AGE--The data on age were derived from answers to questionnaire
item 5, which was asked of all persons. The age classification is based
on the age of the person in complete years as of April 1, 1990. The age
response in question 5a was used normally to represent a person's age.
However, when the age response was unacceptable or unavailable, a
person's age was derived from an acceptable year-of-birth response in
question 5b.
Median Age--This measure divides the age distribution into two equal parts:
one-half of the cases falling below the median value and one-half above
the value. Generally, median age is computed on the basis of more
detailed age intervals than are shown in some census publications;
thus, a median based on a less detailed distribution may differ
slightly from a corresponding median for the same population based on a
more detailed distribution.
ANCESTRY--The data on ancestry were derived
from answers to questionnaire item 13, which was asked of a sample of persons. The
question was based on self-identification; the data on ancestry
represent self-classification by people according to the ancestry
group(s) with which they most closely identify. Ancestry refers to a
person's ethnic origin or descent, "roots," or heritage or the
place of birth of the person or the person's parents or ancestors
before their arrival in the United States. Some ethnic identities, such
as "Egyptian" or "Polish" can be traced to geographic areas
outside the United States, while other ethnicities such as
"Pennsylvania Dutch" or "Cajun" evolved in the United
States.
The ancestry question allowed respondents to report one or more
ancestry groups. While a large number of respondents listed a single
ancestry, the majority of answers included more than one ethnic entry.
Generally, only the first two responses reported were coded in 1990. If
a response was in terms of a dual ancestry, for example, Irish-English,
the person was assigned two codes, in this case one for Irish and
another for English.
First Ancestry Reported--Includes the first response of all persons who
reported at least one codeable entry. For example, in this category, the
count for "Danish" would include all those who reported only Danish and
those who reported Danish first and then some other group.
Second Ancestry Reported--Includes the second response of all persons who
reported a multiple ancestry. Thus, the count for "Danish" in this
category includes all persons who reported Danish as the second response,
regardless of the first response provided.
Limitation of the Data--Although some experts consider religious
affiliation a component of ethnic identity, the ancestry question was not
designed to collect any information concerning religion. The Bureau of the
Census is prohibited from collecting information on religion. Thus, if a
religion was given as an answer to the ancestry question, it was coded as
an "Other" response.
Comparability--A question on ancestry was first asked in
the 1980 census. Although there were no comparable data prior to the
1980 census, related information on ethnicity was collected through
questions on parental birthplace, own birthplace, and language which
were included in previous censuses. Unlike other census questions,
there was no imputation for nonresponse to the ancestry question.
CITIZENSHIP--The data on citizenship were derived from answers to
questionnaire item 9, which was asked of a sample of persons.
Citizen--Persons who indicated that they were native-born and foreign-born
persons who indicated that they have become naturalized. (For more
information on native and foreign born, see the discussion under "Place of
Birth.")
There are four categories of citizenship: (1) born in the United
States, (2) born in Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands of the United
States, or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, (3) born
abroad of American parents, and (4) citizen by naturalization.
Naturalized Citizen--Foreign-born persons who had completed the
naturalization process at the time of the census and upon whom the rights
of citizenship had been conferred.
Not a Citizen--Foreign-born persons who were not citizens, including
persons who had begun but not completed the naturalization process at the
time of the census.
Limitation of the Data--Evaluation studies completed after previous
censuses indicated that some persons may have reported themselves as
citizens although they had not yet attained the status.
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT--Data on educational attainment were derived from
answers to questionnaire item 12, which was asked of a sample of persons.
Data are tabulated as attainment for persons 15 years old and over. Persons
are classified according to the highest level of school completed or the
highest degree received. The question included instructions to report the
level of the previous grade attended or the highest degree received for
persons currently enrolled in school. The question included response
categories which allowed persons to report completing the 12th grade
without receiving a high school diploma, and which instructed respondents
to report as "high school graduate(s)"--persons who received either a high
school diploma or the equivalent, for example, passed the Test of General
Educational Development (G.E.D.), and did not attend college. (On the
Military Census Report questionnaire, the lowest response category was
"Less than 9th grade.")
High School Graduate or Higher--Includes persons whose highest degree was a
high school diploma or its equivalent, persons who attended college or
professional school, and persons who received a college, university, or
professional degree. Persons who reported completing the 12th grade but not
receiving a diploma are not included.
Not Enrolled, Not High School Graduate--Includes persons of compulsory
school attendance age or above who were not enrolled in school and were not
high school graduates; these persons may be taken to be "high school
dropouts." There is no restriction on when they "dropped out" of school,
and they may have never attended high school.
EMPLOYMENT STATUS--The data on employment status were derived from answers
to questionnaire items 21, 25, and 26, which were asked of a sample of
persons. The series of questions on employment status was asked of all
persons 15 years old and over and was designed to identify, in this
sequence: (1) persons who worked at any time during the reference week; (2)
persons who did not work during the reference week but who had jobs or
businesses from which they were temporarily absent (excluding layoff); (3)
persons on layoff; and (4) persons who did not work during the reference
week, but who were looking for work during the last four weeks and were
available for work during the reference week. (For more information, see
the discussion under "Reference Week.")
Employed--All civilians 16 years old and over who were either (1) "at
work"--those who did any work at all during the reference week as
paid employees, worked in their own business or profession, worked on
their own farm, or worked 15 hours or more as unpaid workers on a
family farm or in a family business; or (2) were "with a job but not
at work"--those who did not work during the reference week but had
jobs or businesses from which they were temporarily absent due to
illness, bad weather, industrial dispute, vacation, or other personal
reasons. Excluded from the employed are persons whose only activity
consisted of work around the house or unpaid volunteer work for
religious, charitable, and similar organizations; also excluded are
persons on active duty in the United States Armed Forces.
Unemployed--All civilians 16 years old and over are classified as
unemployed if they (1) were neither "at work" nor "with a job but not at
work" during the reference week, and (2) were looking for work
during the last 4 weeks, and (3) were available to accept a job. Also
included as unemployed are civilians who did not work at all during the
reference week and were waiting to be called back to a job from which
they had been laid off. Civilian Labor Force--Consists of persons classified as employed or
unemployed in accordance with the criteria described above.
Experienced Unemployed--These are unemployed persons who have worked at any
time in the past.
Experienced Civilian Labor Force--Consists of the employed and the
experienced unemployed.
Labor Force--All persons classified in the civilian labor force plus
members of the U.S. Armed Forces (persons on active duty with the United
States Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard).
Not in Labor Force--All persons 16 years old and over who are not
classified as members of the labor force. This category consists mainly of
students, housewives, retired workers, seasonal workers enumerated in an
off season who were not looking for work, institutionalized persons, and
persons doing only incidental unpaid family work (less than 15 hours
during the reference week).
Worker--This term appears in connection with several subjects: journey-to-
work items, class of worker, weeks worked in 1989, and number of workers in
family in 1989. Its meaning varies and, therefore, should be determined
in each case by referring to the definition of the subject in which it
appears.
Actual Hours Worked Last Week--All persons who reported working during the
reference week were asked to report in questionnaire item 21b the number of
hours that they worked. The statistics on hours worked pertain to the
number of hours actually worked at all jobs, and do not necessarily reflect
the number of hours typically or usually worked or the scheduled number of
hours. The concept of "actual hours" differs from that of "usual
hours" described below. The number of persons who worked only a
small number of hours is probably understated since such persons
sometimes consider themselves as not working. Respondents were asked to
include overtime or extra hours worked, but to exclude lunch hours,
sick leave, and vacation leave.
FERTILITY--The data on fertility (also
referred to as "children ever born")were derived from answers to questionnaire item 20,
which was asked of a sample of women 15 years old and over regardless of marital status.
Stillbirths, stepchildren, and adopted children were excluded from the
number of children ever born. Ever-married women were instructed to include
all children born to them before and during their most recent marriage,
children no longer living, and children away from home, as well as children
who were still living in the home. Never-married women were instructed to
include all children born to them.
GROUP QUARTERS--All persons not living in households are classified by the
Census Bureau as living in group quarters. Two general categories of
persons in group quarters are recognized:
(1) institutionalized persons and
(2) other persons in group quarters (also referred to as
"noninstitutional group quarters").
Institutionalized Persons--Includes persons under formally authorized,
supervised care or custody in institutions at the time of enumeration. Such
persons are classified as "patients or inmates" of an institution
regardless of the availability of nursing or medical care, the length of
stay, or the number of persons in the institution. Generally,
institutionalized persons are restricted to the institutional buildings and
grounds (or must have passes or escorts to leave) and thus have limited
interaction with the surrounding community. Also, they are generally under
the care of trained staff who have responsibility for their safekeeping and
supervision.
