Glossary
Unless otherwise noted, all definitions are Census 2000 subject definitions.
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Ability to Speak English
For people who speak a language other than English at home, the response represents the person's own perception of his or her ability to speak English, from very well to not at all. Because census questionnaires are usually completed by one household member, the responses may represent the perception of another household member.
Armed Forces
People on active duty with the United States Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard. It does not include Armed Forces members stationed abroad in foreign countries.
Disability Status
People 5 years old and over are considered to have a disability if they have one or more of the following (a) blindness, deafness, or a severe vision or hearing impairment; (b) a substantial limitation in the ability to perform basic physical activities, such as walking, climbing stairs, reaching, lifting, or carrying; (c) difficulty learning, remembering, or concentrating; or (d)difficulty dressing, bathing, or getting around inside the home.
In addition to the above criteria, people 16 years old and over are considered to have a disability if they have difficulty going outside the home alone to shop or visit a doctor's office, and people 16-64 years old are considered to have a disability if they have difficulty working at a job or business.
Domestic Migration
The movement of people within the United States.
Educational Attainment
Data on educational attainment are derived from a single question that asks, "What is the highest grade of school...has completed, or the highest degree...has received?"
The single educational attainment question now in use was introduced in the CPS beginning January 1992, and is similar to that used in the 1990 Decennial Census of Population and Housing. Consequently, data on educational attainment from the 1992 CPS are not directly comparable to CPS data from earlier years. The new question replaces the previous two-part question used in the CPS that asked respondents to report the highest grade they had attended, and whether or not they had completed that grade.
The questions on educational attainment apply only to progress in "regular" schools. Such schools include graded public, private, and parochial elementary and high schools (both junior and senior high schools), colleges, universities, and professional schools, whether day schools or night schools. Thus, regular schooling is that which may advance a person toward an elementary school certificate or high school diploma, or a college, university, or professional school degree. Schooling in other than regular schools was counted only if the credits obtained are regarded as transferable to a school in the regular school system.
Employed
All civilians 16 years old and over who are 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) are '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.
Excluded from the employed are people whose only activity consisted of work around their own house (painting, repairing, or own home housework) or unpaid volunteer work for religious, charitable, and similar organizations. Also excluded are people on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces.
Family
A family is a group of two people or more (one of whom is the householder) related by birth, marriage, or adoption and residing together; all such people (including related subfamily members) are considered as members of one family.
The number of families is equal to the number of family households; however, the count of family members differs from the count of family household members because family household members include any non-relatives living in the household.
Family Household
A family household is a household maintained by a householder who is in a family, and includes any unrelated people (unrelated subfamily members and/or secondary individuals) who may be residing there. The number of family households is equal to the number of families. The count of family household members differs from the count of family members, however, in that the family household members include all people living in the household, whereas family members include only the householder and his/her relatives.
Family Income
Family Income is the income of all members 15 years old and over in a family, summed and treated as a single amount.
Female Householder, No Husband Present
A female maintaining a household with no husband of the householder present.
Foreign Born
The foreign-born population includes all people who are not U.S. citizens at birth.
Grandparents as Caregivers
Grandparent(s) who have assumed full care of their grandchildren on a temporary or permanent live-in basis. A new question/data category for Census 2000.
Gross Rent
Gross rent is monthly contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities and fuels, if these are paid by the renter.
Gross Rent as a Percentage of Household Income in 1999
A computed ratio of monthly gross rent to monthly household income (total household income in 1999 divided by 12). Units for which no cash rent is paid and units occupied by householders that reported no income or a net loss in 1999 comprise the category 'Not Computed.'
Group Quarters Population
Those people residing in group quarters as of the date on which a particular survey was conducted. The Census Bureau recognizes two general categories of people in group quarters: (1) institutionalized population and (2) non-institutionalized population. The institutionalized population includes people under formally authorized supervised care or custody in institutions at the time of enumeration. Such people 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 people in the institution. Generally, the institutionalized population is 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. The noninstitutionalized population includes all people who live in group quarters other than institutions.
