ways of grouping states were used historically by the Census Bureau. The first of these was introduced after the 1850 census by statistician and later census superintendent J. D. B. De Bow. He published a compendium where the states and territories were grouped into five "great division", namely the Middle, New England, the Northwestern, the Southern, and the Southwestern. Unsatisfied with this system, De Bow devised another one four years later, with states and territories grouped into an Eastern, Interior, and Western "great section", each divided into a northern and southern half called "great divisions". In the following decades, several other systems were used, until the current one was introduced in 1910. This system has seen only minor changes: The North region was divided into a Northeast and a North Central region in 1940, Alaska and Hawaii were both added to the Pacific division in the West region upon statehood in 1959, and the North Central region was renamed the Midwest in 1984.[20]

Uses of census data

Many federal, state, local and tribal governments use census data to:

  • Decide the location of new housing and public facilities,
  • Examine the demographic characteristics of communities, states, and the US,
  • Plan transportation systems and roadways,
  • Determine quotas and creation of police and fire precincts, and
  • Create localized areas for elections, schools, utilities, etc.
  • Gathers population information every 10 years

Data stewardship

The United States Census Bureau is committed to confidentiality and guarantees non-disclosure of any addresses or personal information related to individuals or establishments. Title 13 of the U.S. Code establishes penalties for the disclosure of this information. All Census employees must sign an affidavit of non-disclosure prior to employment.

The bureau cannot share responses, addresses or personal information with anyone, including the United States or foreign governments, or law enforcement agencies such as the IRS or the FBI or Interpol. "Providing quality data, for public good—while respecting individual privacy and, at the same time, protecting confidentiality—is the Census Bureau's core responsibility"; "Keeping the public's trust is critical to the Census's ability to carry out the mission as the leading source of quality data about the Nation's people and economy."[21] Only after 72 years does the information collected become available to other agencies or the general public.[22] Seventy-two years was picked because usually by 72 years since the census is taken, most participants would be deceased.[22]

Despite these guarantees of confidentiality, the Census Bureau has some history of disclosures to other government agencies. In 1918, the Census Bureau released individual information regarding several hundred young men to the Justice Department and Selective Service system for the purpose of prosecutions for draft evasion.[23][24] During World War II, the United States Census Bureau assisted the government's Japanese American internment efforts by providing confidential neighborhood information on Japanese-Americans. The bureau's role was denied for decades but was finally proven in 2007.[25][26]

United States census data are valuable for the country's political parties; Democrats and Republicans are highly interested in knowing the accurate number of persons in their respective districts.[27] These insights are often linked to financial and economic strategies that are central to federal, state and city investments for locations of particular populations.[28] Such apportionments are designed to distribute political power across neutral spatial allocations; however, "because so much is at stake, the census also runs the risk of being politicized."[29]

Such political tensions highlight the complexity of identity and classification; some argue that unclear results from the population data "is due to distortions brought about by political pressures."[30] One frequently used example includes ambiguous ethnic counts, which often involves underenumeration and/or undercounting of minority populations.[30] Ideas about race, ethnicity and identity have also evolved in the United States, and such changes warrant examination of how these shifts have impacted the accuracy of census data over time.[31]

The United States Census Bureau began pursuing technological innovations to improve the precision of its census data collection in the 1980s. Robert W. Marx, the Chief of the Geography Division of the USCB teamed up with the U.S. Geological Survey and oversaw the creation of the Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (TIGER) database system.[32] Census officials were able to evaluate the more sophisticated and detailed results that the TIGER system produced; furthermore, TIGER data is also available to the public. And while the TIGER system does not directly amass demographic data, as a geographic information system (GIS), it can be used to merge demographics to conduct more accurate geospatial and mapping analysis.[33]

In July 2019 the Census Bureau deprecated American FactFinder, which was decommissioned in March 2020 after 20 years of being the agency's primary tool for data dissemination.[34] The new platform is data.census.gov.[35]

Ongoing surveys

A social media video from the Census Bureau explaining how to use data.census.gov, an online platform that enables the public to search and use data from their Bureau's surveys.

Throughout the decade between censuses, the bureau conducts surveys to produce a general view and comprehensive study of the United States' social and economic conditions. Staff from the Current Surveys Program conduct over 130 ongoing and special surveys about people and their characteristics.[36] A network of professional field representatives gathers information from a sample of households, responding to questions about employment, consumer expenditures, health, housing, and other topics.

Surveys conducted between decades:

Other surveys conducted

The Census Bureau collects information in many other surveys and provides the data to the survey sponsor for release. These sponsors include:

Organizational structure

See also: Director of the United States Census Bureau
 
U.S. Census Bureau Regional Office Boundaries

Since 1903, the official census-taking agency of the United States government has been the Bureau of the Census. The Census Bureau is headed by a director, assisted by a deputy director and an executive staff composed of the associate directors.

