Census Data
The US Census is a ten-year survey designed to collect data on current populations within the United States. Every decade, Census workers collect information from as many residential dwellings or households as possible. This information is then used to better identify Congressional districts, and to get a better feel for the population of the country. What kind of Census data is collected every ten years? There are many different things that must be reported in order to get a good idea of what information can be utilized and transferred into official data. First, the Census will ask the respondent to verify their correct address. Then, they must complete the survey, which indicates their age, sex, and racial or ethnic background. But the Census does not collect data for each individual person. Instead, it collects data for each household: the respondent must also include all information for those living within their home.
The respondent must include the ages, sexes, and races of all people living in their home, as well as their relationship to each person. Other Census data collected can include the number of vehicles used at the residence for work or other travel purposes, occupation, place of birth, veteran status (if any), if the home is owned or rented, and many other questions. Sometimes a form is mailed directly to the person but in some cases, a US Census worker may arrive at the person's door and ask the questions one on one. Some people will only receive the short Census form, which only records basic data. Others may receive the long form, which collects more in-depth Census Data that can be used for various applications. The purpose of collecting all of this important information is to help determine various Government programs such as: Medicaid, planning streets and roads construction, school locations, and helping local residents to learn more about their neighborhoods.