Hispanic Origin
People of Hispanic origin were identified by a question that asked for self-identification of the persons' origin or descent. Respondents were asked to select their origin (and the origin of other household members) from a "flash card" listing ethnic origins. People of Hispanic origin, in particular, were those who indicated that their origin was Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, or some other Hispanic origin. It should be noted that people of Hispanic origin may be of any race.
People who were Non-Hispanic White origin, were identified by crossing the responses to two self-identification questions: (1) origin or descent and (2) race. Respondents were asked to select their race (and the race of other household members) from a "flash card" listing racial groups.
Household
A household consists of all the people who occupy a housing unit. A house, an apartment or other group of rooms, or a single room, is regarded as a housing unit when it is occupied or intended for occupancy as separate living quarters; that is, when the occupants do not live and eat with any other persons in the structure and there is direct access from the outside or through a common hall.
A household includes the related family members and all the unrelated people, if any, such as lodgers, foster children, wards, or employees who share the housing unit. A person living alone in a housing unit, or a group of unrelated people sharing a housing unit such as partners or roomers, is also counted as a household. The count of households excludes group quarters. There are two major categories of households, "family" and "nonfamily".
Household Income
Household Income includes the income of the householder and all persons 15 years old and over in the household, whether related to the householder or not. Since many households consist of one person, average household income is usually less than average family income.
Household Size
The total number of people living in a housing unit.
Householder
The person, or one of the people, in whose name the home is owned, being bought, or rented. If there is no such person present, any household member 15 years old and over can serve as the householder for the purposes of the census.
Two types of householders are distinguished: a family householder and a nonfamily householder. A family householder is a householder living with one or more people related to him or her by birth, marriage, or adoption. The householder and all people in the household related to him are family members. A nonfamily householder is a householder living alone or with nonrelatives only.
Housing Unit
A housing unit is a house, an apartment, a mobile home, a group of rooms, or a single room occupied, or intended for occupancy, as separate living quarters. Separate living quarters are those in which the occupant(s) live separately from any other people in the building and which have direct access from outside the building or through a common hall.
Inmigration
Movement into an area during a given period.
International Migration
The migration of people across country borders.
Kitchen Facilities
Complete kitchen facilities include all of the following: a sink with piped water, a range or cook top and oven, and a refrigerator. All kitchen facilities must be located in the house, apartment, or mobile home, but they need not be in the same room.
Labor Force
The labor force includes all people classified in the civilian labor force (that is 'employed' and 'unemployed' people) plus members of the U.S. Armed Forces (people on active duty in the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.
Language Spoken at Home
The population who speaks a language other than English includes only those who sometimes or always speak a language other than English at home. It does not include those who speak a language other than English only at school or work, or those who were limited to only a few expressions or slang of the other language. Most people who speak another language at home also speak English.
Male-Female Ratio
The male-female ratio is the number who were male times 100 divided by the number who were female.
Marital Status
The marital status classification identifies four major categories: never married, married, widowed, and divorced. These terms refer to the marital status at the time of the enumeration.
The category "married" is further divided into "married, spouse present," "separated," and "other married, spouse absent." A person was classified as "married, spouse present" if the husband or wife was reported as a member of the household, even though he or she may have been temporarily absent on business or on vacation, visiting, in a hospital, etc., at the time of the enumeration. People reported as separated included those with legal separations, those living apart with intentions of obtaining a divorce, and other people permanently or temporarily separated because of marital discord. The group "other married, spouse absent" includes married people living apart because either the husband or wife was employed and living at a considerable distance from home, was serving away from home in the Armed Forces, had moved to another area, or had a different place of residence for any other reason except separation as defined above.
Married Couple
A married couple, as defined for census purposes, is a husband and wife enumerated as members of the same household. The married couple may or may not have children living with them. The expression "husband-wife" or "married couple" before the term "household," "family," or "subfamily" indicates that the household, family, or subfamily is maintained by a husband and wife. The number of married couples equals the count of married couple families plus related and unrelated married couple subfamilies.
Mean Travel Time to Work
Mean travel time to work is the average travel time in minutes that workers usually took to get from home to work (one-way) during the reference week. This measure is obtained by dividing the total number of minutes taken to get from home to work by the number of workers 16 years old and over who did not work at home. The travel time includes time spent waiting for public transportation, picking up passengers in car pools, and time spent in other activities related to getting to work.
