Census

I

Introduction

Census, term usually referring to an official count by a national government of its country’s population. A population census determines the size of a country’s population and the characteristics of its people, such as their age, sex, ethnic background, marital status, and income. National governments also conduct other types of censuses, particularly of economic activity. An economic census collects information on the number and characteristics of farms, factories, mines, or businesses.

Most countries of the world conduct population censuses at regular intervals. By comparing the results of successive censuses, analysts can see whether the population is growing, stable, or declining, both in the country as a whole and in particular geographic regions. They can also identify general trends in the characteristics of the population. Because censuses aim to count the entire population of a country, they are very expensive and elaborate administrative operations and thus are conducted relatively infrequently. The United States conducts a population census every ten years (a decennial census), and Canada conducts one every five years (a quinquennial census). Economic censuses are generally conducted on a different schedule from the population census.

Censuses of population usually try to count everyone in the country as of a fixed date, often known as Census Day. Generally, governments collect the information by sending a questionnaire in the mail or a census taker to every household or residential address in the country. The recipients are instructed to complete the questionnaire and send it back to the government, which processes the answers. Trained interviewers visit households that do not respond to the questionnaire and individuals without mail service, such as the homeless or those living in remote areas.

II

Uses of Census Information

Governments use census information in almost all aspects of public policy. In some countries, the population census is used to determine the number of representatives each area within the country is legally entitled to elect to the national legislature. The Constitution of the United States, for example, provides that seats in the House of Representatives should be apportioned to the states according to the number of their inhabitants. Each decade, Congress uses the population count to determine how many seats each state should have in the House and in the electoral college, the body that nominally elects the president and vice president of the United States. This process is known as reapportionment. States frequently use population census figures as a basis for allocating delegates to the state legislatures and for redrawing district boundaries for seats in the House, in state legislatures, and in local legislative districts. In Canada, census population data are similarly used to apportion seats among the provinces and territories in the House of Commons and to draw electoral districts.

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Governments at all levels—such as cities, counties, provinces, and states—find population census information of great value in planning public services because the census tells how many people of each age live in different areas. These governments use census data to determine how many children an educational system must serve, to allocate funds for public buildings such as schools and libraries, and to plan public transportation systems. They can also determine the best locations for new roads, bridges, police departments, fire departments, and services for the elderly.

Besides governments, many others use census data. Private businesses analyze population and economic census data to determine where to locate new factories, shopping malls, or banks; to decide where to advertise particular products; or to compare their own production or sales against the rest of their industry. Community organizations use census information to develop social service programs and child-care centers. Censuses make a huge variety of general statistical information about society available to researchers, journalists, educators, and the general public.

III

Conducting a Census

Most nations create a permanent national statistical agency to take the census. In the United States, the Bureau of the Census (Census Bureau), an agency of the Department of Commerce, conducts the national population census and most economic censuses. In Canada, the Census Division of Statistics Canada is responsible for taking censuses.

Conducting a census involves four major stages. First, the census agency plans for the census and determines what information it will collect. Next, it collects the information by mailing questionnaires and conducting personal interviews. Then the agency processes and analyzes the data. Finally, the agency publishes the results to make them available to the public and other government agencies.

A

Planning the Census

Census agencies must begin planning for a census years in advance. One of the most important tasks is to determine what questions will appear on the census questionnaire. Census agencies usually undertake a lengthy public review process to determine the questions to be asked. They conduct public meetings, consider letters and requests from the general public, and consult with other government agencies and special advisory committees. In the United States, census questions must be approved by Congress and the Office of Management and Budget. In Canada, questions must be approved by the governor-general on the recommendations of the Cabinet.

The questions included on census forms vary from nation to nation depending on the country’s particular political and social history and current conditions. Most censuses request basic demographic information, such as the person’s name, age, sex, educational background, occupation, and marital status. Many censuses also include questions about a person’s race, ethnic or national origin, and religion. Further questions may ask the person’s place of birth; relationship to the head of the household; citizenship status; the individual’s or the family’s income; the type of dwelling the household occupies; and the language spoken in the household.

Questions that are routine in one nation may be seen as quite controversial in another, depending on the history of the country. The United States census does not ask about religious affiliation because such a question is considered a violation of the First Amendment right to freedom of religion or an invasion of privacy. Other nations, such as India, do collect such information. Questions on the number of children born to a woman were quite controversial in China in recent years because of government efforts to limit families to having only one child. In the United States, asking a question on income was considered controversial in 1940 when it was first asked. It is no longer considered as objectionable. Questions change in response to public debate about the state of society. For example, Americans wanted to know which households had radios in 1930, and the census introduced questions on housing quality in 1940. Canadians have recently begun to ask census questions on disability status and on the unpaid work done in the home.

Besides determining the content of the census, census agencies must make many other preparations. Staffing is a major concern for census agencies because censuses in most countries require a huge number of temporary workers to collect and process data. Consequently, census agencies must begin recruiting and training workers months or years in advance. For example, the U.S. Census Bureau had to fill 850,000 temporary, short-term positions to conduct the 2000 census. In order to hire and retain enough staff, it had to recruit nearly 3 million job applicants. The majority of temporary workers are hired to go door-to-door to interview households that do not respond to the census questionnaire. In some countries, government employees at a local level, such as schoolteachers, are asked to help conduct the count.

Prior to any census, a census agency must develop an accurate list of addresses and maps to ensure that everyone is counted. The U.S. Census Bureau obtains addresses primarily from the United States Postal Service and from previous census address lists. It also works closely with state, local, and tribal governments to compile accurate lists. Finally, census agencies often conduct an extensive marketing campaign before Census Day to remind the general population about the importance of responding to the census. This campaign may involve paid advertising, distributing materials by direct mail, promotional events, and encouraging media coverage of the census.

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