Chapter 7.
User Updates

User updates supply data users with additional or corrected information that becomes available after the technical documentation and files are prepared. They are issued as Data Notes, Geography Notes, and Technical Documentation Notes in a numbered series and are available in portable document format (PDF) on our Web site at http://www.census.gov.

If you print the documentation, please file the user updates behind this page. If there are technical documentation replacement pages, they should be filed in their proper location and the original pages destroyed.


Public Use Microdata Sample Files
Data Note 1
TECHNICAL NOTE ON SAME-SEX UNMARRIED PARTNER DATA
FROM THE 1990 AND 2000 CENSUSES
The release of data from the 2000 census has brought with it a number of analyses documenting
change that has occurred since the last census was conducted in 1990. While many of the variables
and processes between the two censuses are comparable, some are not, and direct comparison
of some estimates may lead to misleading conclusions. This note discusses one such topic,
that of ''unmarried partners,'' and advises that for some analyses-those involving unmarried
same-sex partners-direct comparison of the 1990 and 2000 estimates is not substantively valid.
The household relationship item in both the 1990 and the 2000 censuses offered many ways of
identifying how other people in the household were related to the householder (the person in
whose name the house is owned or rented). Categories included spouse, child or other relative of
the householder, housemate/roommate, roomer/boarder, and unmarried partner. In all circumstances,
the respondent was asked to choose the category that best represented how other members
of the household were related to the householder.
In both censuses, the ''spouse'' and ''unmarried partner'' response categories were defined and
asked the same way. However, there were important differences in data processing that mean that
some of the data are not comparable, limiting the usefulness of comparisons of the number of
samesex unmarried partners between these two censuses.
In both censuses, if a person was identified as the ''spouse'' of the householder and was the same
sex as the householder, the ''spouse'' response was flagged for further review and allocation, that
is, assignment of a value other than that originally reported, based on other data on the form. In
1990, the edit and allocation procedures did not allow same-sex ''spouse'' combinations to occur,
thus resulting in the allocation of one of these two items in order to achieve editing consistency
among the responses.
Processing steps were changed for Census 2000 for households that contained same-sex
''spouses.'' If the person with the ''spouse'' category was the same sex as the householder and if
neither person had their sex previously allocated, a relationship response of ''spouse'' was allocated
as an ''unmarried partner'' response. Data allocation is a standard statistical practice that is
followed by most data collection agencies. Data on the relationship item (as other items) were
subject to allocation in the census, as they are in virtually all Census Bureau surveys.
Two principal factors affected our decision to take this approach for Census 2000.
1. Marriage Act (H.R. 3396) passed by the 104th Congress. This act instructs all federal agencies
only to recognize opposite-sex marriages for the purposes of enacting any agency programs.
In order for Census Bureau data to be consistent with this act and the data requirements of
other federal agencies, same-sex spouse responses were invalidated. The legislation defines
marriage and spouse as follows:
''In determining the meaning of any Act of Congress, or of any ruling, regulation or interpretation
of the various administrative bureaus and agencies of the United States, the word 'marriage'
means only a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife, and
the word 'spouse' refers only to a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or wife.'' In
order for the Census Bureau to be consistent with this act and the data requirements of other
federal agencies, same-sex ''spouse'' responses were invalidated.
U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000
2. The second factor took into consideration that couples in long term same-sex relationships
may consider themselves as ''married partners'' and thus respond as such on the census form.
In addition, at the time of writing the editing program for Census 2000, there were several
challenges in the courts concerning the legality of same-sex marriages. Clearly, we could not
ignore the fact that same-sex spouse responses were going to be recorded during Census
2000. In light of these social and legal aspects and the lack of a key variable in the statistical
allocation routine (marital status) the assignment of same-sex ''married'' couples to the samesex
''unmarried partner'' category was the procedure chosen for the editing process. We were
adverse to a randomized allocation of these responses after people had clearly marked a close