Means of Transportation to Work
Means of transportation to work refers to the principal mode of travel or type of conveyance that the worker usually used to get from home to work during the reference week.
Median Age
The median divides the age distribution into two equal parts: one-half of the cases falling below the median age and one-half above the median.
Median Age at First Marriage
The median age at first marriage is calculated indirectly by estimating the proportion of young people who will marry during their lifetime, calculating one-half of this proportion, and determining the age (at the time of the survey) of people at this half-way mark by interpolation. It does not represent the actual median age of the population who married during the calendar year.
Median Earnings
The median divides the earnings distribution into two equal parts: one-half of the cases falling below the median and one-half above the median. Median earnings for full-time, year-round workers is based on individuals 16 years and over with earnings who usually worked 35 hours or more a week for 50 to 52 weeks in 1999. This measure is rounded to the nearest dollar.
Median Gross Rent
The median divides the gross rent distribution (rent, plus utilities, if paid seperately from rent) into two equal parts: one-half the cases falling below the median gross rent and one-half above the median. This measure is rounded to the nearest whole dollar. Housing units that are renter occupied without payment of cash rent are excluded in the calculation of median gross rent.
Median Income
Median income is the amount which divides the income distribution into two equal groups, half having incomes above the median, half having incomes below the median. The medians for households, families, and unrelated individuals are based on all households, families, and unrelated individuals, respectively. The medians for people are based on people 15 years old and over with income.
Migration
A move that crosses jurisdictional boundaries.
Mortgage Status
"Mortgage" refers to all forms of debt where the property is pledged as security for repayment of the debt, including deeds of trust, trust deed, contracts to purchase, land contracts, junior mortgages, and home equity loans.
Native
The native population includes people born in the United States, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Island Areas. People who were born in a foreign country but have at least one American parent also are included in this category.
Net Migration
The difference between inmigration and outmigration in a given geographic area during a specified time frame. Net migration can be either positive or negative. Positive net migration indicates inmigration, while negative net migration indicates outmigration.
Nonfamily Household
A nonfamily household consists of a householder living alone (a one-person household) or where the householder shares the home exclusively with people to whom he/she is not related - for example, boarders or roommates. The nonrelatives of the householder may be related to each other.
Occupied Housing Unit
A housing unit is classified as occupied if it is the usual place of residence of the person or group of people living in it at the time of the enumeration, or if the occupants are only temporarily absent; that is, away on vacation or business.
Outmigration
Movement out of an area during a given period.
Own Child
A never-married child under 18 years old who is a son or daughter of the householder by birth, marriage (a stepchild), or adoption. For 100-percent tabulations, own children consist of all sons/daughters of householders who are under 18 years of age. For sample data, own children consists of sons/daughters of householders who are under 18 years of age and who have never been married; therefore, numbers of own children of householders may be different in these two tabulations (note: in tabulations of own children by employment status of parents, the number of "own children" includees children in families and subfamilies and may therefore differ from other 100-percent and sample tabulations).
Owner Occupied Housing Unit
A housing unit is owner occupied if the owner or co-owner lives in the unit even if it is mortgaged or not fully paid for.
Per Capita Income
Per capita income is the average income computed for every man, woman, and child in a particular group. The Census Bureau derived per capita income by dividing the total income of a particular group by the total population in that group (excluding patients or inmates in institutional quarters).
Per Capita Personal Income
The personal income of the residents of a given area divided by the resident population of the area.
Personal Income
Personal Income is the income that is received by all persons from all sources. It is calculated as the sum of wage and salary disbursements, supplements to wages and salaries, proprietors' income with inventory valuation and capital consumption adjustments, rental income of persons with capital consumption adjustment, personal dividend income, personal interest income, and personal current transfer receipts, less contributions for government social insurance. The personal income of an area is the income that is received by, or on behalf of, all the individuals who live in the area; therefore, the estimates of personal income are presented by the place of residence of the income recipients.
Plumbing Facilities
The data on plumbing facilities are obtained from both occupied and vacant housing units. Complete plumbing facilities include: (1) hot and cold piped water, (2) a flush toilet, and (3) a bathtub or shower. All three facilities must be located in the housing unit.
