2000 Census Data Alert
Four demographic profile (DP) tables containing Census 2000 data have been released for New York State and the sub-state areas. DP1 contains 100% data from the short form; DP2 (social), DP3 (economic) and DP4 (housing) contain sample data from the short form. These data are a preview of the information to be available later this summer in the Summary File 3 release that
will include all states and a national summary.
To view the complete set of demographic profiles for New York State and all of its sub-areas, visit the Census Bureau's web site. Please note that the Total Population figure found in DP1 may differ from Total Population in DP2, DP3 and DP4 due to fact that DP1 refers to the 100% response and
the remaining DPs refer to the sample response. In 1990, the Census Bureau controlled total population, housing units, and selected characteristics on the sample products for primary sampling units with populations of 2,500 or more; in 2000, the Census Bureau is using only states and counties as the sampling units and population co As a result, users should expect to
see differences between the 100 percent and sample populations for all areas except the state, the 62 counties, New York City and metropolitan areas. On a percentage basis these differences are generally small, but they may cause confusion. As a rule, the 100 percent count is the correct count. When figuring rates from 100 percent data, the most appropriate
figure to use is the one reported on the 100 percent data product. When doing the same from sample data, it is best to use the population figures reported on the sample products.
When comparing data from the 1990 and 2000 Demographic Profiles be sure to read the footnotes. Design, format, wording and classification changes may produce data sets that are not directly comparable. The following observations are provided to help identify areas where comparability may be an issue.
DP2 - Social Characteristics:
- School enrollment will be difficult to compare as the questions were asked differently. 2000 enrollment data is more detailed than 1990 data.
- Educational Attainment will be comparable.
- Marital Status will be comparable.
- Grandparents as caregivers is a new category in 2000.
- Veteran Status has changed the universe from civilian population 16 years and over to civilian population 18 years and over.
- Disability status will not be comparable.
- Residence (where the person lived 5 years ago) will be comparable.
- Nativity and Place of Birth will be comparable.
- Region of Birth of the Foreign Born will be comparable. Keep in mind that in 1990 there were a number of people who did not choose a country of birth and this data was not allocated. However, for the 2000 Census, data was allocated for those whose country of birth was not reported. Also for the 2000 Census, those born at sea were not reported. In line with
the U.N. guidelines, former members of the Soviet Union are reported under Europe. Northern America includes Canada, Bermuda, Greenland but not the U.S. since the category is foreign born.
- Language spoken at home includes those who speak English and another language.
- Ancestry is comparable, but complex. Total population and total ancestry will not add up since people can identify with more than one ancestry. Persons identifying two ancestries will be counted twice. People identifying three ancestries will be counted three times, and so on.
DP3- Economic Characteristics:
- Employment Status will be comparable, but may not be accurate for some areas. See Census/BLS Disparities for additional information.
- Class of Worker is comparable
- Commuting to Work will be comparable. Note that due to a change in the way commute time was coded for calculation, the longest commute time included in the calculation of 1990 mean travel time was 99 minutes, while commute times up to 1.5 hours were included in the calculation of 2000 mean commute time. The Census Bureau acknowledges that this change may
increase the mean commute time for all areas by 1 one minute.
- Occupation and Industry will not be comparable.
- Income data will be comparable, but all users need to be aware that the categories are different and that income may de difficult to compare due to inflation. An inflation factor of 1.297861 can be applied to raise 1989 income to 1999 levels for comparison.
- Poverty Status will be comparable. Everyone in the family has the same poverty status. Poverty rate is shown s a percentage in the DP3 table.
DP4 - Housing Characteristics:
- Units in structure will be difficult to compare since this question was asked on the short form (100%) in 1990 and it was asked on the long form (sample data) in 2000.
- Rooms will be difficult to compare since this question was asked on the short form (100%) in 1990 and it was asked on the long form (sample data) in 2000.
- Year structure built question was answered with the householder's best guess as to when it was built. Owners were more accurate than renters when estimating the age of the structure.
- Year householder moved into unit includes owners and renters.
- Fuel asks what the principle heating fuel (not secondary such as an additional room heater).
- Specified owner occupied units excludes mobile homes, houses with a business of medical office, houses on 10 acres or more, and housing units in multi-unit buildings.
- Specified renter occupied units excludes those units on 10 acres or more.
- Vehicles include company cars.
- Source of Water question was not included in the Census 2000.
- Sewage Disposal question was not included in Census 2000.
- Condominium Status question was not included in Census 2000.
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