Type of Institution--The type of institution was determined as part of
census enumeration activities. For institutions which specialize in only
one specific type of service, all patients or inmates were given the same
classification. For institutions which had multiple types of major
services (usually general hospitals and Veterans' Administration
hospitals), patients were classified according to selected types of wards.
For example, in psychiatric wards of hospitals, patients were classified in
"mental (psychiatric) hospitals"; in hospital wards for persons with
chronic diseases, patients were classified in "hospitals for the
chronically ill." Each patient or inmate was classified in only one type of
institution. Institutions include the following types:
Correctional Institutions--Includes prisons, Federal
detention centers, military stockades and jails, police lockups,
halfway houses, local jails, and other confinement facilities,
including work farms.
Prisons--Where persons convicted of crimes serve their
sentences. In some census products, the prisons are classified by two
types of control:
(1) "Federal" (operated by the Bureau of Prisons of the Department
of Justice) and (2) "State." Residents who are criminally insane were
classified on the basis of where they resided at the time of
enumeration: (1) in institutions (or hospital wards) operated by
departments of correction or similar agencies; or
(2) in institutions operated by departments of mental health or
similar agencies.
Federal Detention Centers--Operated by the Immigration
and Naturalization Service (INS) and the Bureau of Prisons. These
facilities include detention centers used by the Park Police; Bureau of
Indian Affairs Detention Centers; INS Centers, such as the INS Federal
Alien Detention Facility; INS Processing Centers; and INS Contract
Detention Centers used to detain aliens under exclusion or deportation
proceedings, as well as those aliens who have not been placed into
proceedings, such as custodial required departures; and INS Detention
Centers operated within local jails, and State and Federal prisons.
Military Stockades, Jails--Operated by military police
and used to hold persons awaiting trial or convicted of violating
military laws.
Local Jails and Other Confinement Facilities--Includes
facilities operated by counties and cities that primarily hold persons
beyond arraignment, usually for more than 48 hours. Also included in
this category are work farms used to hold persons awaiting trial or
serving time on relatively short sentences and jails run by private
businesses under contract for local governments (but not by
State governments).
Police Lockups--Temporary-holding facilities operated
by county and city police that hold persons for 48 hours or less only
if they have not been formally charged in court.
Halfway Houses--Operated for correctional purposes and include
probation and restitution centers, pre- release centers, and
community-residential centers.
Other Types of Correctional Institutions--Privately
operated correctional facilities and correctional facilities
specifically for alcohol/drug abuse.
Nursing Homes--Comprises a heterogeneous group of places. The majority
of patients are elderly, although persons who require nursing care
because of chronic physical conditions may be found in these homes
regardless of their age. Included in this category are skilled-nursing
facilities, intermediate-care facilities, long-term care rooms in wards
or buildings on the grounds of hospitals, or long-term care
rooms/nursing wings in congregate housing facilities.
Also included are nursing, convalescent, and rest homes, such as
soldiers', sailors', veterans', and fraternal or religious homes for
the aged, with or without nursing care. In some census products,
nursing homes are classified by type of ownership as "Federal,"
"State," "Private not-for-profit," and "Private for
profit."
Mental (Psychiatric) Hospitals--Includes hospitals or
wards for the criminally insane not operated by a prison, and
psychiatric wards of general hospitals and veterans' hospitals.
Patients receive supervised medical/nursing care from formally-trained
staff. In some census products, mental hospitals are classified by type
of ownership as "Federal," "State or local,"
"Private," and "Ownership not known."
Hospitals for Chronically Ill--Includes hospitals for
patients who require long-term care, including those in military
hospitals and wards for the chronically ill located on military bases;
or other hospitals or wards for the chronically ill, which include
tuberculosis hospitals or wards, wards in general and Veterans'
Administration hospitals for the chronically ill, neurological wards,
hospices, wards for patients with Hansen's Disease (leprosy) and other
incurable diseases, and other unspecified wards for the chronically
ill. Patients who had no usual home elsewhere were enumerated as part
of the institutional population in the wards of general and military
hospitals. Most hospital patients are at the hospital temporarily and
were enumerated at their usual place of residence. (For more
information, see "Wards in General and Military Hospitals for
Patients Who Have No Usual Home Elsewhere.")
Schools, Hospitals, or Wards for the Mentally Retarded--Includes those
institutions such as wards in hospitals for the mentally retarded, and
intermediate-care facilities for the mentally retarded that provide
supervised medical/nursing care from formally-trained staff. In some
census products, this category is classified by type of ownership as
"Federal," "State or local," "Private," and "Ownership not known."
Schools, Hospitals, or Wards for the Physically Handicapped--Includes
three types of institutions: institutions for the blind, those for the
deaf, and orthopedic wards and institutions for the physically
handicapped. Institutions for persons with speech problems are
classified with "institutions for the deaf." The category "orthopedic
wards and institutions for the physically handicapped" includes those
institutions providing relatively long-term care to accident victims,
and to persons with polio, cerebral palsy, and muscular dystrophy. In
some census products, this category is classified by type of ownership
as "Public," "Private," and "Ownership not known."
Hospitals, and Wards for Drug/Alcohol Abuse--Includes hospitals, and
hospital wards in psychiatric and general hospitals. These facilities
are equipped medically and designed for the diagnosis and treatment of
medical or psychiatric illnesses associated with alcohol or drug abuse.
Patients receive supervised medical care from formally-trained staff.
Wards in General and Military Hospitals for Patients Who
Have No Usual Home Elsewhere--Includes maternity, neonatal,
pediatric (including wards for boarder babies), military, and surgical
wards of hospitals, and wards for persons with infectious diseases.
Juvenile Institutions--Includes homes, schools, and other institutions
providing care for children (short- or long-term care). Juvenile
institutions include the following types:
Homes for Abused, Dependent, and Neglected Children--Includes
orphanages and other institutions which provide long-term care
(usually more than 30 days) for children. This category
is classified in some census products by type of ownership as
"Public" and "Private."
Residential Treatment Centers--Includes those institutions which
primarily serve children who, by clinical diagnosis, are moderately
or seriously disturbed emotionally. Also, these institutions provide
long-term treatment services, usually supervised or directed by a
psychiatrist.
Training Schools for Juvenile Delinquents--Includes residential
training schools or homes, and industrial schools, camps, or farms for
juvenile delinquents.
Public Training Schools for Juvenile Delinquents--Usually operated by
a State agency (for example, department of welfare, corrections, or a
youth authority). Some are operated by county and city governments.
These public training schools are specialized institutions serving
delinquent children, generally between the ages of 10 and 17 years
old, all of whom are committed by the courts.
Private Training Schools--Operated under private auspices. Some of the
children they serve are committed by the courts as delinquents. Others
are referred by parents or social agencies because of delinquent
behavior. One difference between private and public training schools
is that, by their administrative policy, private schools have control
over their selection and intake.
Detention Centers--Includes institutions providing short-term care (usually
30 days or less) primarily for delinquent children pending disposition of
their cases by a court. This category also covers diagnostic centers. In
practice, such institutions may be caring for both delinquent and neglected
children pending court disposition.
Other Persons in Group Quarters (also referred to as "noninstitutional
group quarters")--Includes all persons who live in group quarters other
than institutions. Persons who live in the following living quarters are
classified as "other persons in group quarters" when there are 10
or more unrelated persons living in the unit; otherwise, these living
quarters are classified as housing units.
Rooming Houses--Includes persons residing in rooming and boarding houses
and living in quarters with 10 or more unrelated persons.
Group Homes--Includes "community-based homes" that provide care and
supportive services. Such places include homes for the mentally ill,
mentally retarded, and physically handicapped; drug/alcohol halfway houses;
communes; and maternity homes for unwed mothers.
Homes for the Mentally Ill--Includes community-based homes that provide
care primarily for the mentally ill. In some data products, this category
is classified by type of ownership as "Federal," "State," "Private," and
"Ownership not known." Homes which combine treatment of the physically
handicapped with treatment of the mentally ill are counted as homes for the
mentally ill.
Homes for the Mentally Retarded--Includes community-based homes that
provide care primarily for the mentally retarded. Homes which combine
treatment of the physically handicapped with treatment of the mentally
retarded are counted as homes for the mentally retarded. This category is
classified by type of ownership in some census products, as "Federal,"
"State," "Private," or "Ownership not known."
Homes for the Physically Handicapped--Includes community-based homes for
the blind, for the deaf, and other community-based homes for the physically
handicapped. Persons with speech problems are classified with homes for the
deaf. In some census products, this category is classified by type of
ownership as "Public," "Private," or "Ownership not known."