Poverty Status in 1999
Poverty is measured by using 48 thresholds that vary by family size and number of children within the family and age of the householder. To determine whether a person is poor, one compares the total income of that person's family with the threshold appropriate for that family. If the total family income is less than the threshold, then the person is considered poor, together with every member of his or her family.
Not every person is included in the poverty universe: institutionalized people, people in military group quarters, people living in college dormitories, and unrelated individuals under 15 years old are considered neither as "poor" nor as "nonpoor," and are excluded from both the numerator and the denominator when calculating poverty rates.
Race
In the 2000 Census, the race of individuals was identified by a question that asked for self-identification of the person's race. Respondents were asked to select their race from a "flashcard" listing racial groups.
The population is divided into five groups on the basis of race: White; Black; American Indian, Eskimo or Aleut; Asian or Pacific Islander; and Other races. The last category includes any other race except the four mentioned. In most of the published tables "Other Races" are included in the total population data line but are not shown individually.
Related Children
Includes all people in a household under the age of 18, regardless of marital status, who are related to the householder. Does not include householder's spouse or foster children, regardless of age.
Renter Occupied Housing Unit
All occupied housing units that are not owner occupied, whether they are rented for cash rent or occupied without payment of cash rent, are classified as renter occupied. Housing units in 'continuing care' or life care facilities are included in the 'rented for cash rent' category.
Residence in 1995
Residence in 1995 indicates an individual's area of residence on April 1, 1995.
Rural
Territory, population and housing units not classified as urban. "Rural" classification cuts across other hierarchies and can be in metropolitan or non-metropolitan areas.
Seasonal, Recreational, or Occasional Use Housing Unit
Seasonal, recreational, or occasional use housing units include vacant units used or intended for use only in certain seasons, for weekends, or other occasional use throughout the year. Interval ownership units, sometimes called shared ownership or time-sharing condominiums are included in this category.
Selected Monthly Owner Costs
Selected monthly owner costs are the sum of payments for mortgages, deeds of trust, contracts to purchase, or similar debts on the property; real estate taxes; fire, hazard and flood insurance on the property; utilities; and fuels. It also includes, where appropriate, the monthly condominium fees or mobile home costs.
Selected Monthly Owner Costs as a Percentage of Household Income in 1999
Selected monthly owner costs as a percentage of household income is the computed ratio of selected monthly owner costs to monthly household income in 1999. The ratio was computed separately for each unit and rounded to the nearest whole percentage. Units occupied by households reporting no income or a net loss in 1999 are included in the 'Not Computed' category.
Specified Owner-Occupied Units
Specified owner-occupied units are owner-occupied, one-family, attached and detached houses on less than 10 acres without a business or medical office on the property.
Specified Renter-Occupied Units
Specified renter-occupied units include all renter-occupied units except one-unit attached or detached houses on 10 acres or more.
Telephone Service
Households with telephone service have a telephone in working order and are able to make and receive calls.
Unemployed
Civilians 16 years 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, (2) were looking for work during the last four weeks, and
(3) were available to start a job.
Also included as unemployed are civilians 16 years old and over who did not work at all during the reference week, were on temporary layoff from a job, expected to be recalled to work within the next 6 months, or had been given a date to return to work, and were available for work during the reference week.
Urban
All territory, population and housing units in urbanized areas and in places of more than 2,500 persons outside of urbanized areas. "Urban" classification cuts across other hierarchies and can be in metropolitan or non-metropolitan areas.
Urban Cluster
A densely settled territory that has at least 2,500 people but fewer than 50,000.
Urbanized Area
An area consisting of a central place(s) and adjacent territory with a general population density of at least 1,000 people per square mile of land area that together have a minimum residential population of at least 50,000 people. The Census Bureau uses published criteria to determine the qualification and boundaries of UAs.
Vacant Housing Unit
A housing unit is vacant if no one is living in it at the time of the enumeration, unless its occupants are only temporarily absent. Units temporarily occupied at the time of enumeration entirely by people who have a usual residence elsewhere are also classified as vacant.
Value
Value is the respondent's estimate of how much the property (house and lot, mobile home and lot, or condominium unit) would sell for if it were for sale.