Special Census Program

Data Products

Special Census data products are based on responses to the decennial census short form questionnaire. The publication, Why We Ask Special Census Questions [PDF 224k], describes each question and can be provided to community residents that want more information on how their answers may be used. Individual responses are voluntary and confidential as stated in the Special Census Privacy Act Notice [PDF 114k] (Note: We are working to update program) provided to every respondent by the Special Census enumerator.

A governmental unit receives several data products once data collection, data capture, and tabulation is complete - usually within 6 to 7 months after a Memorandum of Understanding and payment has been received. Customer needs and Census Bureau scheduling requirements will affect when data products are delivered to the customer.

The primary data product provided to each participating governmental unit includes a certified letter from the Director of the U.S. Census Bureau that states their official Special Census population and housing count. Full Special Censuses include the entire jurisdiction based on recent boundaries provided by the governmental unit. Partial Special Censuses only include specific blocks requested by the governmental unit, usually representing areas that have experienced high growth since the last census. View certified Special Census counts issued to governmental units during the 2000 decade. Frequent updates are made to this site as additional certified counts are released.

Additional data products are provided to the governmental unit, including demographic profiles for the total area counted. For full Special Censuses this is for the entire jurisdiction, as well as tracts and partial tracts included in the census. The governmental unit also receives a data table that illustrates population and housing counts for each individual block counted during the Special Census. These data products are provided to the governmental unit in Microsoft Excel or ASCII format and are described in greater detail in the publication entitled Special Census Data Products for the 2000 Decade [PDF 93k]. Printed data products can be provided to the governmental unit upon request.