The Census Bureau headquarters has been in Suitland, Maryland, since 1942. A new headquarters complex completed there in 2007 supports over 4,000 employees.[47] The bureau operates regional offices in 6 cities:[48] New York City, Philadelphia, Chicago, Atlanta, Denver, and Los Angeles. The National Processing Center is in Jeffersonville, Indiana. Additional temporary processing facilities facilitate the decennial census, which employs more than a million people. The cost of the 2000 Census was $4.5 billion. During the years just prior to the decennial census, parallel census offices, known as "Regional Census Centers" are opened in the field office cities. The decennial operations are carried out from these facilities. The Regional Census Centers oversee the openings and closings of smaller "Area Census Offices" within their collection jurisdictions. In 2020, Regional Census Centers oversaw the operation of 248 Area Census Offices,[49] The estimated cost of the 2010 Census is $14.7 billion.

On January 1, 2013, the Census Bureau consolidated its twelve regional offices into six. Increasing costs of data collection, changes in survey management tools such as laptops and the increasing use of multi-modal surveys (i.e. internet, telephone, and in-person) led the Bureau to consolidate.[50] The six regional offices that closed were Boston, Charlotte, Dallas, Detroit, Kansas City and Seattle. The remaining regional offices are New York City, Philadelphia, Chicago, Atlanta, Denver, and Los Angeles.[51]

The Census Bureau also runs the Census Information Center cooperative program that involves 58 "national, regional, and local non-profit organizations". The CIC program aims to represent the interests of underserved communities.[52]

Computer equipment

 
Census Bureau employees tabulate data using one of the agency's UNIVAC computers, c. 1960.

The 1890 census was the first to use the electric tabulating machines invented by Herman Hollerith.[53][54] For 1890–1940 details, see Truesdell, Leon E. (1965). The Development of Punch Card Tabulation in the Bureau of the Census, 1890–1940: With outlines of actual tabulation programs. U.S. GPO. In 1946, knowing of the bureau's funding of Hollerith and, later, Powers, John Mauchly approached the bureau about early funding for UNIVAC development.[55] A UNIVAC I computer was accepted by the bureau in 1951.[56]

Handheld computers (HHC)

Historically, the census information was gathered by census takers going door-to-door collecting information in a ledger. Beginning in 1970 information was gathered via mailed forms. To reduce paper usage, reduce payroll expense and acquire the most comprehensive list of addresses ever compiled, 500,000 handheld computers (HHCs) (specifically designed, single-purpose devices) were used for the first time in 2009 during the address canvassing portion of the 2010 Decennial Census Project. Projected savings were estimated to be over $1 billion.[57][58][59]

Security precautions

Main article: Device fingerprint

The HHC was manufactured by Harris Corporation, an established Department of Defense contractor, via a controversial[60][61] contract with the Department of Commerce. Secured access via a fingerprint swipe guaranteed only the verified user could access the unit. A GPS capacity was integral to the daily address management and the transfer of gathered information. Of major importance was the security and integrity of the populace's private information.

Success and failure

Enumerators (information gatherers) that had operational problems with the device understandably made negative reports. During the 2009 Senate confirmation hearings for Robert Groves, President Obama's Census Director appointee, there was much mention of problems but very little criticism of the units.[60] In rural areas, the sparsity of cell phone towers caused problems with data transmission to and from the HHC. Since the units were updated nightly with important changes and updates, operator implementation of proper procedure was imperative.