Homes or Halfway Houses for Drug/Alcohol Abuse--Includes persons with no
usual home elsewhere in places that provide community-based care and
supportive services to persons suffering from a drug/alcohol addiction and
to recovering alcoholics and drug abusers. Places providing community-based
care for drug and alcohol abusers include group homes, detoxification
centers, quarterway houses (residential treatment facilities that work
closely with accredited hospitals), halfway houses, and recovery homes for
ambulatory, mentally competent recovering alcoholics and drug abusers
who may be re-entering the work force.
Maternity Homes for Unwed Mothers--Includes persons with no usual home
elsewhere in places that provide domestic care for unwed mothers and their
children. These homes may provide social services and post-natal care
within the facility, or may make arrangements for women to receive such
services in the community. Nursing services are usually available in the
facility.
Other Group Homes--Includes persons with no usual home elsewhere in
communes, foster care homes, and job corps centers with 10 or more
unrelated persons. These types of places provide communal living quarters,
generally for persons who have formed their own community in which they
have common interests and often share or own property jointly.
Religious Group Quarters--Includes, primarily, group quarters for nuns
teaching in parochial schools and for priests living in rectories. It also
includes other convents and monasteries, except those associated with a
general hospital or an institution.
College Quarters Off Campus--Includes privately-owned rooming and boarding
houses off campus, if the place is reserved exclusively for occupancy by
college students and if there are 10 or more unrelated persons. In census
products, persons in this category are classified as living in a college
dormitory.
Persons residing in certain other types of living arrangements are
classified as living in "noninstitutional group quarters" regardless of the
number of people sharing the unit. These include persons residing in the
following types of group quarters:
College Dormitories--Includes college students in
dormitories (provided the dormitory is restricted to students who do
not have their families living with them), fraternity and sorority
houses, and on-campus residential quarters used exclusively for those
in religious orders who are attending college. Students in
privately-owned rooming and boarding houses off campus are also
included, if the place is reserved exclusively for occupancy by
college-level students and if there are 10 or more unrelated persons.
Military Quarters--Includes military personnel living
in barracks and dormitories on base, in transient quarters on base for
temporary residents (both civilian and military), and on military
ships. However, patients in military hospitals receiving treatment for
chronic diseases or who had no usual home elsewhere, and persons being
held in military stockades were included as part of the institutional
population.
Agriculture Workers' Dormitories--Includes persons in
migratory farm workers' camps on farms, bunkhouses for ranch hands, and
other dormitories on farms, such as those on "tree farms."
Other Workers' Dormitories--Includes persons in logging
camps, construction workers' camps, firehouse dormitories, job-training
camps, energy enclaves (Alaska only), and nonfarm migratory workers'
camps (for example, workers in mineral and mining camps).
Emergency Shelters for Homeless Persons (with sleeping
facilities) and Visible in Street Locations--Includes persons
enumerated during the "Shelter-and-Street-Night" operation primarily on
March 20-21, 1990. Enumerators were instructed not to ask if a person
was "homeless." If a person was at one of the locations below on March
20-21, the person was counted as described below. (For more information
on the "Shelter-and-Street-Night" operation, see Appendix D, Collection
and Processing Procedures.) This category is divided into four
classifications:
Emergency Shelters for Homeless Persons (with sleeping
facilities)--Includes persons who stayed overnight on March 20,
1990, in permanent and temporary emergency housing, missions,
hotels/motels, and flophouses charging $12 or less (excluding taxes)
per night; Salvation Army shelters, hotels, and motels used
entirely for homeless persons regardless of the nightly rate
charged; rooms in hotels and motels used partially for the
homeless; and similar places known to have persons who have no usual
home elsewhere staying overnight. If not shown separately, shelters
and group homes that provide temporary sleeping facilities for
runaway, neglected, and homeless children are included in this
category in data products.
Shelters for Runaway, Neglected, and Homeless Children--Includes
shelters/group homes which provide temporary sleeping facilities for
juveniles.
Visible in Street Locations--Includes street blocks and open public
locations designated before March 20, 1990, by city and community officials
as places where the homeless congregate at night. All persons found at
predesignated street sites from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. and leaving abandoned or
boarded-up buildings from 4 a.m. to 8 a.m. on March 21, 1990, were
enumerated during "street" enumeration, except persons in uniform such as
police and persons engaged in obvious money-making activities other than
begging or panhandling. Enumerators were instructed not to ask if a
person was "homeless."
Shelters for Abused Women (Shelters Against Domestic Violence or Family
Crisis Centers)--Includes community-based homes or shelters that provide
domiciliary care for women who have sought shelter from family violence and
who may have been physically abused. Most shelters also provide care for
children of abused women. These shelters may provide social services,
meals, psychiatric treatment, and counseling. In some census products,
"shelters for abused women" are included in the category "other
noninstitutional group quarters."
Dormitories for Nurses and Interns in General and Military
Hospitals--Includes group quarters for nurses and other staff
members. It excludes patients.
Crews of Maritime Vessels--Includes officers, crew members, and passengers
of maritime U.S. flag vessels. All ocean-going and Great Lakes ships are
included.
Staff Residents of Institutions--Includes staff residing in group quarters
on institutional grounds who provide formally-authorized, supervised care
or custody for the institutionalized population.
Other Nonhousehold Living Situations--Includes persons with no usual home
elsewhere enumerated during transient or "T-Night" enumeration at YMCA's,
YWCA's, youth hostels, commercial and government-run campgrounds,
campgrounds at racetracks, fairs, and carnivals, and similar transient
sites.
Living Quarters for Victims of Natural Disasters--Includes living quarters
for persons temporarily displaced by natural disasters.
HISPANIC ORIGIN--The data on Spanish/Hispanic origin were derived from
answers to questionnaire item 7, which was asked of all persons. Persons of
Hispanic origin are those who classified themselves in one of the
specific Hispanic origin categories listed on the questionnaire--"Mexican,"
"Puerto Rican," or "Cuban"--as well as those who indicated that they were
of "other Spanish/Hispanic" origin. Persons of "Other Spanish/Hispanic"
origin are those whose origins are from Spain, the Spanish-speaking
countries of Central or South America, or the Dominican Republic, or they
are persons of Hispanic origin identifying themselves generally as Spanish,
Spanish-American, Hispanic, Hispano, Latino, and so on. Write-in responses
to the "other Spanish/Hispanic" category were coded only for sample data.
HOUSEHOLD TYPE AND RELATIONSHIP
Household--A household includes all the persons who occupy a housing unit.
A housing unit is a house, an apartment, a mobile home, a group of rooms,
or a single room that is occupied (or if vacant, is intended for occupancy)
as separate living quarters. Separate living quarters are those in which
the occupants live and eat separately from any other persons in the
building and which have direct access from the outside of the building or
through a common hall. The occupants may be a single family, one person
living alone, two or more families living together, or any other group of
related or unrelated persons who share living arrangements.
Relationship to Householder
Householder--The data on relationship to householder were derived from
answers to questionnaire item 2, which was asked of all persons in housing
units. One person in each household is designated as the householder. In
most cases, this is the person, or one of the persons, in whose name the
home is owned, being bought, or rented and who is listed in column 1 of
the census questionnaire. If there is no such person in the household,
any adult household member 15 years old and over could be designated as
the householder.
Households are classified by type according to the sex of the
householder and the presence of relatives. Two types of householders
are distinguished: a family householder and a nonfamily householder. A
family householder is a householder living with one or more persons
related to him or her by birth, marriage, or adoption. The householder
and all persons in the household related to him or her are family
members. A nonfamily householder is a householder living alone or with
nonrelatives only.
Spouse--Includes a person married to and living with a householder. This
category includes persons in formal marriages, as well as persons in
common-law marriages.
The number of spouses is equal to the number of "married-couple families"
or "married-couple households" in 100-percent tabulations. The number of
spouses, however, is generally less than half of the number of "married
persons with spouse present" in sample tabulations, since more than one
married couple can live in a household, but only spouses of householders
are specifically identified as "spouse." For sample tabulations, the number
of "married persons with spouse present" includes married-couple
subfamilies and married-couple families.
Child--Includes a son or daughter by birth, a stepchild, or adopted child
of the householder, regardless of the child's age or marital status. The
category excludes sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, and foster children.
Natural-Born or Adopted Son/Daughter--A son or daughter of the householder
by birth, regardless of the age of the child. Also, this category includes
sons or daughters of the householder by legal adoption, regardless of the
age of the child. If the stepson/stepdaughter of the householder has been
legally adopted by the householder, the child is still classified as a
stepchild.
Stepson/Stepdaughter--A son or daughter of the householder through marriage
but not by birth, regardless of the age of the child. If the
stepson/stepdaughter of the householder has been legally adopted by the
householder, the child is still classified as a stepchild.
