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Disclosure Avoidance and the 2020 Census: How the TopDown Algorithm Works

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Disclosure Avoidance and the 2020 Census: How SafeTab-P Works

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Report Number: C2020BR-05

This is the fourth in a series of briefs describing disclosure avoidance methods used to protect 2020 Census data products and the implications of those methods for data users.

This brief describes how differential privacy works and is applied to the 2020 Census Detailed Demographic and Housing Characteristics File A (Detailed DHC-A).

The methodology used to protect the data in the Detailed DHC-A is different than the methodology used in other census data products. This brief also explains those differences and provides guidance for data users.

Others in Series

Publication
Why the Census Bureau Chose Differential Privacy
March 27, 2023
This brief describing how disclosure avoidance methods are being applied to 2020 Census data products and implications of those methods for data users.
Publication
Disclosure Avoidance and the 2020 Census: The TopDown Algorithm
March 27, 2023
This brief describes how differential privacy works and is applied to the 2020 Census Redistricting Data and Demographic and Housing Characteristics File.
Publication
Age and Sex Composition: 2020
May 25, 2023
This report presents key findings from the 2020 Census on the age and sex composition of the U.S. population as well as changes between 2010 and 2020.
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Page Last Revised - October 23, 2023