Notable alumni

See also

References

  1. ^ a b USCB DOC-D1026 QVC Manual 01/03/09
  2. ^ "Why We Conduct the Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. October 28, 2019. from the original on April 9, 2020. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
  3. ^ "BNL Consulting". bnlconsulting.com. from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
  4. ^ a b "Analysis | The U.S. census is in trouble. This is why it's crucial to what the nation knows about itself". Washington Post. from the original on May 17, 2017. Retrieved May 15, 2017.
  5. ^ Bureau, US Census. "List of All Surveys & Programs". The United States Census Bureau. from the original on April 2, 2020. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  6. ^ "Census Population Estimates". U.S. Bureau of the Census. Archived from the original on December 6, 2006.
  7. ^ (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 23, 2017. Retrieved October 4, 2017.
  8. ^ History 1790 October 7, 2013, at the Wayback Machine[Empty archive link]. US Census Bureau.
  9. ^ History 1840 March 3, 2009, at the Wayback Machine. US Census Bureau.
  10. ^ History: 1900 Overview February 2, 2015, at the Wayback Machine. US Census Bureau.
  11. ^ a b History 1920 March 3, 2009, at the Wayback Machine. US Census Bureau.
  12. ^ History 1954 July 27, 2009, at the Wayback Machine. US Census Bureau.
  13. ^ United States Census Bureau, Geography Division. "Census Regions and Divisions of the United States" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on January 7, 2013. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  14. ^ "The National Energy Modeling System: An Overview 2003" (Report #:DOE/EIA-0581, October 2009). United States Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration.
  15. ^ "The most widely used regional definitions follow those of the U.S. Bureau of the Census." Seymour Sudman and Norman M. Bradburn, Asking Questions: A Practical Guide to Questionnaire Design May 15, 2016, at the Wayback Machine (1982). Jossey-Bass: p. 205.
  16. ^ "Perhaps the most widely used regional classification system is one developed by the U.S. Census Bureau." Dale M. Lewison, Retailing May 21, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, Prentice Hall (1997): p. 384. ISBN 978-0-13-461427-4
  17. ^ "(M)ost demographic and food consumption data are presented in this four-region format." Pamela Goyan Kittler, Kathryn P. Sucher, Food and Culture December 4, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, Cengage Learning (2008): p. 475. ISBN 978-0495115410
  18. ^ a b "Census Bureau Regions and Divisions with State FIPS Codes" (PDF). US Census Bureau. (PDF) from the original on December 19, 2017. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  19. ^ "2020 Census National Redistricting Data Summary File" (PDF). US Census Bureau. February 2021. pp. 88–89. (PDF) from the original on June 27, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  20. ^ Statistical Groupings of States and Counties January 29, 2022, at the Wayback Machine (PDF)
  21. ^ (PDF), April 2009, archived from the original (PDF) on January 17, 2012
  22. ^ a b "72-Year Rule". www.census.gov. from the original on April 16, 2019. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  23. ^ Okamura, Raymond Y. (Fall–Winter 1981), "The Myth of Census Confidentiality", Amerasia Journal, UCLA Asian American Studies Center Press, 8 (2): 111–120, doi:10.17953/amer.8.2.jk115283m54v4313, ISSN 0044-7471, archived from the original on July 1, 2012
  24. ^ David Kopel (May 4, 1990), Census Confidentiality? The Check's in the Mail, Cato Institute, from the original on August 5, 2020, retrieved February 9, 2020
  25. ^ JR Minkel (March 30, 2007), "Confirmed: The U.S. Census Bureau Gave Up Names of Japanese-Americans in WW II", Scientific American, from the original on August 29, 2013, retrieved March 20, 2010
  26. ^ Haya El Nasser (March 30, 2007), "Papers show Census role in WWII camps", USA Today, from the original on August 26, 2012, retrieved September 17, 2017
  27. ^ Nobles, Melissa (2000). Shades of Citizenship: Race and the Census in Modern Politics. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. p. ix. ISBN 9780804740135.
  28. ^ Breiman, Leo (1994). "The 1991 Census Adjustment: Undercount or Bad Data?". Statist. Sci. 9 (4): 458–475. doi:10.1214/ss/1177010259.
  29. ^ Anderson, Margo; Fienberg, Stephen (1999). Who Counts?: The Politics of Census-Taking in Contemporary America. Russell Sage Foundation. p. 17. ISBN 978-1-61044-005-9. JSTOR 10.7758/9781610440059.
  30. ^ a b Petersen, William (1987). "Politics and the Measurement of Ethnicity". In Alonso, William; Starr, Paul (eds.). The Politics of Numbers. Russell Sage Foundation. pp. 187–234. ISBN 978-1-61044-002-8.