Own Child--A never-married child under 18 years who is a son or daughter by
birth, a stepchild, or an adopted child of the householder. In certain
tabulations, own children are further classified as living with two parents
or with one parent only. Own children of the householder living with two
parents are by definition found only in married-couple families.
In a subfamily, an "own child" is a never-married child under 18
years of age who is a son, daughter, stepchild, or an adopted child of
a mother in a mother-child subfamily, a father in a father-child subfamily,
or either spouse in a married-couple subfamily.
"Related children" in a family include own children and all other persons
under 18 years of age in the household, regardless of marital status, who
are related to the householder, except the spouse of the householder.
Foster children are not included since they are not related to the
householder.
Other Relatives--In tabulations, includes any household member related to
the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption, but not included
specifically in another relationship category. In certain detailed
tabulations, the following categories may be shown:
Grandchild--The grandson or granddaughter of the householder.
Brother/Sister--The brother or sister of the householder, including
stepbrothers, stepsisters, and brothers and sisters by adoption. Brothers-
in-law and sisters-in-law are included in the "Other relative" category on
the questionnaire.
Parent--The father or mother of the householder, including a stepparent or
adoptive parent. Fathers-in-law and mothers-in-law are included in the
"Other relative" category on the questionnaire.
Other Relatives--Anyone not listed in a reported category above who is
related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption (brother-in-law,
grandparent, nephew, aunt, mother-in-law, daughter-in-law, cousin, and so
forth).
Nonrelatives--Includes any household member, including foster children not
related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. The following
categories may be presented in more detailed tabulations:
Roomer, Boarder, or Foster Child--Roomer, boarder, lodger, and foster
children or foster adults of the householder.
Housemate or Roommate--A person who is not related to the householder
and who shares living quarters primarily in order to share expenses.
Unmarried Partner--A person who is not related to the householder, who
shares living quarters, and who has a close personal relationship with
the householder.
Other Nonrelatives--A person who is not related by birth, marriage, or
adoption to the householder and who is not described by the categories
given above.
When relationship is not reported for an individual, it is imputed
according to the responses for age, sex, and marital status for that
person while maintaining consistency with responses for other
individuals in the household. (For more information on imputation, see
Appendix C, Accuracy of the Data.)
Unrelated Individual--An unrelated individual is: (1) a householder living
alone or with nonrelatives only, (2) a household member who is not related
to the householder, or (3) a person living in group quarters who is not an
inmate of an institution.
Family Type--A family consists of a householder and one or more other
persons living in the same household who are related to the householder by
birth, marriage, or adoption. All persons in a household who are
related to the householder are regarded as members of his or her
family. A household can contain only one family for purposes of census
tabulations. Not all households contain families since a household may
comprise a group of unrelated persons or one person living alone.
Families are classified by type as either a "married-couple family" or
"other family" according to the sex of the householder and the presence of
relatives. The data on family type are based on answers to questions on sex
and relationship which were asked on a 100-percent basis.
Married-Couple Family--A family in which the householder and his or her
spouse are enumerated as members of the same household.
Other Family:
Male Householder, No Wife Present--A family with a male
householder and no spouse of householder present.
Female Householder, No Husband Present--A family with a
female householder and no spouse of householder present.
Persons Per Family--A measure obtained by dividing the number of persons in
families by the total number of families (or family householders). In cases
where the measure, "persons in family" or "persons per family" are
cross-tabulated by race or Hispanic origin, the race or Hispanic origin
refers to the householder rather than the race or Hispanic origin of
each individual.
Subfamily--A subfamily is a married couple (husband and wife enumerated as
members of the same household) with or without never-married children
under 18 years old, or one parent with one or more never-married
children under 18 years old, living in a household and related to, but
not including, either the householder or the householder's spouse. The
number of subfamilies is not included in the count of families, since
subfamily members are counted as part of the householder's family.
Subfamilies are defined during processing of sample data. In selected
tabulations, subfamilies are further classified by type: married-couple
subfamilies, with or without own children; mother-child subfamilies;
and father-child subfamilies.
Lone parents include people maintaining either one-parent families or one-
parent subfamilies. Married couples include husbands and wives in both
married-couple families and married-couple subfamilies.
Unmarried-Partner Household--An unmarried-partner household is a household
other than a "married-couple household" that includes a householder and an
"unmarried partner." An "unmarried partner" can be of the same sex or of
the opposite sex of the householder. An "unmarried partner" in an
"unmarried- partner household" is an adult who is unrelated to the
householder, but shares living quarters and has a close personal
relationship with the householder.
Unmarried-Couple Household--An unmarried-couple household is composed of
two unrelated adults of the opposite sex (one of whom is the householder)
who share a housing unit with or without the presence of children under 15
years old.
Foster Children--Foster children are nonrelatives of the householder and
are included in the category, "Roomer, boarder, or foster child" on the
questionnaire. Foster children are identified as persons under 18 years
old and living in households that have no nonrelatives 18 years old and
over (who might be parents of the nonrelatives under 18 years old).
Stepfamily--A stepfamily is a "married-couple family" with at least one
stepchild of the householder present, where the householder is the
husband.
INCOME IN 1989--The data on income in 1989 were derived from answers to
questionnaire items 32 and 33. Information on money income received in
the calendar year 1989 was requested from persons 15 years old and
over. "Total income" is the algebraic sum of the amounts reported
separately for wage or salary income; net nonfarm self-employment
income; net farm self-employment income; interest, dividend, or net
rental or royalty income; Social Security or railroad retirement
income; public assistance or welfare income; retirement or disability
income; and all other income. "Earnings" is defined as the
algebraic sum of wage or salary income and net income from farm and
nonfarm self-employment. "Earnings" represent the amount of
income received regularly before deductions for personal income taxes,
Social Security, bond purchases, union dues, medicare deductions, etc.
Receipts from the following sources are not included as income: money
received from the sale of property (unless the recipient was engaged in
the business of selling such property); the value of income "in
kind" from food stamps, public housing subsidies, medical care,
employer contributions for persons, etc.; withdrawal of bank deposits;
money borrowed; tax refunds; exchange of money between relatives living
in the same household; gifts and lump-sum inheritances, insurance
payments, and other types of lump-sum receipts.
Income Type in 1989--The eight types of income reported in the census are
defined as follows:
Wage or Salary Income--Includes total money earnings
received for work performed as an employee during the calendar year
1989. It includes wages, salary, Armed Forces pay, commissions, tips,
piece-rate payments, and cash bonuses earned before deductions were made
for taxes, bonds, pensions, union dues, etc.
Nonfarm Self-Employment Income--Includes net money income (gross
receipts minus expenses) from one's own business, professional
enterprise, or partnership. Gross receipts include the value of all
goods sold and services rendered. Expenses includes costs of goods
purchased, rent, heat, light, power, depreciation charges, wages and
salaries paid, business taxes (not personal income taxes), etc.
Farm Self-Employment Income--Includes net money income (gross receipts
minus operating expenses) from the operation of a farm by a person on
his or her own account, as an owner, renter, or sharecropper. Gross
receipts include the value of all products sold, government farm
programs, money received from the rental of farm equipment to others,
and incidental receipts from the sale of wood, sand, gravel, etc.
Operating expenses include cost of feed, fertilizer, seed, and other
farming supplies, cash wages paid to farmhands, depreciation charges,
cash rent, interest on farm mortgages, farm building repairs, farm taxes
(not State and Federal personal income taxes), etc. The value of fuel,
food, or other farm products used for family living is not included as
part of net income.
Interest, Dividend, or Net Rental Income--Includes interest on savings
or bonds, dividends from stockholdings or membership in associations,
net income from rental of property to others and receipts from boarders
or lodgers, net royalties, and periodic payments from an estate or trust
fund.
Social Security Income--Includes Social Security pensions and survivors
benefits and permanent disability insurance payments made by the Social
Security Administration prior to deductions for medical insurance, and
railroad retirement insurance checks from the U.S. Government. Medicare
reimbursements are not included.
Public Assistance Income--Includes: (1) supplementary security income
payments made by Federal or State welfare agencies to low income persons
who are aged (65 years old or over), blind, or disabled; (2) aid to
families with dependent children, and (3) general assistance. Separate
payments received for hospital or other medical care (vendor payments)
are excluded from this item.
Retirement or Disability Income--Includes: (1) retirement pensions and
survivor benefits from a former employer, labor union, or Federal,
State, county, or other governmental agency; (2) disability income from
sources such as worker's compensation; companies or unions; Federal,
State, or local government; and the U.S. military; (3) periodic receipts
from annuities and insurance; and (4) regular income from IRA and KEOGH
plans.
All Other Income--Includes unemployment compensation, Veterans
Administration (VA) payments, alimony and child support,
contributions received periodically from persons not living in the
household, military family allotments, net gambling winnings, and other
kinds of periodic income other than earnings.
