Census 2000

Census 2000

Report Number
455
Authors
David A. Freedman and Kenneth W. Wachter
Citation
Ann. Inst. Henri Poincare 34, 339-383, 1998
Abstract

Considering the difficulties, the Census Bureau does a remarkably good job at counting people. There are two current techniques for evaluating or adjusting the census: (i) demographic analysis uses administrative records to make independent population estimates, which can be compared to census counts; (ii) data from an independent sample survey can be used to estimate population coverage. If there is a large undercount, these techniques may be accurate enough for adjustment. With a small undercount, it is unlikely that current adjustment methodologies can improve on the census; instead, adjustment could easily degrade the accuracy of the data. This paper reviews plans for Census 2000, including proposals for adjustment, in the light of past experience.

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