  31. ^ Ahmad, Farah; Hagler, Jamal (February 6, 2015). "Government collection of race and ethnicity data". Center for American Progress. from the original on November 10, 2017. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  32. ^ "Memorials and Tributes: Robert W. Marx". American Association of Geographers Newsletter. Vol. 45, no. 3. p. 14. from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved November 20, 2017.
  33. ^ Ostenso, John (1991). "The Statistics Corner: More New Products from the Census Bureau". Business Economics. 26 (4): 62–64. JSTOR 23485837.
  34. ^ "American FactFinder Is Retiring March 31" (Press release). U.S. Census Bureau. March 17, 2020. from the original on December 18, 2020. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
  35. ^ "Accessing Census Data in 2019: The Transition to data.census.gov". US Census Bureau. from the original on July 11, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
  36. ^ "List of All Surveys". Census.gov. from the original on April 3, 2015. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
  37. ^ "NAMCS/NHAMCS – Ambulatory Health Care Data Homepage". www.cdc.gov. August 20, 2018. from the original on September 19, 2018. Retrieved September 13, 2018.
  38. ^ "NHDS – National Hospital Discharge Survey Homepage". www.cdc.gov. January 10, 2018. from the original on September 19, 2018. Retrieved September 13, 2018.
  39. ^ "NNHS – National Nursing Home Survey Homepage". www.cdc.gov. September 12, 2018. from the original on September 13, 2018. Retrieved September 13, 2018.
  40. ^ Directorate, US Census Bureau Economic. "US Census Bureau Business and Industry Main Page". www.census.gov. from the original on September 13, 2018. Retrieved September 13, 2018.
  41. ^ "Survey of Market Absorption of Apartments – Overview". www.census.gov. from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved September 13, 2018.
  42. ^ Bureau, US Census. "Survey of Program Dynamics". www.census.gov. from the original on September 13, 2018. Retrieved September 13, 2018.
  43. ^ www.census.gov/programs-surveys/fhwar.html September 14, 2018, at the Wayback Machine (2016, 2011, 2006, 2001, 1996, 1991)
  44. ^ Bureau, US Census. "Residential Finance Survey (RFS)". www.census.gov. from the original on December 30, 2018. Retrieved September 13, 2018.
  45. ^ here, US Census Bureau Creating office name. "US Census Bureau Site Name main page". www.census.gov. from the original on October 27, 2019. Retrieved September 13, 2018.
  46. ^ Bureau, US Census. "Annual Wholesale Trade Survey (AWTS)". www.census.gov. from the original on January 16, 2019. Retrieved September 13, 2018.
  47. ^ "New Headquarters". October 22, 2019. from the original on November 3, 2019. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
  48. ^ "Regional Offices". from the original on March 27, 2019. Retrieved March 26, 2019.
  49. ^ United States Census Bureau (December 31, 2018). "2020 Census Operational Plan v4.0" (PDF). Census.gov. (PDF) from the original on August 2, 2019. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
  50. ^ . U.S. Bureau of the Census. Archived from the original on June 11, 2012. Retrieved June 21, 2012.
  51. ^ "Census Bureau Regional Office Boundaries" (PDF). U.S. Bureau of the Census. (PDF) from the original on June 25, 2012. Retrieved June 21, 2012.
  52. ^ . U.S. Bureau of the Census. Archived from the original on May 16, 2008. Retrieved May 13, 2008.
  53. ^ . Archived from the original on July 13, 2009.
  54. ^ History 1890 May 3, 2009, at the Wayback Machine US Census Bureau.
  55. ^ Stern, Nancy (1981). From ENIAC to UNIVAC: An appraisal of the Eckert-Mauchly Computers. Digital Press. ISBN 978-0-932376-14-5.
  56. ^ Bashe, Charles J.; et al. (1986). IBM's Early Computers. MIT. ISBN 978-0-262-02225-5.
  57. ^ Govcomm.harris.com April 29, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  58. ^ Weinberg, Daniel. "Management challenges of the 2010 U.S. Census" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. (PDF) from the original on January 27, 2016. Retrieved December 29, 2015.
  59. ^ House Committee on Oversight and Reform, Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census and National Archives, . June 8, 2009. Dead link fixed via Internet Archive. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
  60. ^ a b Wade-Hahn ChanMar 28, 2008 (March 28, 2008). "Have feds cheapened contract bonuses?". FCW. from the original on August 26, 2012. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
  61. ^ . GovExec.com. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved August 9, 2013.