Income of Households--Includes the income of the householder and all other
persons 15 years old and over in the household, whether related to the
householder or not. Because many households consist of only one person,
average household income is usually less than average family income.
Income of Families and Persons--In compiling statistics on family income,
the incomes of all members 15 years old and over in each family are summed
and treated as a single amount. However, for persons 15 years old and over,
the total amounts of their own incomes are used. Although the income
statistics covered the calendar year 1989, the characteristics of persons
and the composition of families refer to the time of enumeration (April
1990). Thus, the income of the family does not include amounts received by
persons who were members of the family during all or part of the
calendar year 1989 if these persons no longer resided with the family
at the time of enumeration. Yet, family income amounts reported by
related persons who did not reside with the family during 1989 but who
were members of the family at the time of enumeration are included.
However, the composition of most families was the same during 1989 as
in April 1990.
Median Income--The median divides the income distribution into two equal
parts, one having incomes above the median and the other having incomes
below the median. For households and families, the median income is based
on the distribution of the total number of units including those with no
income. The median for persons is based on persons with income. The
median income values for all households, families, and persons are
computed on the basis of more detailed income intervals than shown in
most tabulations. Median household or family income figures of $50,000
or less are calculated using linear interpolation. For persons,
corresponding median values of $40,000 or less are also computed using
linear interpolation. All other median income amounts are derived
through Pareto interpolation. (For more information on medians and
interpolation, see the discussion under "Derived Measures.")
Mean Income--This is the amount obtained by dividing the total income of a
particular statistical universe by the number of units in that universe.
Thus, mean household income is obtained by dividing total household income
by the total number of households. For the various types of income the
means are based on households having those types of income. "Per capita
income" is the mean income computed for every man, woman, and child in a
particular group. It is derived by dividing the total income of a
particular group by the total population in that group.
INDUSTRY, OCCUPATION, AND CLASS OF WORKER--The data on industry,
occupation, and class of worker were derived from answers to questionnaire
items 28, 29, and 30 respectively. These questions were asked of a sample
of persons. Information on industry relates to the kind of business
conducted by a person's employing organization; occupation describes the
kind of work the person does on the job.
For employed persons, the data refer to the person's job during the
reference week. For those who worked at two or more jobs, the data
refer to the job at which the person worked the greatest number of
hours. For unemployed persons, the data refer to their last job. The
industry and occupation statistics are derived from the detailed
classification systems developed for the 1990 census as described
below. The Classified Index of Industries and Occupations
provided additional information on the industry and occupation
classification systems.
Industry--The industry classification system developed for the 1990 census
consists of 235 categories for employed persons, classified into 13
major industry groups. Since 1940, the industrial classification has
been based on the Standard Industrial Classification Manual (SIC). The
1990 census classification was developed from the 1987 SIC published by
the Office of Management and Budget Executive Office of the President.
Occupation--The occupational classification system developed for the 1990
census consists of 500 specific occupational categories for employed
persons arranged into 6 summary and 13 major occupational groups. This
classification was developed to be consistent with the Standard
Occupational Classification (SOC) Manual: 1980, published by the Office
of Federal Statistical Policy and Standards, U.S. Department of
Commerce. Tabulations with occupation as the primary characteristic
present several levels of occupational detail. The most detailed
tabulations are shown in a special 1990 subject report and tape files
on occupation. These products contain all 500 occupational categories
plus industry or class of worker subgroupings of occupational
categories.
Class of Worker--The data on class of worker were derived from answers to
questionnaire item 30. The information on class of worker refers to the
same job as a respondent's industry and occupation and categorizes
persons according to the type of ownership of the employing
organization. The class of worker categories are defined as follows:
Private Wage and Salary Workers--Includes persons who worked for wages,
salary, commission, tips, pay-in-kind, or piece rates for a private for
profit employer or a private not-for-profit, tax-exempt or charitable
organization. Self-employed persons whose business was incorporated are
included with private wage and salary workers because they are paid
employees of their own companies. Some tabulations present data
separately for these subcategories: "For profit," "Not for profit," and
"Own business incorporated."
Employees of foreign governments, the United Nations, or other formal
international organizations were classified as "Private-not-for-profit."
Government Workers--Includes persons who were employees of any local,
State, or Federal governmental unit, regardless of the activity of the
particular agency. For some tabulations, the data were presented
separately for the three levels of government.
Self-Employed Workers--Includes persons who worked for profit or fees in
their own unincorporated business, profession, or trade, or who operated
a farm.
Unpaid Family Workers--Includes persons who worked 15 hours or more
without pay in a business or on a farm operated by a relative.
Salaried/Self-Employed--In tabulations that categorize persons as either
salaried or self-employed, the salaried category includes private and
government wage and salary workers; self-employed includes self-employed
persons and unpaid family workers.
The industry category, "Public administration," is limited to regular
government functions such as legislative, judicial, administrative, and
regulatory activities of governments. Other government organizations
such as schools, hospitals, liquor stores, and bus lines are classified
by industry according to the activity in which they are engaged. On the
other hand, the class of worker government categories include all
government workers.
JOURNEY TO WORK
Place of Work--The data on place of work were derived from answers to
questionnaire item 22, which was asked of persons who indicated in question
21 that they worked at some time during the reference week. (For more
information, see discussion under "Reference Week.")
Data were tabulated for workers 16 years and over; that is, members of
the Armed Forces and civilians who were at work during the reference
week. Data on place of work refer to the geographic location at which
workers carried out their occupational activities during the reference
week. The exact address (number and street) of the place of work was
asked, as well as the place (city, town, or post office); whether or
not the place of work was inside or outside the limits of that city or
town; and the county, State, and ZIP Code. If the person's employer
operated in more than one location, the exact address of the location
or branch where the respondent worked was requested. When the number
and street name were unknown, a description of the location, such as
the building name or nearest street or intersection, was to be entered.
Persons who worked at more than one location during the reference week
were asked to report the one at which they worked the greatest number
of hours. Persons who regularly worked in several locations each day
during the reference week were requested to give the address at which
they began work each day. For cases in which daily work did not begin
at a central place each day, the person was asked to provide as much
information as possible to describe the area in which he or she worked
most during the reference week.
In some tabulations, place-of-work locations may be defined as "in
area of residence" and "outside area of residence." The area
of residence may vary from table to table or even within a table, and
refers to the particular area or areas shown. For example, in a table
that provides data for counties, "in area of residence" refers to
persons who worked in the same county in which they lived, while
"outside area of residence" refers to persons whose workplace was
located in a county different from the one in which they lived.
Similarly, in a table that provides data for several types of areas,
such as the State and its individual metropolitan areas (MA's),
counties, and places, the place-of-work data will be variable and is
determined by the geographic level (State, MA, county, or place) shown in
each section of the tabulation.
In tabulations that present data for States, workplaces for the
residents of the State may include, in addition to the State itself,
each contiguous State. The category, "in noncontiguous State or
abroad," includes persons who worked in a State that did not border
their State of residence as well as persons who worked outside the
United States.
In tabulations that present data for an MSA/PMSA, place-of-work
locations are specified to show the main destinations of workers living
in the MSA/PMSA. (For more information on metropolitan areas (MA's),
see Appendix A, Area Classifications.) All place-of-work locations are
identified with respect to the boundaries of the MSA/PMSA as "inside
MSA/PMSA" or "outside MSA/PMSA." Locations within the MSA/PMSA
are further divided into each central city, and each county or county
balance. Selected large incorporated places also may be specified as
places of work.
Within New England MSA/PMSA's, the places of work presented generally
are cities and towns. Locations outside the MSA/PMSA are specified if
they are important commuting destinations for residents of the
MSA/PMSA, and may include adjoining MSA/PMSA's and their central
cities, their component counties, large incorporated places, or
counties, cities, or other geographic areas outside any MA. In
tabulations for MSA/PMSA's in New England; Honolulu, Hawaii; and
certain other MA's, some place-of-work locations are identified as "areas"
(e.g., Area 1, Area 5, Area 12, etc.). Such areas consist of groups of
towns, cities, census designated places (Honolulu MSA only), or counties
that have been identified as unique place-of-work destinations. When an
adjoining MSA/PMSA or MSA/PMSA remainder is specified as a place-of-work
location, its components are not defined. However, the components are
presented in the 1990 CP-1, General Population Characteristics
for Metropolitan Areas and the 1990 CH-1, General Housing
Characteristics for Metropolitan Areas reports. In tabulations
that present data for census tracts outside MA's, place-of-work
locations are defined as "in county of residence" and "outside
county of residence."
