Decennial Censuses on 2010 Geographies provide reallocated data from Decennial Censuses on 2010 geographies. Reallocation of decennial census data on 2010 geographies was conducted using publicly available relationship files. Data is available on census tract, county, state and nation level geographies. The form of this survey as well as its containing datasets and tables is kept similar to our corresponding Decennial Census surveys.
The Decennial Census occurs every 10 years, in years ending in zero, to count the population and housing units for the entire United States. Its primary purpose is to provide the population counts that determine how seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are apportioned.
Census 1990 survey was conducted using two forms, the Short Form and the Long Form:
The Short Form - 100-percent characteristics: A limited number of questions were asked of every person and housing unit in the United States.
The Long Form - sample characteristics: Additional questions were asked of a sample of persons and housing units (generally 1 in 6 households).
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What Was Asked:
The Short Form - 100-percent characteristics: A limited number of questions were asked of every person and housing unit in the United States. Information is available on:
- Age
- Sex
- Hispanic or Latino origin
- Household relationship
- Race
- Tenure (whether the home is owned or rented)
- Vacancy characteristics
The Long Form - Sample characteristics: Additional questions were asked of a sample of persons and housing units (generally 1 in 6 households). Data are provided on:
Population
- Ancestry
- Disability
- Grandparents as caregivers
- Income in 1999
- Labor force status
- Language spoken at home and ability to speak English
- Marital status
- Migration (residence in 1995)
- Occupation, industry, and class of worker
- Place of birth, citizenship, and year of entry
- Place of work and journey to work
- School enrollment and educational attainment
- Veteran status
- Work status in 1999
Housing
- Farm residence
- Heating fuel
- Number of rooms and numberof bedrooms
- Plumbing and kitchen facilities
- Telephone service
- Units in structure
- Utilities, mortgage, taxes, insurance, and fuel costs
- Value of home or monthly rent paid
- Vehicles available
- Year moved into residence
- Year structure built
The official U.S. Census is described in Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution of the United States. It calls for an actual enumeration of the people every ten years, to be used for apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives among the states. The first official Census was conducted in 1790 under Thomas Jefferson, who was the Secretary of State. That census, taken by U.S. marshals on horseback, counted 3.9 million inhabitants. Since that time, the decennial Census has been conducted every ten years, generally on April 1 in years ending in a zero.
Besides providing the basis for congressional redistricting, Census data are used in many other ways. Since 1975, the Census Bureau has had responsibility to produce small-area population data needed to redraw state legislative and congressional districts. Other important uses of Census data include the distribution of funds for government programs such as Medicaid; planning the right locations for schools, roads, and other public facilities; helping real estate agents and potential residents learn about a neighborhood; and identifying trends over time that can help predict future needs. Most Census data are available for many levels of geography, including states, counties, cities and towns, ZIP codes, census tracts and blocks, and much more.
Browse full documentation for Census 1990