External links

  • United States Census Bureau
  • Census Bureau in the Federal Register
  • USCB population estimates
  • USCB History
  • U.S. and World Population Clocks – POPClocks
  • Geographic Areas Reference Manual
  • Works by United States Census Bureau at Project Gutenberg
  • Works by or about United States Census Bureau at Internet Archive
  • Works by United States Census Bureau at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)  
72-year rule
  • PDF of Availability of Census Records About Individuals
  • PDF of Letter from Census Bureau Director, Roy V. Peel to Archivist of the United States, Wayne C. Grover, concerning the 72-year lapse between collection and release of decennial census records
  • PDF of Letter from Archivist of the United States, Wayne C. Grover to Census Bureau Director Roy V. Peel, in reply to Peel's August 1952 letter

January 13, 2023
united, states, census, bureau, uscb, redirects, here, american, college, university, south, carolina, beaufort, uscb, officially, bureau, census, principal, agency, federal, statistical, system, responsible, producing, data, about, american, people, economy, . USCB redirects here For the American college see University of South Carolina Beaufort The United States Census Bureau USCB officially the Bureau of the Census is a principal agency of the U S Federal Statistical System responsible for producing data about the American people and economy The Census Bureau is part of the U S Department of Commerce and its director is appointed by the President of the United States United States Census BureauAgency overviewFormedJuly 1 1902 120 years ago 1902 07 01 Preceding agencyTemporary census officesHeadquartersSuitland MarylandAgency executiveRobert Santos DirectorParent agencyDepartment of CommerceWebsitecensus wbr govThe Census Bureau s primary mission is conducting the U S census every ten years which allocates the seats of the U S House of Representatives to the states based on their population 1 The bureau s various censuses and surveys help allocate over 675 billion in federal funds every year and it assists states local communities and businesses make informed decisions 2 3 4 The information provided by the census informs decisions on where to build and maintain schools hospitals transportation infrastructure and police and fire departments 4 In addition to the decennial census the Census Bureau continually conducts over 130 surveys and programs a year 5 including the American Community Survey the U S Economic Census and the Current Population Survey 1 Furthermore economic and foreign trade indicators released by the federal government typically contain data produced by the Census Bureau Contents 1 Legal mandate 2 Data collection 2 1 Census regions and divisions 2 2 Uses of census data 2 3 Data stewardship 2 4 Ongoing surveys 2 5 Other surveys conducted 3 Organizational structure 4 Computer equipment 5 Handheld computers HHC 5 1 Security precautions 5 2 Success and failure 6 Notable alumni 7 See also 8 References 9 External linksLegal mandate Census headquarters in Suitland Maryland Article One of the United States Constitution section II directs the population be enumerated at least once every ten years and the resulting counts used to set the number of members from each state in the House of Representatives and by extension in the Electoral College The Census Bureau now conducts a full population count every ten years in years ending with a zero and uses the term decennial to describe the operation Between censuses the Census Bureau makes population estimates and projections 6 In addition Census data directly affects how more than 400 billion per year in federal and state funding is allocated to communities for neighborhood improvements public health education transportation and more 7 The Census Bureau is mandated with fulfilling these obligations the collecting of statistics about the nation its people and economy The Census Bureau s legal authority is codified in Title 13 of the United States Code The Census Bureau also conducts surveys on behalf of various federal government and local government agencies on topics such as employment crime health consumer expenditures and housing Within the bureau these are known as demographic surveys and are conducted perpetually between and during decennial 10 year population counts The Census Bureau also conducts economic surveys of manufacturing retail service and other establishments and of domestic governments Between 1790 and 1840 the census was taken by marshals of the judicial districts 8 The Census Act of 1840 established a central office 9 which became known as the Census Office Several acts followed that revised and authorized new censuses typically at the 10 year intervals In 1902 the temporary Census Office was moved under the Department of Interior and in 1903 it was renamed the Census Bureau under the new Department of Commerce and Labor The department was intended to consolidate overlapping statistical agencies but Census Bureau officials were hindered by their subordinate role in the department 10 An act in 1920 changed the date and authorized manufacturing censuses every two years and agriculture censuses every 10 years 11 In 1929 a bill was passed mandating the House of Representatives be reapportioned based on the results of the 1930 Census 11 In 1954 various acts were codified into Title 13 of the U S Code 12 By law the Census Bureau must count everyone and submit state population totals to the U S President by December 31 of any year ending in a zero States within the Union receive the results in the spring of the following year Data collection Edit U S Census Bureau Regions and Divisions Census regions and divisions Edit The United States Census Bureau defines four statistical regions with nine divisions 13 The Census Bureau regions are widely used for data collection and analysis 14 The Census Bureau definition is pervasive 15 16 17 Regional divisions used by the United States Census Bureau 18 19 Region 1 Northeast Division 1 New England Connecticut Maine Massachusetts New Hampshire Rhode Island and Vermont Division 2 Mid Atlantic New Jersey New York and Pennsylvania Region 2 Midwest Prior to June 1984 the Midwest Region was designated as the North Central Region 18 Division 3 East North Central Illinois Indiana Michigan Ohio and Wisconsin Division 4 West North Central Iowa Kansas Minnesota Missouri Nebraska North Dakota and South Dakota Region 3 South Division 5 South Atlantic Delaware Florida Georgia Maryland North Carolina South Carolina Virginia Washington D C and West Virginia Division 6 East South Central Alabama Kentucky Mississippi and Tennessee Division 7 West South Central Arkansas Louisiana Oklahoma and Texas Region 4 West Division 8 Mountain Arizona Colorado Idaho Montana Nevada New Mexico Utah and Wyoming Division 9 Pacific Alaska California Hawaii Oregon and Washington The current system was introduced for the 1910 census but other ways of grouping states were used historically by the Census Bureau The first of these was introduced after the 1850 census by statistician and later census superintendent J D B De Bow He published a compendium where the states and territories were grouped into five great division namely the Middle New England