In areas where the workplace address was coded to the block level,
persons were tabulated as working inside or outside a specific place
based on the location of that address, regardless of the response to
question 22c concerning city/town limits. In areas where it was
impossible to code the workplace address to the block level, persons
were tabulated as working in a place if a place name was reported in
question 22b and the response to question 22c was either "Yes" or
the item was left blank. In selected areas, census designated places
(CDP's) may appear in the tabulations as places of work. The accuracy
of place-of-work data for CDP's may be affected by the extent to which
their census names were familiar to respondents, and by coding problems
caused by similarities between the CDP name and the names of other
geographic jurisdictions in the same vicinity.
Place-of-work data are given for selected minor civil divisions
(generally, cities, towns, and townships) in the nine Northeastern
States, based on the responses to the place-of-work question. Many
towns and townships are regarded locally as equivalent to a place and
therefore, were reported as the place of work. When a respondent
reported a locality or incorporated place that formed a part of a
township or town, the coding and tabulating procedure was designed to
include the response in the total for the township or town. The
accuracy of the place-of-work data for minor civil divisions is
greatest for the New England States. However, the data for some New
England towns, for towns in New York, and for townships in New Jersey
and Pennsylvania may be affected by coding problems that resulted from
the unfamiliarity of the respondent with the minor civil division in
which the workplace was located or when a township and a city or
borough of the same or similar name are located close together.
Place-of-work data may show a few workers who made unlikely daily work
trips (e.g., workers who lived in New York and worked in California).
This result is attributable to persons who worked during the reference
week at a location that was different from their usual place of work,
such as persons away from home on business.
Means of Transportation to Work--The data on means of transportation to
work were derived from answers to questionnaire item 23a, which was asked
of persons who indicated in question 21 that they worked at some time
during the reference week. (For more information, see discussion under
"Reference Week.") Means of transportation to work refers to the
principal mode of travel or type of conveyance that the person usually
used to get from home to work during the reference week.
Private Vehicle Occupancy--The data on private vehicle occupancy were
derived from answers to questionnaire item 23b. This question was asked of
persons who indicated in question 21 that they worked at some time during
the reference week and who reported in question 23a that their means of
transportation to work was "Car, truck, or van." (For more
information, see discussion under "Reference Week.")
Private vehicle occupancy refers to the number of persons who usually
rode to work in the vehicle during the reference week. The category,
"Drove alone," includes persons who usually drove alone to work
as well as persons who were driven to work by someone who then drove
back home or to a nonwork destination. The category, "Carpooled,"
includes workers who reported that two or more persons usually rode to
work in the vehicle during the reference week.
Persons Per Car, Truck, or Van--This is obtained by dividing the number of
persons who reported using a car, truck, or van to get to work by the
number of such vehicles that they used. The number of vehicles used is
derived by counting each person who drove alone as one vehicle, each person
who reported being in a two-person carpool as one-half vehicle, each person
who reported being in a three-person carpool as one-third vehicle, and so
on, and then summing all the vehicles.
Time Leaving Home to Go to Work--The data on time leaving home to go to
work were derived from answers to questionnaire item 24a. This question was
asked of persons who indicated in question 21 that they worked at some time
during the reference week and who reported in question 23a that they worked
outside their home. The departure time refers to the time of day that
the person usually left home to go to work during the reference week.
(For more information, see discussion under "Reference Week.")
Travel Time to Work--The data on travel time to work were derived from
answers to questionnaire item 24b. This question was asked of persons who
indicated in question 21 that they worked at some time during the
reference week and who reported in question 23a that they worked
outside their home. Travel time to work refers to the total number of
minutes that it usually took the person to get from home to work during
the reference week. The elapsed time includes time spent waiting for
public transportation, picking up passengers in carpools, and time
spent in other activities related to getting to work. (For more
information, see discussion under "Reference Week.")
LANGUAGE SPOKEN AT HOME AND ABILITY TO SPEAK ENGLISH
Language Spoken at Home--Data on language spoken at home were derived from
the answers to questionnaire items 15a and 15b, which were asked of a
sample of persons born before April 1, 1985. Instructions mailed with the
1990 census questionnaire stated that a respondent should mark "Yes"
in question 15a if the person sometimes or always spoke a language
other than English at home and should not mark "Yes" if a
language was spoken only at school or if speaking was limited to a few
expressions or slang. For question 15b, respondents were instructed to
print the name of the non-English language spoken at home. If the
person spoke more than one language other than English, the person was
to report the language spoken more often or the language learned first.
MARITAL STATUS--The data on marital status were derived from answers to
questionnaire item 6, which was asked of all persons. The marital
status classification refers to the status at the time of enumeration.
Data on marital status are tabulated only for persons 15 years old and
over.
All persons were asked whether they were "now married," "widowed,"
"divorced," "separated," or "never married." Couples who live together
(unmarried persons, persons in common-law marriages) were allowed to report
the marital status they considered the most appropriate.
Never Married--Includes all persons who have never been married, including
persons whose only marriage(s) was annulled.
Ever Married--Includes persons married at the time of enumeration
(including those separated), widowed, or divorced.
Now Married, Except Separated--Includes persons whose current marriage has
not ended through widowhood, divorce, or separation (regardless of previous
marital history). The category may also include couples who live together
or persons in common-law marriages if they consider this category the most
appropriate. In certain tabulations, currently married persons are
further classified as "spouse present" or "spouse absent."
Separated--Includes persons legally separated or otherwise absent from
their spouse because of marital discord. Included are persons who have been
deserted or who have parted because they no longer want to live
together but who have not obtained a divorce.
Widowed--Includes widows and widowers who have not remarried.
Divorced--Includes persons who are legally divorced and who have not
remarried.
In selected sample tabulations, data for married and separated persons are
reorganized and combined with information on the presence of the spouse in
the same household.
Now Married--All persons whose current marriage has not ended by widowhood
or divorce. This category includes persons defined above as "separated."
Spouse Present--Married persons whose wife or husband was enumerated as a
member of the same household, including those whose spouse may have been
temporarily absent for such reasons as travel or hospitalization.
Spouse Absent--Married persons whose wife or husband was not enumerated as
a member of the same household. This category also includes all married
persons living in group quarters.
Separated--Defined above.
Spouse Absent, Other--Married persons whose wife or husband was not
enumerated as a member of the same household, excluding separated. Included
is any person whose spouse was employed and living away from home or in an
institution or absent in the Armed Forces.
MOBILITY LIMITATION STATUS--The data on mobility limitation status were
derived from answers to questionnaire item 19a, which was asked of a sample
of persons 15 years old and over. Persons were identified as having a
mobility limitation if they had a health condition that had lasted for 6 or
more months and which made it difficult to go outside the home alone.
Examples of outside activities on the questionnaire included shopping and
visiting the doctor's office.
The term "health condition" referred to both physical and mental
conditions. A temporary health problem, such as a broken bone that was
expected to heal normally, was not considered a health condition.
PLACE OF BIRTH--The data on place of birth were derived from answers to
questionnaire item 8, which was asked on a sample basis. The
place-of-birth question asked respondents to report the U.S. State,
commonwealth or territory, or the foreign country where they were born.
Persons born outside the United States were asked to report their place
of birth according to current international boundaries. Since numerous
changes in boundaries of foreign countries have occurred in the last
century, some persons may have reported their place of birth in terms
of boundaries that existed at the time of their birth or emigration, or
in accordance with their own national preference.
Nativity--Information on place of birth and citizenship were used to
classify the population into two major categories: native and foreign born.
When information on place of birth was not reported, nativity was assigned
on the basis of answers to citizenship, if reported, and other
characteristics.
Native--Includes persons born in the United States, Puerto Rico, or an
outlying area of the United States. The small number of persons who were
born in a foreign country but have at least one American parent also are
included in this category.
The native population is classified in the following groups: persons
born in the State in which they resided at the time of the census;
persons born in a different State, by region; persons born in Puerto
Rico or an outlying area of the U.S.; and persons born abroad with at
least one American parent.
Foreign Born--Includes persons not classified as "Native." Prior to the
1970 census, persons not reporting place of birth were generally classified
as native.
The foreign-born population is shown by selected area, country, or
region of birth: the places of birth shown in data products were
selected based on the number of respondents who reported that area or
country of birth.
POVERTY STATUS IN 1989--The data on poverty status were derived from
answers to the same questions as the income data, questionnaire items 32
and 33. (For more information, see the discussion under "Income in 1989.")
Poverty statistics presented in census publications were based on a
definition originated by the Social Security Administration in 1964 and
subsequently modified by Federal interagency committees in 1969 and
1980 and prescribed by the Office of Management and Budget in Directive
14 as the standard to be used by Federal agencies for statistical
purposes.
