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Frequently Asked Questions about the Census
Why is the census conducted?
It is mandated by the U.S. Constitution for reapportionment. There
are other statutory requirements for census data.
What is reapportionment?
Allocation of the 435 members of the House of Representatives among
the states according to the population count taken from the decennial
census.
What is redistricting?
The process of using census information to establish precise geographic
lines for congressional and other legislative districts.
Does census information have other purposes?
It is used to determine distribution of approximately $180 billion
in federal funds annually and is a vital basis for a plethora of
informed policy decisions.
What is the latest population count for the United States?
248.7 million people per the 1990 Census.
Who is counted?
All persons residing in the United States, regardless of citizenship
status.
How long does it take to conduct the census and report the results?
About 12 months, with extensive research, pre-testing, and planning.
How much does it cost?
$2.6 billion for the 1990 census. The 2000 Census will cost about
$7.1 billion.
How many workers are needed?
Over 500,000 temporary and 6800 permanent employees in 1990. In 2000, 500,000 temporary employees were hired for 860,000 positions and 6000 permanent employees were hired.
How is the census taken?
Mostly by self-enumeration, by mail, using standardized forms.
Door-to-door follow-up for nonresponding households.
What types of questions are asked?
Population, economic, demographic, and housing issues.
Are statistical procedures used?
A long form is filled out by one-sixth of the population and used
to project national results. The Census Bureau also plans to conduct
a quality control evaluation -- the Accuracy and Coverage Evaluation(ACE).
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