the Northwestern the Southern and the Southwestern Unsatisfied with this system De Bow devised another one four years later with states and territories grouped into an Eastern Interior and Western great section each divided into a northern and southern half called great divisions In the following decades several other systems were used until the current one was introduced in 1910 This system has seen only minor changes The North region was divided into a Northeast and a North Central region in 1940 Alaska and Hawaii were both added to the Pacific division in the West region upon statehood in 1959 and the North Central region was renamed the Midwest in 1984 20 Uses of census data Edit Many federal state local and tribal governments use census data to Decide the location of new housing and public facilities Examine the demographic characteristics of communities states and the US Plan transportation systems and roadways Determine quotas and creation of police and fire precincts and Create localized areas for elections schools utilities etc Gathers population information every 10 yearsData stewardship Edit The United States Census Bureau is committed to confidentiality and guarantees non disclosure of any addresses or personal information related to individuals or establishments Title 13 of the U S Code establishes penalties for the disclosure of this information All Census employees must sign an affidavit of non disclosure prior to employment The bureau cannot share responses addresses or personal information with anyone including the United States or foreign governments or law enforcement agencies such as the IRS or the FBI or Interpol Providing quality data for public good while respecting individual privacy and at the same time protecting confidentiality is the Census Bureau s core responsibility Keeping the public s trust is critical to the Census s ability to carry out the mission as the leading source of quality data about the Nation s people and economy 21 Only after 72 years does the information collected become available to other agencies or the general public 22 Seventy two years was picked because usually by 72 years since the census is taken most participants would be deceased 22 Despite these guarantees of confidentiality the Census Bureau has some history of disclosures to other government agencies In 1918 the Census Bureau released individual information regarding several hundred young men to the Justice Department and Selective Service system for the purpose of prosecutions for draft evasion 23 24 During World War II the United States Census Bureau assisted the government s Japanese American internment efforts by providing confidential neighborhood information on Japanese Americans The bureau s role was denied for decades but was finally proven in 2007 25 26 United States census data are valuable for the country s political parties Democrats and Republicans are highly interested in knowing the accurate number of persons in their respective districts 27 These insights are often linked to financial and economic strategies that are central to federal state and city investments for locations of particular populations 28 Such apportionments are designed to distribute political power across neutral spatial allocations however because so much is at stake the census also runs the risk of being politicized 29 Such political tensions highlight the complexity of identity and classification some argue that unclear results from the population data is due to distortions brought about by political pressures 30 One frequently used example includes ambiguous ethnic counts which often involves underenumeration and or undercounting of minority populations 30 Ideas about race ethnicity and identity have also evolved in the United States and such changes warrant examination of how these shifts have impacted the accuracy of census data over time 31 The United States Census Bureau began pursuing technological innovations to improve the precision of its census data collection in the 1980s Robert W Marx the Chief of the Geography Division of the USCB teamed up with the U S Geological Survey and oversaw the creation of the Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing TIGER database system 32 Census officials were able to evaluate the more sophisticated and detailed results that the TIGER system produced furthermore TIGER data is also available to the public And while the TIGER system does not directly amass demographic data as a geographic information system GIS it can be used to merge demographics to conduct more accurate geospatial and mapping analysis 33 In July 2019 the Census Bureau deprecated American FactFinder which was decommissioned in March 2020 after 20 years of being the agency s primary tool for data dissemination 34 The new platform is data census gov 35 Ongoing surveys Edit source A social media video from the Census Bureau explaining how to use data census gov an online platform that enables the public to search and use data from their Bureau s surveys Throughout the decade between censuses the bureau conducts surveys to produce a general view and comprehensive study of the United States social and economic conditions Staff from the Current Surveys Program conduct over 130 ongoing and special surveys about people and their characteristics 36 A network of professional field representatives gathers information from a sample of households responding to questions about employment consumer expenditures health housing and other topics Surveys conducted between decades American Community Survey American Housing Survey Consumer Expenditure Survey Census of Governments Current Population Survey Economic Census National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey 37 National Health Interview Survey National Hospital Discharge Survey 1965 2010 National Hospital Care Survey 38 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey National Crime Victimization Survey National Nursing Home Survey 39 Survey of Income and Program Participation Survey of Construction 40 Survey of Market Absorption 41 Survey of Program Dynamics 42 National Longitudinal Survey National Survey of Fishing Hunting amp Wildlife Associated Recreation 43 Residential Finance Survey 44 National Epidemiologic Survey of Alcohol Related Conditions Annual Retail Trade Survey 45 Annual Wholesale Trade Survey 46 Annual and Quarterly Services Surveys Other surveys conducted Edit The Census Bureau collects information in many other surveys and provides the data to the survey sponsor for release These sponsors include Bureau of Justice Statistics BJS Bureau of Labor Statistics BLS Bureau of Transportation Statistics BTS Department of Housing and Urban Development HUD National Center for Education Statistics NCES National Center for Health Statistics NCHS National Science Foundation NSF Social Security Administration SSA Organizational structure EditSee also Director of the United States Census Bureau U S Census Bureau Regional Office Boundaries Since 1903 the official census taking agency of the United States government has been the Bureau of the Census The Census Bureau is headed by a director assisted by a deputy director and an executive staff composed of the associate directors The Census Bureau headquarters