At the core of this definition was the 1961 economy food plan, the
least costly of four nutritionally adequate food plans designed by the
Department of Agriculture. It was determined from the Agriculture
Department's 1955 survey of food consumption that families of three or
more persons spend approximately one-third of their income on food;
hence, the poverty level for these families was set at three times the
cost of the economy food plan. For smaller families and persons living
alone, the cost of the economy food plan was multiplied by factors that
were slightly higher to compensate for the relatively larger fixed
expenses for these smaller households.
The income cutoffs used by the Census Bureau to determine the poverty
status of families and unrelated individuals included a set of 48
thresholds arranged in a two-dimensional matrix consisting of family
size (from one person to nine or more persons) cross-classified by
presence and number of family members under 18 years old (from no
children present to eight or more children present). Unrelated
individuals and two-person families were further differentiated by age
of the householder (under 65 years old and 65 years old and over).
The total income of each family or unrelated individual in the sample
was tested against the appropriate poverty threshold to determine the
poverty status of that family or unrelated individual. If the total
income was less than the corresponding cutoff, the family or unrelated
individual was classified as "below the poverty level." The
number of persons below the poverty level was the sum of the number of
persons in families with incomes below the poverty level and the number
of unrelated individuals with incomes below the poverty level.
The poverty thresholds are revised annually to allow for changes in the
cost of living as reflected in the Consumer Price Index. The average
poverty threshold for a family of four persons was $12,674 in 1989.
(For more information, see table A below.) Poverty thresholds were
applied on a national basis and were not adjusted for regional, State
or local variations in the cost of living. For a detailed discussion of
the poverty definition, see U.S. Bureau of the Census, Current
Population Reports, Series P-60, No. 171, Poverty in the United
States: 1988 and 1989.
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Table A. Poverty Thresholds in 1989 by Size of Family and Number
of Related Children Under 18 Years
Weight Related children under 18 years
Size of average Eight
Family Unit thresholds None One Two Three Four Five Six Seven or more
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One person
(unrelated
individual) $6,310
Under 65 yrs. 6 451 $6,451
65 yrs. &
over 5,947 5,947
Two persons 8,076
Householder
under 65 yrs. 8,343 8,303 $8,547
Householder
65 yrs. & over 7,501 7,495 8,515
Three persons 9,885 9,699 9,981 $9,990
Four persons 12,674 12,790 12,999 12,575 $12,619
Five persons 14,990 15,424 15,648 15,169 14,798 $14,572
Six persons 16,921 17,740 17,811 17,444 17,092 16,569 $16,259
Seven persons 19,162 20,412 20,540 20,101 19,794 19,224 18,558 $17,828
Eight persons 21,328 22,830 23,031 22,617 22,253 21,738 21,084 20,403 $20,230
Nine or
more persons 25,480 27,463 27,596 27,229 26,921 26,415 25,719 25,089 24,933 $23,973
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Persons for Whom Poverty Status is Determined-- Poverty status was
determined for all persons except institutionalized persons, persons in
military group quarters and in college dormitories, and unrelated
individuals under 15 years old. These groups also were excluded from the
denominator when calculating poverty rates.
Specified Poverty Levels--Since the poverty levels currently in use by the
Federal Government do not meet all the needs of data users, some of the
data are presented for alternate levels. These specified poverty levels are
obtained by multiplying the income cutoffs at the poverty level by the
appropriate factor. For example, the average income cutoff at 125 percent
of poverty level was $15,843 ($12,674 x 1.25) in 1989 for a family of four
persons.
Weighted Average Thresholds at the Poverty Level--The average thresholds
shown in the first column of table A are weighted by the presence and
number of children. For example, the weighted average threshold for a given
family size is obtained by multiplying the threshold for each presence and
number of children category within the given family size by the number of
families in that category. These products are then aggregated across the
entire range of presence and number of children categories, and the
aggregate is divided by the total number of families in the group to yield
the weighted average threshold at the poverty level for that family size.
Income Deficit--Represents the difference between the total income of
families and unrelated individuals below the poverty level and their
respective poverty thresholds. In computing the income deficit, families
reporting a net income loss are assigned zero dollars and for such cases
the deficit is equal to the poverty threshold.
This measure provided an estimate of the amount which would be required
to raise the incomes of all poor families and unrelated individuals to
their respective poverty thresholds. The income deficit is thus a
measure of the degree of impoverishment of a family or unrelated
individual. However, caution must be used in comparing the average
deficits of families with different characteristics. Apparent
differences in average income deficits may, to some extent, be a
function of differences in family size.
Mean Income Deficit--Represents the amount obtained by dividing the total
income deficit of a group below the poverty level by the number of families
(or unrelated individuals) in that group.
RACE--The data on race were derived from answers to questionnaire item 4,
which was asked of all persons. The concept of race as used by the
Census Bureau reflects self-identification; it does not denote any
clear-cut scientific definition of biological stock. The data for race
represent self-classification by people according to the race with
which they most closely identify. Furthermore, it is recognized that
the categories of the race item include both racial and national origin
or socio-cultural groups.
White--Includes persons who indicated their race as "White" or reported
entries such as Canadian, German, Italian, Lebanese, Near Easterner,
Arab, or Polish.
Black--Includes persons who indicated their race as "Black or Negro" or
reported entries such as African American, Afro-American, Black Puerto
Rican, Jamaican, Nigerian, West Indian, or Haitian.
American Indian, Eskimo, or Aleut--Includes persons who classified
themselves as such in one of the specific race categories identified below.
American Indian--Includes persons who indicated their race as "American
Indian," entered the name of an Indian tribe, or reported such entries as
Canadian Indian, French-American Indian, or Spanish-American Indian.
American Indian Tribe--Persons who identified themselves as American Indian
were asked to report their enrolled or principal tribe. Therefore, tribal
data in tabulations reflect the written tribal entries reported on the
questionnaires. Some of the entries (for example, Iroquois, Sioux, Colorado
River, and Flathead) represent nations or reservations.
The information on tribe is based on self-identification and therefore
does not reflect any designation of Federally- or State-recognized
tribe. Information on American Indian tribes is presented in summary
tape files and special data products. The information is derived from
the American Indian Detailed Tribal Classification List for the 1990
census. The classification list represents all tribes, bands, and clans
that had a specified number of American Indians reported on the census
questionnaire.
Eskimo--Includes persons who indicated their race as "Eskimo" or reported
entries such as Arctic Slope, Inupiat, and Yupik.
Aleut--Includes persons who indicated their race as "Aleut" or reported
entries such as Alutiiq, Egegik, and Pribilovian.
Asian or Pacific Islander--Includes persons who reported in one of the
Asian or Pacific Islander groups listed on the questionnaire or who
provided write-in responses such as Thai, Nepali, or Tongan. A more
detailed listing of the groups comprising the Asian or Pacific Islander
population is presented in figure 2 below. In some data products,
information is presented separately for the Asian population and the
Pacific Islander population.
Asian--Includes "Chinese," "Filipino," "Japanese," "Asian Indian,"
"Korean," "Vietnamese," and "Other Asian." In some tables, "Other Asian"
may not be shown separately, but is included in the total Asian population.
Chinese--Includes persons who indicated their race as "Chinese" or who
identified themselves as Cantonese, Tibetan, or Chinese American. In
standard census reports, persons who reported as "Taiwanese" or "Formosan"
are included here with Chinese. In special reports on the Asian or Pacific
Islander population, information on persons who identified themselves as
Taiwanese are shown separately.
Filipino--Includes persons who indicated their race as "Filipino" or
reported entries such as Philipino, Philipine, or Filipino American.
Japanese--Includes persons who indicated their race as "Japanese" and
persons who identified themselves as Nipponese or Japanese American.
Asian Indian--Includes persons who indicated their race as "Asian Indian"
and persons who identified themselves as Bengalese, Bharat, Dravidian, East
Indian, or Goanese.
Korean--Includes persons who indicated their race as "Korean" and persons
who identified themselves as Korean American.
Vietnamese--Includes persons who indicated their race as "Vietnamese" and
persons who identified themselves as Vietnamese American.
Cambodian--Includes persons who provided a write-in response such as
Cambodian or Cambodia.
Hmong--Includes persons who provided a write-in response such as Hmong,
Laohmong, or Mong.
Laotian--Includes persons who provided a write-in response such as Laotian,
Laos, or Lao.
Thai--Includes persons who provided a write-in response such as Thai,
Thailand, or Siamese.
Other Asian--Includes persons who provided a write-in response of
Bangladeshi, Burmese, Indonesian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan,
Amerasian, or Eurasian. See figure 2 for other groups comprising
"Other Asian."
Pacific Islander--Includes persons who indicated their race as "Pacific
Islander" by classifying themselves into one of the following groups or
identifying themselves as one of the Pacific Islander cultural groups
of Polynesian, Micronesian, or Melanesian.