relationship preference on the census form.
As a result of these changes in the processing routine, estimates of same-sex unmarried partners
are not comparable between the 1990 and 2000 census. We believe 2000 census estimates
of this category are better estimates than those produced in 1990. It should also be
noted that estimates of opposite-sex unmarried partners, however, were not affected by these
editing procedures and changes and are comparable between the two censuses.
For further information on this topic, please contact the Fertility and Family Statistics Branch on
301-763-2416.
March 2003
U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000
Public Use Microdata Sample Files
Data Note 2
The variable PNUM, Person Sequence Number, on the Housing Unit record of the 1-percent PUMS
files should not be used. Users will have to create their own sort key. However, the number of
person records is correct and matches the number in the variable PERSONS on the Housing Unit
record.
April 2003
U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000
Public Use Microdata Sample Files
Data Note 3
The variable TAXAMT on the housing unit record erroneously includes data for a code of 68 for
the 1-percent files. Data for code 68 should be collapsed into code 67.
May 2003
U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000
Public Use Microdata Sample Files
Geography Note 1
New Jersey: 34
Super-PUMA 34101 is not contiguous. A small portion of the super-PUMA, comprising the Saddle
River borough, is detached from the main area of super-PUMA 34101.
April 2003
U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000
Public Use Microdata Sample Files
Technical Documentation Note 1
The definition for some variables in Chapter 6 (Data Dictionary) may not be easily found in Appendix
B (Definitions of Subject Characteristics). Below is a list of the subjects that may be difficult to
locate and the appropriate topic to refer to in Appendix B.
Housing Record Type
Variable Description
Appendix B
Topic
Size of building See Units in Structure
Year building built See Year Structure Built
Cost of electricity (annual) See Utilities
Cost of gas (annual) See Utilities
Cost of water and sewer (annual) See Utilities
Cost of oil, kerosene, or wood (annual) See Utilities
Number of people 65 years and over
in household
See Household Type and Relationship
Number of people under 18 years in
household
See Household Type and Relationship
Number of people in family See Household Type and Relationship
Number of own children under 18 years
in household
See Household Type and Relationship
Number of related children under
18 years in household
See Household Type and Relationship
Presence of subfamily in household See Household Type and Relationship
Presence and age of own children
under 18 years
See Household Type and Relationship
Presence and age of related children
under 18 years
See Household Type and Relationship
Specified value indicator See Value
Family type and employment status See Household Type and Relationship and
see Employment Type
Family type and work experience
of householder
See Household Type and Relationship and
see Work Status in 1999
Person Record Type
Variable Description
Appendix B
Topic
Able to go out disability See Disability Status
Military service See Veteran Status
Years of military service See Veteran Status
Vehicle occupancy See Journey to Work
Layoff from job See Employment Status
Absent from work See Employment Status
Return-to-work recall See Employment Status
Looking for work See Employment Status
Back to work See Employment Status
Hours per week in 1999 See Work Status in 1999
U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000
Public Use Microdata Sample Files
Technical Documentation Note 2
The unweighted counts for housing units for all states in Appendix I were incorrect. Appendix I
(column 2) has been corrected to include the correct total housing unweighted counts.
May 2003
U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000
Public Use Microdata Sample Files
Technical Documentation Note 3
The value for the variable SAMPLE in the housing unit record of the Data Dictionary (Chapter 6) for
the 1-percent files was incorrectly listed as 2. It has been corrected to show a value of 1.
May 2003
U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000
Public Use Microdata Sample Files
Technical Documentation Note 4
The value of 9 for the variable CLWRKR in the person record of the Data Dictionary (Chapter 6) for
the 1-percent files was missing. It has been corrected as shown below.
CLWKR
Class of Worker
0. Not in universe (Under 16 years of LASTWRK = 2)
1. Employee of private for-profit company
2. Employee of private not-for-profit company
3. Employee of local government
4. Employee of state government
5. Employee of federal government
6. Self-employed in unincorporated business or company
7. Self-employed in incorporated business or company
8. Unpaid family worker
9. Unemployed, no work experience in the last 5 years
May 2003
U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000