has been in Suitland Maryland since 1942 A new headquarters complex completed there in 2007 supports over 4 000 employees 47 The bureau operates regional offices in 6 cities 48 New York City Philadelphia Chicago Atlanta Denver and Los Angeles The National Processing Center is in Jeffersonville Indiana Additional temporary processing facilities facilitate the decennial census which employs more than a million people The cost of the 2000 Census was 4 5 billion During the years just prior to the decennial census parallel census offices known as Regional Census Centers are opened in the field office cities The decennial operations are carried out from these facilities The Regional Census Centers oversee the openings and closings of smaller Area Census Offices within their collection jurisdictions In 2020 Regional Census Centers oversaw the operation of 248 Area Census Offices 49 The estimated cost of the 2010 Census is 14 7 billion On January 1 2013 the Census Bureau consolidated its twelve regional offices into six Increasing costs of data collection changes in survey management tools such as laptops and the increasing use of multi modal surveys i e internet telephone and in person led the Bureau to consolidate 50 The six regional offices that closed were Boston Charlotte Dallas Detroit Kansas City and Seattle The remaining regional offices are New York City Philadelphia Chicago Atlanta Denver and Los Angeles 51 The Census Bureau also runs the Census Information Center cooperative program that involves 58 national regional and local non profit organizations The CIC program aims to represent the interests of underserved communities 52 Computer equipment Edit Census Bureau employees tabulate data using one of the agency s UNIVAC computers c 1960 The 1890 census was the first to use the electric tabulating machines invented by Herman Hollerith 53 54 For 1890 1940 details see Truesdell Leon E 1965 The Development of Punch Card Tabulation in the Bureau of the Census 1890 1940 With outlines of actual tabulation programs U S GPO In 1946 knowing of the bureau s funding of Hollerith and later Powers John Mauchly approached the bureau about early funding for UNIVAC development 55 A UNIVAC I computer was accepted by the bureau in 1951 56 Handheld computers HHC EditHistorically the census information was gathered by census takers going door to door collecting information in a ledger Beginning in 1970 information was gathered via mailed forms To reduce paper usage reduce payroll expense and acquire the most comprehensive list of addresses ever compiled 500 000 handheld computers HHCs specifically designed single purpose devices were used for the first time in 2009 during the address canvassing portion of the 2010 Decennial Census Project Projected savings were estimated to be over 1 billion 57 58 59 Security precautions Edit Main article Device fingerprint The HHC was manufactured by Harris Corporation an established Department of Defense contractor via a controversial 60 61 contract with the Department of Commerce Secured access via a fingerprint swipe guaranteed only the verified user could access the unit A GPS capacity was integral to the daily address management and the transfer of gathered information Of major importance was the security and integrity of the populace s private information Success and failure Edit Enumerators information gatherers that had operational problems with the device understandably made negative reports During the 2009 Senate confirmation hearings for Robert Groves President Obama s Census Director appointee there was much mention of problems but very little criticism of the units 60 In rural areas the sparsity of cell phone towers caused problems with data transmission to and from the HHC Since the units were updated nightly with important changes and updates operator implementation of proper procedure was imperative Notable alumni EditJohn Shaw Billings Rattan Chand W Edwards Deming Davis Rich Dewey Halbert L Dunn Murray Feshbach Robert Groves Henry Gannett Morris H Hansen Joseph Adna Hill Herman Hollerith Leslie Kish John Wesley Langley Bernard Malamud Thomas Commerford Martin Warren Mitofsky Ivan Petrof Cyrus Guernsey Pringle Richard M Scammon Thelma Strabel Howard SutherlandSee also Edit Geography portal North America portal United States portalList of U S states and territories by population List of metropolitan statistical areas List of United States cities by population List of United States counties and county equivalents United States Office of Management and Budget Primary statistical area list Combined statistical area list Core based statistical area list Metropolitan statistical area list Micropolitan statistical area list List of United States urban areas PATCOB Title 13 of the United States Code Title 15 of the Code of Federal Regulations Director of the United States Census Bureau Data gov USAFactsReferences Edit a b USCB DOC D1026 QVC Manual 01 03 09 Why We Conduct the Decennial Census United States Census Bureau October 28 2019 Archived from the original on April 9 2020 Retrieved April 12 2020 BNL Consulting bnlconsulting com Archived from the original on February 2 2017 Retrieved January 20 2017 a b Analysis The U S census is in trouble This is why it s crucial to what the nation knows about itself Washington Post Archived from the original on May 17 2017 Retrieved May 15 2017 Bureau US Census List of All Surveys amp Programs The United States Census Bureau Archived from the original on April 2 2020 Retrieved April 3 2020 Census Population Estimates U S Bureau of the Census Archived from the original on December 6 2006 U S Census Frequently Asked Questions PDF Archived from the original PDF on July 23 2017 Retrieved October 4 2017 History 1790 Archived October 7 2013 at the Wayback Machine Empty archive link US Census Bureau History 1840 Archived March 3 2009 at the Wayback Machine US Census Bureau History 1900 Overview Archived February 2 2015 at the Wayback Machine US Census Bureau a b History 1920 Archived March 3 2009 at the Wayback Machine US Census Bureau History 1954 Archived July 27 2009 at the Wayback Machine US Census Bureau United States Census Bureau Geography Division Census Regions and Divisions of the United States PDF Archived from the original PDF on January 7 2013 Retrieved February 3 2016 The National Energy Modeling System An Overview 2003 Report DOE EIA 0581 October 2009 United States Department of Energy Energy Information Administration The most widely used regional definitions follow those of the U S Bureau of the Census Seymour Sudman and Norman M Bradburn Asking Questions A Practical Guide to Questionnaire Design Archived May 15 2016 at the Wayback Machine 1982 Jossey Bass p 205 Perhaps the most widely used regional classification system is one developed by the U S Census Bureau Dale M Lewison Retailing Archived May 21 2016 at the Wayback Machine Prentice Hall 1997 p 384 ISBN 978 0 13 461427 4 M ost demographic and food consumption data are presented in this four region format Pamela Goyan Kittler Kathryn P Sucher Food and Culture Archived December 4 2016 at the Wayback Machine Cengage Learning 2008 p 475 ISBN 978 0495115410 a b Census Bureau Regions and Divisions with State FIPS Codes PDF US Census Bureau Archived PDF from the