Hawaiian--Includes persons who indicated their race as "Hawaiian" as well
as persons who identified themselves as Part Hawaiian or Native Hawaiian.
Samoan--Includes persons who indicated their race as "Samoan" or persons
who identified themselves as American Samoan or Western Samoan.
Guamanian--Includes persons who indicated their race as "Guamanian" or
persons who identified themselves as Chamorro or Guam.
Other Pacific Islander--Includes persons who provided a write-in response
of a Pacific Islander group such as Tahitian, Northern Mariana Islander,
Palauan, Fijian, or a cultural group such as Polynesian, Micronesian, or
Melanesian. See figure 2 for other groups comprising "Other Pacific
Islander."
Other Race--Includes all other persons not included in the "White,"
"Black," "American Indian, Eskimo, or Aleut," and the "Asian or Pacific
Islander" race categories described above.
Persons reporting in the "Other race" category and providing
write-in entries such as multiracial, multiethnic, mixed, interracial,
Wesort, or a Spanish/Hispanic origin group (such as Mexican, Cuban, or
Puerto Rican) are included here.
SCHOOL ENROLLMENT AND LABOR FORCE STATUS
Tabulation of data on enrollment, educational attainment, and labor
force status for the population 16 to 19 years old allows for
calculation of the proportion of the age group who are not enrolled in
school and not high school graduates or "dropouts" and an
unemployment rate for the "dropout" population. Definitions of
the three topics and descriptions of the census items from which they
were derived are presented in "Educational Attainment," "Employment
Status," and "School Enrollment and Type of School." The published
tabulations include both the civilian and Armed Forces populations, but
labor force status is provided for the civilian population only. Therefore,
the component labor force statuses may not add to the total lines enrolled
in school, high school graduate, and not high school graduate. The
difference is Armed Forces.
SCHOOL ENROLLMENT AND TYPE OF SCHOOL
Data on school enrollment were derived from answers to questionnaire
item 11, which was asked of a sample of persons. Persons were
classified as enrolled in school if they reported attending a
"regular" public or private school or college at any time between
February 1, 1990, and the time of enumeration. The question included
instructions to "include only nursery school, kindergarten,
elementary school, and schooling which would lead to a high school
diploma or a college degree" as regular school. Instructions
included in the 1990 respondent instruction guide, which was mailed
with the census questionnaire, further specified that enrollment in a
trade or business school, company training, or tutoring were not to be
included unless the course would be accepted for credit at a regular
elementary school, high school, or college. Persons who did not answer
the enrollment question were assigned the enrollment status and type of
school of a person with the same age, race or Hispanic origin, and, at
older ages, sex, whose residence was in the same or a nearby area.
Public and Private School--Includes persons who attended school in the
reference period and indicated they were enrolled by marking one of the
questionnaire categories for either "public school, public college" or
"private school, private college." The instruction guide defines
a public school as "any school or college controlled and supported
by a local, county, State, or Federal Government." "Schools
supported and controlled primarily by religious organizations or other
private groups" are defined as private. Persons who filled both the
"public" and "private" circles are edited to the first entry, "public."
Level of School in Which Enrolled--Persons who were enrolled in school were
classified as enrolled in "preprimary school," "elementary or high school,"
or "college" according to their response to question 12 (years of school
completed or highest degree received). Persons who were enrolled and
reported completing nursery school or less were classified as enrolled in
"preprimary school," which includes kindergarten. Similarly, enrolled
persons who had completed at least kindergarten, but not high school, were
classified as enrolled in elementary or high school. Enrolled persons who
reported completing high school or some college or having received a post-
secondary degree were classified as enrolled in "college." Enrolled persons
who reported completing the twelfth grade but receiving "NO DIPLOMA" were
classified as enrolled in high school. (For more information on level of
school, see the discussion under "Educational Attainment.")
SELF-CARE LIMITATION STATUS
The data on self-care limitation status were derived from answers to
questionnaire item 19b, which was asked of a sample of persons 15 years
old and over. Persons were identified as having a self-care limitation
if they had a health condition that had lasted for 6 or more months and
which made it difficult to take care of their own personal needs, such
as dressing, bathing, or getting around inside the home.
The term "health condition" referred to both physical and mental
conditions. A temporary health problem, such as a broken bone that was
expected to heal normally was not considered a health condition.
SEX
The data on sex were derived from answers to questionnaire item 3,
which was asked of all persons. For most cases in which sex was not
reported, it was determined by the appropriate entry from the person's
given name and household relationship. Otherwise, sex was imputed
according to the relationship to the householder and the age and
marital status of the person. For more information on imputation, see
Appendix C, Accuracy of the Data.
Sex Ratio--A measure derived by dividing the total number of males by the
total number of females and multiplying by 100.
VETERAN STATUS
Data on veteran status, period of military service, and years of
military service were derived from answers to questionnaire item 17,
which was asked of a sample of persons.
Veteran Status--The data on veteran status were derived from responses to
question 17a. For census data products, a "civilian veteran" is a person
16 years old or over who had served (even for a short time) but is not now
serving on active duty in the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps,
or the Coast Guard, or who served as a Merchant Marine seaman during
World War II. Persons who served in the National Guard or military
Reserves are classified as veterans only if they were ever called or
ordered to active duty not counting the 4-6 months for initial training
or yearly summer camps. All other civilians 16 years old and over are
classified as nonveterans.
Period of Military Service--Persons who indicated in question 17a that they
had served on active duty (civilian veterans) or were now on active duty
were asked to indicate in question 17b the period or periods in which they
served. Persons serving in at least one wartime period are classified in
their most recent wartime period. For example, persons who served both
during the Korean conflict and the post-Korean peacetime era between
February 1955 and July 1964 are classified in one of the two "Korean
conflict" categories. If the same person had also served during the
Vietnam era, he or she would instead be included in the "Vietnam era
and Korean conflict" category. The responses were edited to
eliminate inconsistencies between reported period(s) of service and the
age of the person and to cancel out reported combinations of periods
containing unreasonable gaps (for example, a person could not serve
during World War I and the Korean conflict without serving during World
War II). Note that the period of service categories shown in this
report are mutually exclusive.
Years of Military Service--Persons who indicated in question 17a that they
had served on active duty (civilian veterans) or were now on active duty
were asked to report the total number of years of active-duty service in
question 17c. The data were edited for consistency with responses to
question 17b (Period of Military Service) and with the age of the person.
WORK STATUS IN 1989
The data on work status in 1989 were derived from answers to
questionnaire item 31, which was asked of a sample of persons. Persons
16 years old and over who worked 1 or more weeks according to the
criteria described below are classified as "Worked in 1989." All
other persons 16 years old and over are classified as "Did not work
in 1989." Some tabulations showing work status in 1989 include 15
year olds; these persons, by definition, are classified as "Did not
work in 1989."
Weeks Worked in 1989
The data on weeks worked in 1989 were derived from responses to
questionnaire item 31b. Question 31b (Weeks Worked in 1989) was asked
of persons 16 years old and over who indicated in question 31a that
they worked in 1989.
The data pertain to the number of weeks during 1989 in which a person
did any work for pay or profit (including paid vacation and paid sick
leave) or worked without pay on a family farm or in a family business.
Weeks of active service in the Armed Forces are also included.
Usual Hours Worked Per Week Worked in 1989
The data on usual hours worked per week worked in 1989 were derived
from answers to questionnaire item 31c. This question was asked of
persons 16 years old and over who indicated that they worked in 1989.
The data pertain to the number of hours a person usually worked during
the weeks worked in 1989. The respondent was to report the number of
hours worked per week in the majority of the weeks he or she worked in
1989. If the hours worked per week varied considerably during 1989, the
respondent was to report an approximate average of the hours worked per
week. The statistics on usual hours worked per week in 1989 are not
necessarily related to the data on actual hours worked during the
census reference week (question 21b).
Persons 16 years old and over who reported that they usually worked 35
or more hours each week during the weeks they worked are classified as
"Usually worked full time;" persons who reported that they
usually worked 1 to 34 hours are classified as "Usually worked part
time."
Year-Round Full-Time Workers--All persons 16 years old and over who usually
worked 35 hours or more per week for 50 to 52 weeks in 1989.
Number of Workers in Family in 1989--The term "worker" as used for these
data is defined based on the criteria for Work Status in 1989.
YEAR OF ENTRY
The data on year of entry were derived from answers to questionnaire
item 10, which was asked of a sample of persons. The question, "When
did this person come to the United States to stay?" was asked of
persons who indicated in the question on citizenship that they were not
born in the United States. (For more information, see the discussion
under "Citizenship.")
Definitions Index |
Housing Characteristics
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