original on December 19 2017 Retrieved February 3 2016 2020 Census National Redistricting Data Summary File PDF US Census Bureau February 2021 pp 88 89 Archived PDF from the original on June 27 2021 Retrieved August 18 2021 Statistical Groupings of States and Counties Archived January 29 2022 at the Wayback Machine PDF Census Employee Handbook PDF April 2009 archived from the original PDF on January 17 2012 a b 72 Year Rule www census gov Archived from the original on April 16 2019 Retrieved November 20 2015 Okamura Raymond Y Fall Winter 1981 The Myth of Census Confidentiality Amerasia Journal UCLA Asian American Studies Center Press 8 2 111 120 doi 10 17953 amer 8 2 jk115283m54v4313 ISSN 0044 7471 archived from the original on July 1 2012 David Kopel May 4 1990 Census Confidentiality The Check s in the Mail Cato Institute archived from the original on August 5 2020 retrieved February 9 2020 JR Minkel March 30 2007 Confirmed The U S Census Bureau Gave Up Names of Japanese Americans in WW II Scientific American archived from the original on August 29 2013 retrieved March 20 2010 Haya El Nasser March 30 2007 Papers show Census role in WWII camps USA Today archived from the original on August 26 2012 retrieved September 17 2017 Nobles Melissa 2000 Shades of Citizenship Race and the Census in Modern Politics Stanford CA Stanford University Press p ix ISBN 9780804740135 Breiman Leo 1994 The 1991 Census Adjustment Undercount or Bad Data Statist Sci 9 4 458 475 doi 10 1214 ss 1177010259 Anderson Margo Fienberg Stephen 1999 Who Counts The Politics of Census Taking in Contemporary America Russell Sage Foundation p 17 ISBN 978 1 61044 005 9 JSTOR 10 7758 9781610440059 a b Petersen William 1987 Politics and the Measurement of Ethnicity In Alonso William Starr Paul eds The Politics of Numbers Russell Sage Foundation pp 187 234 ISBN 978 1 61044 002 8 Ahmad Farah Hagler Jamal February 6 2015 Government collection of race and ethnicity data Center for American Progress Archived from the original on November 10 2017 Retrieved November 18 2017 Memorials and Tributes Robert W Marx American Association of Geographers Newsletter Vol 45 no 3 p 14 Archived from the original on December 1 2017 Retrieved November 20 2017 Ostenso John 1991 The Statistics Corner More New Products from the Census Bureau Business Economics 26 4 62 64 JSTOR 23485837 American FactFinder Is Retiring March 31 Press release U S Census Bureau March 17 2020 Archived from the original on December 18 2020 Retrieved December 23 2020 Accessing Census Data in 2019 The Transition to data census gov US Census Bureau Archived from the original on July 11 2019 Retrieved July 11 2019 List of All Surveys Census gov Archived from the original on April 3 2015 Retrieved April 4 2015 NAMCS NHAMCS Ambulatory Health Care Data Homepage www cdc gov August 20 2018 Archived from the original on September 19 2018 Retrieved September 13 2018 NHDS National Hospital Discharge Survey Homepage www cdc gov January 10 2018 Archived from the original on September 19 2018 Retrieved September 13 2018 NNHS National Nursing Home Survey Homepage www cdc gov September 12 2018 Archived from the original on September 13 2018 Retrieved September 13 2018 Directorate US Census Bureau Economic US Census Bureau Business and Industry Main Page www census gov Archived from the original on September 13 2018 Retrieved September 13 2018 Survey of Market Absorption of Apartments Overview www census gov Archived from the original on July 15 2014 Retrieved September 13 2018 Bureau US Census Survey of Program Dynamics www census gov Archived from the original on September 13 2018 Retrieved September 13 2018 www census gov programs surveys fhwar html Archived September 14 2018 at the Wayback Machine 2016 2011 2006 2001 1996 1991 Bureau US Census Residential Finance Survey RFS www census gov Archived from the original on December 30 2018 Retrieved September 13 2018 here US Census Bureau Creating office name US Census Bureau Site Name main page www census gov Archived from the original on October 27 2019 Retrieved September 13 2018 Bureau US Census Annual Wholesale Trade Survey AWTS www census gov Archived from the original on January 16 2019 Retrieved September 13 2018 New Headquarters October 22 2019 Archived from the original on November 3 2019 Retrieved November 3 2019 Regional Offices Archived from the original on March 27 2019 Retrieved March 26 2019 United States Census Bureau December 31 2018 2020 Census Operational Plan v4 0 PDF Census gov Archived PDF from the original on August 2 2019 Retrieved January 20 2021 A Restructuring of Census Bureau Regional Offices U S Bureau of the Census Archived from the original on June 11 2012 Retrieved June 21 2012 Census Bureau Regional Office Boundaries PDF U S Bureau of the Census Archived PDF from the original on June 25 2012 Retrieved June 21 2012 Census Information Centers U S Bureau of the Census Archived from the original on May 16 2008 Retrieved May 13 2008 Herman Hollerith Archived from the original on July 13 2009 History 1890 Archived May 3 2009 at the Wayback Machine US Census Bureau Stern Nancy 1981 From ENIAC to UNIVAC An appraisal of the Eckert Mauchly Computers Digital Press ISBN 978 0 932376 14 5 Bashe Charles J et al 1986 IBM s Early Computers MIT ISBN 978 0 262 02225 5 Govcomm harris com Archived April 29 2009 at the Wayback Machine Weinberg Daniel Management challenges of the 2010 U S Census PDF U S Census Bureau Archived PDF from the original on January 27 2016 Retrieved December 29 2015 House Committee on Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on Information Policy Census and National Archives Chairman Clay Pleased With Census Address Canvassing Progress June 8 2009 Dead link fixed via Internet Archive Retrieved August 9 2013 a b Wade Hahn ChanMar 28 2008 March 28 2008 Have feds cheapened contract bonuses FCW Archived from the original on August 26 2012 Retrieved August 9 2013 Census getting back on course lawmakers told Oversight GovExec com Archived from the original on June 6 2011 Retrieved August 9 2013 External links EditUnited States Census Bureau at Wikipedia s sister projects Definitions from Wiktionary Media from Commons News from Wikinews Quotations from Wikiquote Texts from Wikisource Textbooks from Wikibooks Resources from Wikiversity United States Census Bureau Census Bureau in the Federal Register USCB population estimates USCB History U S and World Population Clocks POPClocks Geographic Areas Reference Manual Works by United States Census Bureau at Project Gutenberg Works by or about United States Census Bureau at Internet Archive Works by United States Census Bureau at LibriVox public domain audiobooks 72 year rulePDF of Availability of Census Records About Individuals PDF of Letter from Census Bureau Director Roy V Peel to Archivist of the United States Wayne C Grover concerning the 72 year lapse between collection and release of decennial census records PDF of Letter from Archivist of the United States Wayne C Grover to Census Bureau Director Roy V Peel in reply to Peel s August 1952 letter Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title United States Census Bureau amp oldid 1133202038, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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